Free Republic

NAVAL STATION NORFOLK, Va., Aug. 29, 2005 – USS Saipan, USS Nashville and USS Nicholas returned to Naval Station Norfolk Aug. 25 from a three-month “surge” deployment. The ships surged May 25 under the Navy’s Fleet Response Plan. The Navy developed FRP to find new ways of operating, training, manning and maintaining the fleet so as to improve combat power and readiness, particularly in the ongoing battle against terrorism. Unlike most ships, these three deployed with less than two months to prepare, but the sailors on board understood why, said Vice Adm. Mark Fitzgerald, Commander U.S. 2nd Fleet, at the...

The Source for Navy News   030924-N-9109V-001 Portsmouth, Va. (Sept. 24, 2003) -- Brig. Gen. Richard F. Natonski (right), Commanding General of the Second Marine Expeditionary Brigade, presents an AK-47 rifle to Capt. Chris Hase, the Commanding Officer of USS Saipan (LHA 2), in appreciation for the support the crew gave Marines during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The rifle was confiscated from an Iraqi enemy prisoner of war during the bloodiest day of battle in March of 2003. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate Airman Kyle Voight. (RELEASED)   View Larger Download HiRes   Marine General Thanks Sailors for SupportStory...

Explosion on U.S. Warship Near Gulf Injures 11-Navy Thu May 8, 2003 11:44 AM ET WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Eleven U.S. Marines were injured on Wednesday in an explosion in a trash container aboard the amphibious assault warship USS Saipan in the northern Arabian Sea, the Navy said. None of the injuries was life-threatening, although one of the eleven was evacuated to an American Army field hospital in Kuwait for treatment of a serious arm injury, the U.S. 5th Fleet said in a statement. Others were being treated aboard the ship. The cause of the explosion was under investigation, the Navy...

Explosion on U.S. Warship Near Gulf Injures 11-Navy WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Eleven U.S. Marines were injured on Wednesday in an explosion in a trash container aboard the amphibious assault warship USS Saipan in the northern Arabian Sea, the Navy said. None of the injuries was life-threatening, although one of the eleven was evacuated to an American Army field hospital in Kuwait for treatment of a serious arm injury, the U.S. 5th Fleet said in a statement. Others were being treated aboard the ship. The cause of the explosion was under investigation, the Navy said. The 5th Fleet is based in...

One Marine had to be transported to an Army field hospital, the remainder were treated on board the Saipan. No word of the cause at this point.No links yet either...

April 20, 2003 IN THE NORTH ARABIAN GULF -- The amphibious assault ships of Task Force 51 come together in an unprecedented formation during operations in the North Arabian Gulf. This marked the first time that six large deck amphibious ships from the East and West coasts have deployed together in one area of operations. Led by the flag ship USS Tarawa (LHA 1), the ships in the second row from bottom to top are USS Saipan (LHA 2) and USS Kearsarge (LHD 3); and the third row ships are USS Boxer (LHD 4), USS Bataan (LHD 5) and USS...