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December 8, 2009

The Virginian-Pilot
© December 8, 2009

By Corinne Reilly

Nearly 3,200 sailors and Marines with the Bataan amphibious ready group are due home this morning from a seven-month deployment.

The group left Norfolk on May 13 and traveled to the Middle East. It consists of Amphibious Squadron 2, the amphibious assault ship Bataan, the dock landing ship Fort McHenry, the transport dock Ponce, Tactical Air Control Squadron 21, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 22, Fleet Surgical Team 6, assault craft units 2 and 4, and Beachmaster Unit 2.

Serving with the group was the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, which spent the deployment as a reserve force for U.S. Central Command. The ready group took part in several exercises, including Fifth Fleet's largest multinational exercise, Bright Star 2009, the Navy said.

The amphibious group also conducted maritime security operations for Fifth Fleet, which covers the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Oman and parts of the Indian Ocean.

The group is under the command of Capt. Paul McElro. The Bataan and Ponce are homeported at Norfolk Naval Station. The Fort McHenry is from Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek.