User:Marcd30319/Marcd30319 original John C. Stennis Carrier Battle Group

John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group (JCSCSG) was a carrier battle group that operated under the direction of Carrier Group Seven (CarGru 7). This carrier battle group participated in Operation Southern Watch, Operation Noble Eagle, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Anaconda, and Operation Enduring Freedom - Afghanistan (OEF-A). Beginning in 2004, the John Stennis carrier strike group was re-designated as Carrier Strike Group Seven, one of six U.S. Navy carrier strike groups currently assigned to the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Overview
The John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group (JCSCSG) was employed in a variety of roles, all of which involve gaining and maintaining sea control. The core capabilities of a CSG include:


 * Forward Presence
 * Deterrence
 * Sea Control
 * Power Projection
 * Maritime Security
 * Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Response (HADR)

The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) and Carrier Air Wing Three (CVW-11) are under the administrative authority of Commander, Naval Air Force Pacific. The guided missile cruisers USS Lake Champlain (CG-57) and USS Port Royal (CG-73), as well as and Destroyer Squadron Twenty-one (DESRON-21), are under the administrative authority of Commander, Naval Surface Forces Pacific. CSG-3's training and certification is under the authority of the U.S. Third Fleet. When deployed overseas, JCSCSG came under the command authority of the U.S. Seventh Fleet operating in the Western Pacific (WESTPAC) and the U.S. Fifth Fleet in the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf, with Commander Carrier Group Seven (ComCarGru 7) serving as the immediate flag officer in command of the group.

1998 WESTPAC Deployment
On 26 February 1998, the Stennis Battle Group departed Naval Station Norfolk, with Commander Carrier Group Seven (ComCarGru7) embarked aboard the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) which was making her maiden deployment. The task group consisted of the carrier Stennis; Carrier Air Wing Seven (CVW-7); the guided-missile cruiser USS San Jacinto (CG-56); the guided-missile destroyers USS Laboon (DDG-58) and USS Cole (DDG-67); the destroyer USS Caron (DD-970); the nuclear-powered attack submarines USS Minneapolis-St. Paul (SSN-708) and USS Providence (SSN-719); and the fast combat support ship USNS Bridge (T-AOE-10). CVW-7 squadrons embarked on board the Stennis included:

Light anti-submarine helicopter (HSL) squadron detachments deploying with JCSCSG escort warships included:


 * Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Light 42 (HSL-42) Det 2: 2 SH-60B Seahawk onboard USS Monterey (CG-61)
 * Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Light 44 (HSL-44) Det 4: 2 SH-60B Seahawk onboard USS San Jacinto (CG-56)
 * Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Light 46 (HSL-46) Det 3: 2 SH-60B Seahawk onboard USS Caron (DD-970)
 * Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Light 48 (HSL-48) Det 3: 2 SH-60B Seahawk onboard USS Simpson (FFG-56)

The John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group transited the Suez Canal on 7 March 1998, arrivied in the Persian Gulf on 11 March 1998 to relieved the USS George Washington (CVN-73)'s carrier strike group.

Operation Southern Watch
On 12 March 1998, The John C. Stennis strike group executed five rotation to the Persian Gulf to support Operation Southern Watch (OSW), as well as making port visits to Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Bahrain as outlined below.

Exercises & port visits
The carrier strike group paid port visits to Perth and Hobart, Australia, and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Homeport change
The John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group departed the Persian Gulf on 19 July 1998 for her new home port of Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego, California, arriving on 26 August 1998.

1998–1999 Operations: CVN-74 PIA 98/99
Stennis was underway for FLEETEX 00-1 exercises 29 October – 8 November 1998. Beginning in October 1998, Stennis entered a 6-month Phased Incremental Availability (PIA) for maintenance and upgrades at North Island completed as of 10 April 1999. Stennis was underway to conduct Tailored Ship's Training Availability (TSTA) 1 in Southern California Operating Areas 19–26 May 1999 and TSTA II/III/Final Evaluation's Period (FEP) 12–28 July 1999, with a port visit at Victoria, British Columbia, from 28 July to 1 August 1999 before returning to San Diego on 04 August 1999. The carrier also underwent its Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX) 6–26 August 1999. Stennis participated in FLEETEX 00-1 exercises 29 October – 8 November 1999.

2000 WESTPAC Deployment
On 7 January 2000, the Stennis Carrier Strike Group, with Commander Carrier Group Seven (ComCarGru7) embarked, deployed to the Persian Gulf to relieve the USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) carrier strike group in Operation Southern Watch (OSW). Accompanying the carrier Vinson  were the guided missile cruisers USS Lake Champlain (CG-57) and USS Port Royal (CG-73); the destroyers USS Russell (DDG-59) and USS Elliot (DD-967); the frigate USS Rentz (FFG-46); the nuclear-powered attack submarines USS Asheville (SSN-758) and USS Jefferson City (SSN-759); and the fast combat support ship USNS Bridge (T-AOE-10). Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9) squadrons embarked on board the Stennis included:

Light anti-submarine helicopter (HSL) squadron detachments deploying with JCSCSG escort warships included:


 * Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Light 37 (HSL-37) Det 1: 2 SH-60B Seahawk onboard USS Port Royal (CG-73)
 * Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Light 37 (HSL-37) Det 8: 2 SH-60B Seahawk onboard USS Elliot (DD-967)
 * Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Light 45 (HSL-45) Det 5: 2 SH-60B Seahawk onboard USS Lake Champlain (CG-57)
 * Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Light 47 (HSL-47) Det 5: 2 SH-60B Seahawk onboard USS Rentz (FFG-46)

Stennis Carrier Strike Group entered the U.S. Seventh Fleet's area of responsibility (AOR) on 17 January 2000, executed two brief rotations off the Korean Peninsula, and paid port visits to Pusan, South Korea, 28–30 January 2000; Hong Kong 8–11 February 2000; and Malaysia 16–21 February 2000.

Operation Southern Watch
Stennis Carrier Strike Group entered the U.S. Fifth Fleet's area of responsibility (AOR) on 26 February 2000 and, led by the cruiser Port Royal, subsequently transisted the Straits of Hormuz 27–28 February 2000, entering the Persian Gulf. The Stennis Carrier Strike Group executed five rotations in support of Operation Southern Watch (OSW) with the U.S. Fifth Fleet as noted below.

Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9), flew more than 10,000 sorties in several regions of the world, including over Iraq in support of Operation Southern Watch. On 14 March 2000, CVW-9 aircraft and crews used six GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bombs and three JDAM air-to-ground weapons against hostile forces in southern Iraq. These combat expenditures are the first for the carrier Stennis. This air strike was directed at two Iraqi surface-to-air missile batteries near Abu Sukhayr and Al Numaniya in southern Iraq which had been threatening coalition aircraft patrolling the No-Fly Zone. These Iraqi anti-aircraft missile batteries had been previously attacked on 30 July 30 1999. While in the Persian Gulf, Stennis, along with the other nine ships in its battle group, also enforced UN trade sanctions against Iraq.

RIMPAC 2000
Led by the destroyer Russell, the Stennis Carrier Strike Group exited the Strait of Hormuz 22–23 May 2000. The carrier strike group crossed the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean 24 May – 4 June 2000, enter the U.S. Seventh Fleet's area of responsibility (AOR) on 26 May, and paid port visits to Perth, Australia, 4–7 June and Hobart, Australia, beween 12-17 June. The strike group entered the U.S. Third Fleet's area of responsibility (AOR) on 14 June 2000 and subsequently particiapte in RIMPAC 2000, held 20 May – 6 July 2000, before returning to San Diego on 3 July 2000.

2001–2002 WESTPAC Deployment
Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, Stennis conducted Noble Eagle missions off the U.S. West Coast, going through continuous exercises for the upcoming WESTPAC deployment in January 2002. On 12 November 2001, two months ahead of scheduled, the Stennis Carrier Strike Group left on her third deployment to the U.S. Fifth Fleet. Commander, Carrier Group Seven (ComCarGru7) and his staff embarked on board the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74). The carrier strike group consisted of the carrier Stennis; Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9); the guided-missile cruisers USS Lake Champlain (CG-57) and USS Port Royal (CG-73); the guided-missile destroyers USS Decatur (DDG-73) and USS Elliot (DD-967); the guided-missile frigate USS Jarrett (FFG-33); the nuclear-powered attack submarines USS Salt Lake City (SSN-716) and USS Jefferson City (SSN-759); and the fast combat support ship USNS Bridge (T-AOE-10). Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9) squadrons embarked on board the Stennis included:

Light anti-submarine helicopter (HSL) squadron detachments deploying with JCSCSG escort warships included:


 * Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Light 31 (HSL-31) Det 1: 2 SH-60B Seahawk onboard USS Port Royal (CG-73)
 * Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Light 43 (HSL-43) Det 6: 2 SH-60B Seahawk onboard USS Deyo (DD-989)
 * Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Light 47 (HSL-47) Det 2: 2 SH-60B Seahawk onboard USS Jarrett (FFG-33)

The Stennis Carrier Strike Group entered the U.S. Seventh Fleet's area of responsibility (AOR) on 21 November 2001 and paid port visits to Hong Kong 30 November – 4 December 2000 and Singapore 7–10 December 2001. The strike group also paid port visits to Perth, Melbourne, Hobart, and Pearl Harbor before returning to San Diego on 28 May 2002 following its combat aoperations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom - Afghanistan (OEF-A).

Operation Enduring Freedom - Afghanistan
On 15 December 2001, the Stennis carrier strike group began a four-month deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom - Afghanistan (OEF-A) and Operation Anaconda, becoming the fifth U.S. aircraft carrier operating in the northern Arabian Sea during this period. On that first day of the combat operations, an American flag that was found in the rubble of the World Trade Center was raised on board the Stennis.

On 09 March 2002, crewmembers of an F-14 Tomcat fighter interceptor were recovered safely following a mishap while attempting to land aboard USS John C. Stennis operating in the North Arabian Sea. The Fighter Squadron 211 aircraft was returning from a combat mission over Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom when it crashed into the sea after an unsuccessful landing attempt aboard the carrier. The pilot and Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) were recovered from the water using the ship's SAR helicopter. Neither were seriously injuried.

CVW-9 aircraft flew 10,600 combat sorties, logged 54,390 flight hours, dropped 275,000 pounds of ordnance, and used over 23,115,895 gallons of jet fuel during this deployment. The flight deck crew safely recovered 9,600 arrested landings. Stennis was the first carrier to launch strikes into Afghanistan and conducted flight operations for 111 days supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. The carrier strike group sustained 100 days of continuous operations with only 4 days liberty in Bahrain, allowing the ship to anchor only once, for a total of 107 days of combat operations.

The carrier USS John C. Stennis was also the platform for the first coalition E-2 Hawkeye and C-2 Greyhound aircraft cross-deck landings on board the French nuclear-powered aircraft carriers Charles De Gaulle, as well as French Navy E-2 landings on board the Stennis.

2002–2003 Operations: CVN-74 PIA 02/03 & COMPTUEX
From June 2002 to January 2003, the Stennis underwent a seven-month Planned Incremental Availability (PIA). On 15 November 2003, Rear Admiral Matt Moffit turned over command of Carrier Group Seven (CCG-7) to Rear Admiral Patrick M. Walsh during a change of command ceremony onboard the USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74).

On 21 November 2003, the Stennis Carrier Strike Group completed a 26-day Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX).

2004 Operations
During March 2004, the carrier strike group began a six-week Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFEX) in preparation for its upcoming overseas deployment.

Summer Pulse ’04
Summer Pulse '04 (SP04) was the U.S. Navy's first full scale exercise of its new operational construct, the Fleet Response Plan (FRP). The exercise included scheduled deployments, surge operations, joint and international exercises such as Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2004, other advanced training, and several port visits.

The FRP is designed to allow the Navy to provide up to seven carrier strike groups (CSG) to support any contingency worldwide in 30 days. Per the plan, two more CSGs can be ready within three months to reinforce or rotate out the forces that initially deployed. This allows for a continuous presence and the ability to swiftly respond to different crisis situations. FRP also is about new ways of operating, training, manning and maintaining the fleet resulting in increased force readiness and the ability to provide significant combat power in a crisis situation as well as reinforce our relationships and interoperability in five theaters of operations. Summer Pulse '04 involved the surging of seven carrier strike groups led by the following aircraft carriers:
 * USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63), based at United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka
 * USS Enterprise (CVN-65), based at Naval Station Norfolk
 * USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67), based at Naval Station Mayport
 * USS George Washington (CVN-73), based at Naval Station Norfolk
 * USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74), based at Naval Air Station North Island
 * USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75), based at Naval Station Norfolk
 * USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), which transferred from Norfolk to Naval Air Station North Island

2004 WESTPAC Deployment
n 24 May 2004, the Stennis Carrier Strike Group departed Naval Station San Diego for its 2004 WESTPAC deployment to participate in Operation Northern Edge in the Gulf of Alaska. The carrier strike group included the carrier Stennis, Carrier Air Wing Fourteen (CVW-14), the guided missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain (CG-57), the guided missile destroyer USS Howard (DDG-83), and the nuclear attack submarine USS Salt Lake City (SSN-716). Carrier Air Wing Fourteen (CVW-14) squadrons embarked onboard the Stennis included:

The John C. Stennis carrier strike group paid a four-day port visit to Sasebo, Japan, departing on 25 August 2004, and subsequently paid a port visit to Port Klang, Malaysia September 1–5, 2004. The carrier strike group also paid a port visit to Freemantle, Australia, on 28 September 2004, and returned to San Diego on 1 November 2004 after participating Northern Edge 2004, RIMPAC 2004, and JASEX 2004 before the upcoming homeport change of flagship John C. Stennis to Bremerton, Washington, in 2005.

Northern Edge 2004
Northern Edge is an annual joint training exercise designed to enhance interoperability among the various branches of the U.S. armed services by sharpening and honing joint service techniques and procedures. While traditionally held in the cold weather months, for 2004, Northern Edge was moved to June to accommodate the worldwide scheduling of combat forces and availability of the carrier strike group. Held from June 7 through June 16, 2004, Northern Edge training focused on air-centric tactics and procedures with an emphasis on air-to-air, air-to-ground, and on personnel recovery operations in remote areas of the Pacific Alaska Range Complex (PARC) near Fairbanks, Alaska, and over water in the Gulf. Though most flight operations went according to plan, naval aviators frequently operated in low visibility conditions with thick cloud ceilings over the Gulf. Along with aircraft from the Stennis Strike Group, several other fighter units participated, including the Pacific Air Forces, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing from Okinawa, Japan, and other air wings from around the world. The carrier Stennis paid a port visit to Esquimalt, British Columbia June 18–21, 2004, and carried bi-lateral exercises with the Canadian Navy June 22–29, 2004. Carrier Strike Group Three also paid a port visit to Pearl Harbor June 22–26, 2004, prior to RIMPAC 2004.

RIMPAC 2004
Part of Summer Pulse '04 included the Stennis Carrier Strike Group participating in the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise, a two-week-long multinational series of naval war games involving 40 ships, seven submarines, 100 aircraft, and nearly 18,000 military personnel from seven nations. RIMPAC 2004 focused on multinational training while building trust and cooperation among the participating naval partners. The carrier ''John. C Stennis was the flagship for the Multinational Task Force Commander, Rear Admiral Patrick Walsh, Commander Carrier Group 3, the commander of the Stennis'' Carrier Strike Group.

JASEX 2004
The John C. Stennis and Kitty Hawk carrier strike groups participated in Joint Air and Sea Exercise 2004 (JASEX 04). This second annual joint exercise involved air and sea training events focused on integrating joint training, and improving interoperability and teamwork between the two carrier strike groups, as well as with land-based Air Force and Marine Corps units forward deployed to in the Western Pacific. Typhoon Rananim complicated the exercise, causing the two carrier strike groups to re-deploy 600 nmi east to the Iwo Jima operating area. JASEX 02 ended on 15 August 2004.

CSG Redesignation
Effective 1 October 2004, in keeping with the CNO's Guidance from Admiral Vernon E. Clark, Carrier Group Seven (CarGru 7) and its John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group were re-designated as Carrier Strike Group Seven (CARSTRKGRU 7).