NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The George HW Bush Carrier Strike Group got underway from Norfolk on Wednesday for a roughly eight month deployment.
The strike group includes the USS George HW Bush (CVN 77) aircraft carrier and guided-missile destroyer USS Truxtun (DDG 103) are joining guided-missile destroyers USS Delbert D. Black (DDG 119) and USS Farragut (DDG 99) and guided -missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55), which left port earlier this month. The Black and Farragut are homeported at Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville, and the Leyte Gulf is based in Norfolk.
The strike group in total has more than 6,000 Sailors.
The squadrons aboard the HW Bush are the “Jolly Rogers” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 103, the “Pukin’ Dogs” of VFA-143, the “Bluetails” of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 121, the “Nightdippers ” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 5, located in Norfolk, Va.; the “Sidewinders” of VFA-86 and the “Nighthawks” of VFA-136, located in Lemoore, Calif..; the “Patriots” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 140, based in Whidbey Island, Wash.; and the “Grandmasters” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 46 located in Mayport, Fla.
CORRECTION: In the original story that aired on WAVY-TV 10 Nellie Carbaugh’s name was misspelled. WAVY-TV apologizes for the error.