USS Enterprise: Past, Present And Future

By KELLYALLEN – December 1, 2012 - NAVYLIVE.DODLIVE.MIL

Friends and family members of Sailors assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) gather on the flight deck for the ship’s final air power demonstration before its upcoming inactivation. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Scott Pittman/Released)

 
By Rear Adm. Thomas J. Moore, Program Executive Officer, Aircraft Carriers

Today, December 1st, USS ENTERPRISE (CVN 65) will inactivate and leave the Navy’s active carrier force forever. The inactivation of CVN 65 is not just a milestone for the Navy, it marks both the end of an era of a legendary ship and the start of a new era for Naval Aviation with the introduction of the GERALD R. FORD Class. USS ENTERPRISE, although the oldest ship in the fleet, performed the same Naval Aviation Strike Operations and Air Wing support as the newest aircraft carriers.

USS ENTERPRISE (CVN 65) will continue to serve on as more than $100 million of her equipment is reused and installed aboard NIMITZ and FORD class aircraft carriers. Seven ships have borne the name ENTERPRISE, and CVN 65 or “Big E” is a legend in itself as the most decorated warship in U.S. history. Pivotal in every U.S. conflict since its commissioning, the first nuclear aircraft carrier Enterprise changed the future of naval aviation. I had the privilege of serving aboard ENTERPRISE, being Program Manager at PEO Carriers for the long transition of the last NIMITZ class carrier USS GEORGE H.W. BUSH (CVN 77), and am now the PEO responsible for the new GERALD R. FORD Class. I am proud to see the Enterprise tradition of bringing unprecedented innovation and striking power to the fleet being continued in our newest class.

Read more, the full article here: http://navylive.dodlive.mil/2012/12/01/uss-enterprise-past-present-and-future/

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USS New York and the Legacy of 9/11

Sailors from USS New York remember 9/11 and what serving on a ship forged from 7 tons of World Trade Center steel means to them.

a US NAVY video:

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R.I.P. - Sean P. Sullivan, Joseph P. Fitzmorris

DOD Identifies Navy Casualties

            The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of two sailors who died in a helicopter crash July 19 in Oman.

            Senior Chief Aviation Warfare Systems Operator Sean P. Sullivan, 40, of St. Louis, Mo., and Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) Second Class Joseph P. Fitzmorris, 31, of West Monroe, La., were declared deceased following an extensive search of the wreckage and the surrounding areas of the crash.

            For further information related to this release, contact Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/Commander, U.S. Fifth Fleet Public Affairs at 011-973-1785-4027.

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sorry, currently, i cant found any more/decent informations about the fallen heroes

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Sean P. Sullivan

Joseph P. Fitzmorris

The Defense Department confirmed the death of a U.S. Navy Air Crewman from St Louis in the crash of a helicopter during heavy-lift operations in the Middle East.

Senior Chief Aviation Warfare Systems Operator Sean P. Sullivan, 40, of St. Louis, Mo., and Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) Second Class Joseph P. Fitzmorris, 31, of West Monroe, La., were declared deceased following an extensive search of the wreckage and the surrounding areas of the crash.
The MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopter crashed Thursday about 60 miles southwest of Muscat, Oman. Three other crew members were injured.
Sullivan and Fitzmorris were previously reported missing. According to an announcement, the pair were “declared deceased following an extensive search of the wreckage and the surrounding areas of the crash.”
There was no hostile action in the area at the time of the crash, which is under investigation.

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US Navy helicopter with 5 crew crashes in Oman

English: PERSIAN GULF (April 16, 2007) - An MH-53E Sea Dragon assigned to Helicopter Mine Counter Measure Squadron (HM) 15 conducts a mine sweeping exercise.  U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Edward G. Martens (RELEASED) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

WASHINGTON, July 19 (Xinhua) -- An MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopter crashed near Oman on Thursday while conducting heavy lift support operations, and the fate of its five crew members remained unknown, the U.S. Navy confirmed.

The helicopter, which was assigned to Helicopter Countermeasure Squadron-15, crashed 58 miles (about 92 kilometers) southwest of Muscat, Oman, the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command said in a news release.

It said the crash was not caused by hostile activity, and the cause of the accident was under investigation.

The status of the five crew members was "still being determined, " as another MH-53E helicopter assigned to the same squadron was on the scene to provide search and rescue assistance, the release added.

from XINHUA
2012-07-20 03:09:20

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Lt. Greg Raelson, a spokesman for the Navy's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet, gave no immediate word on the fate of the crew. But an Omani air force official said three of them have been found so far and are being treated in a hospital.

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U.S Coast Guard ship renders aid to Iranian mariners

By U.S. Fifth Fleet Public Affairs, US Naval Forces Central Command



ARABIAN GULF (January 10, 2012) — A U.S. Coast Guard ship, assigned to Commander, Task Force (CTF) 55, rendered aid to six Iranian mariners from a distressed vessel in the North Arabian Gulf.

At approximately 3:00 a.m. local time, Island-Class Patrol Boat USCGC Monomoy (WPB-1326) operating in the area; when it was hailed by flares and flashlights from the Iranian cargo dhow, Ya-Hussayn.  The dhow’s master requested assistance from Monomoy indicating the engine room was flooding and deemed not seaworthy.

Monomoy immediately launched their small boat and approached the Ya-Hussayn.  Two persons were rescued from the vessel, and four from a life raft tied off to the dhow’s stern.
The six Iranian mariners were transferred from the dhow to Monomoy.  They were provided water, blankets, and halal meals.  Halal meals are in accordance with Islamic law and are stored aboard U.S. Coast Guard ships to provide to Muslim mariners in distress.

An Iranian mariner greets a U.S. Coast Guardsmen, assigned to U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Monomoy (WPB-1326). (from centcom.mil)

An emergency medical technician from Monomoy treated an injured crew member.  Fortunately, his injuries were not serious and there was no requirement for him to be medically evacuated.
Boatswain Mate 2nd Class Emily Poole, Monomoy’s medic, expressed her sentiments about assisting mariners at sea.  “Saving lives is the last thing you expect to do at 0300 while patrolling in the Northern Arabian Gulf, but being in the Coast Guard, that’s what we are trained to do.”

A civilian interpreter aboard Monomoy provided the initial contact with the Iranian Rescue Coordination Center to report the status of the Ya-Hussayn and coordinate the transfer of the Iranian mariners from Monomoy to shore.  Civilian interpreters are routinely embarked on USCG vessels operating within the Arabian Gulf.

The master of the Iranian vessel, who also spoke with the Rescue Coordination Center, was appreciative for the assistance to his crew and grateful for the efforts to get them home.
Hakim Hamid-Awi, the owner of the Ya-Hassan stated, “Without your help, we were dead. Thank you for all that you did for us.”  The Iranian mariners wished the best for the Captain and crew.
At approximately 4:30 p.m., the six mariners were transferred by rigid hull inflatable boats from Monomoy to the Iranian Coast Guard vessel Naji 7.

The Captain of the Naji 7, via translator, said, “Sends his regards and thanks to our Captain and all crewmembers for assisting, and taking care of the Iranian sailors. Wishes us the best, and thanks us for our cooperation.”
Monomoy departed the area to continue its mission.

U.S. Navy Capt. Edward Cashman, Commander of Task Force 55, commended Monomoy’s actions.  “Monomoy displayed exceptional skill and professionalism during the night time rescue at sea.  Monomoy’s presence in the Northern Gulf and the effective coordination of the rescue proves again the value of Coalition Maritime Security Operations."

Monomoy is supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

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US Navy rescues Iranians held hostage by pirates

A US Navy ship has rescued 13 Iranians held hostage by Somali pirates for weeks in the Arabian Sea, US military officers said Friday.
The USS Kidd, a destroyer, responded to a distress call from an Iranian-flagged fishing vessel and a Navy team boarded the boat, freeing the Iranian crew and detaining 15 suspected pirates, the Fifth Fleet said in a statement.

ARABIAN SEA (Jan. 5, 2012) The guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd (DDG 100) responds to a distress call from the master of the Iranian-flagged fishing dhow Al Molai, who claimed he was being held captive by pirates. Kidd's visit, board, search and seizure team, boarded and detained 15 suspected pirates, who were reportedly holding the 13-member Iranian crew hostage for the last two months. Kidd is conducting counter-piracy and maritime security operations while deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo/Released)
hi-res

As described in the Navy press release, the VBSS team recovered the fishing dhow Al Molai from the 15 suspected pirates without resistance.

“After securing the ship and ensuring the safety of all persons on board, we began distributing food and water to both the crew and the suspected criminals as is our standard practice in Counter-Piracy operations,” said [NCIS agent Josh] Schminky. The pirates were detained on the Al Molai by the Kidd boarding party until the next morning when they could be transferred to the USS John C. Stennis where the matter will be reviewed for prosecution. The pirates currently remain on the Stennis.
“The Captain of the Al Molai expressed his sincere gratitude that we came to assist them. He was afraid that without our help, they could have been there for months,” said Schminky.

ARABIAN SEA (Jan. 5, 2012) A Sailor aboard a safety boat observes a visit, board, search and seizure team, assigned to the guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd (DDG 100), board the Iranian-flagged fishing dhow Al Molai. Kidd's visit, board, search and seizure team detained 15 suspected pirates, who were holding a 13-member Iranian crew hostage for the last two months, according to the members of the crew. Kidd is conducting counter-piracy and maritime security operations while deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo/Released) hi-res

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