Nassau strike group returns today after 5-month deployment

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During the past five months in the Middle East, tensions grew in Syria, unrest delayed Lebanon's presidential election more than 15 times, and Iraq struggled to keep oil pumping to its main offshore terminals.

The Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group had front row seats for all of the action.

Most of the 2,800 sailors and Marines aboard six ships in the strike group are scheduled to return home today from a five-month deployment to the Mediterranean Sea and Persian Gulf.

The strike group consists of the amphibious ships Nassau, Nashville and Ashland and the destroyers Ross and Bulkeley, all based locally, as well as the Florida-based cruiser Philippine Sea. The cruiser returned to Mayport Naval Station on Thursday.

The battle group focused on nautical operations and did not carry a large Marine expeditionary unit.

The regularly scheduled deployment brought the ships together to work with several foreign navies, provide maritime security for Iraqi oil terminals, and conduct a steady slate of port visits.

Capt. Bob Lineberry, commodore of the strike group, said the ships were sent to the eastern Mediterranean, near Lebanon, "right out of the blocks" to establish a presence and offer assistance in the region.

"We were there, if needed," he said during a telephone interview aboard the Nassau on Thursday. As it turned out, they were only needed as a show of force, he said.

The ships participated in a two-week training exercise known as Phoenix Express.

Working with 11 other navies from places such as France, Greece, Tunisia and Malta, sailors and Marines focused on vessel boarding and search-and-seizure operations.

The small boat missions are designed to gain intelligence and, if necessary, chase and apprehend pirates, smugglers and insurgents.

Lineberry said the exercise allowed the various countries to become familiar with each other's tactics and procedures. Security task forces in the Persian Gulf region consist of forces from several navies.

Several ships conducted community relations projects, such as fixing schools and community centers.

Capt. Tushar Tembe, skipper of the Nashville, said the sailors got a healthy dose of port visits in Greece, Israel and Spain, among others.

The crew made three visits to Souda Bay, Crete, he said. "It was almost like we were part of the family."

Louis Hansen, (757) 446-2322, louis.hansen@pilotonline.com