Kearsarge amphibious group headed home

By Meredith Kruse
The Virginian-Pilot
© May 10, 2011

NORFOLK

After eight months at sea, the Kearsarge amphibious ready group is almost home.

The three ships in the group entered the North Atlantic Sunday, the Navy said, rounding off a deployment to the Middle East that began August 27 - a month earlier than expected - with a humanitarian mission to flood-stricken Pakistan.

The group consists of the amphibious assault ship Kearsarge, the amphibious transport dock Ponce, and the amphibious landing dock Carter Hall. Detachments on board include Fleet Surgical Team 6, Tactical Air Control Squadron 21 - detachment 1, Assault Craft Unit 4, Beach Master Unit 2, and Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 22.

A homecoming date has not yet been announced.

The group will stop first in North Carolina to disembark the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit. Based at Camp Lejeune, it consists of Battalion Landing Team 3/8, Combat Logistics Battalion 26, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 266 (Reinforced), 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine regiment and the command element.

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