From U.S. Coast Guard 13^th District, April 29, 2024 

SEATTLE — The Coast Guard decommissioned the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Anacapa (WPB 1335) during a ceremony, Friday, in Port Angeles, Washington. 
 
Rear Adm. Charles Fosse, commander, Coast Guard 13^th District, presided over the ceremony honoring the 34 years of service the Anacapa and its crews provided to the nation. 
 
Commissioned in 1990, Anacapa was one of 49 Island-class cutters built in Bollinger Shipyards in Lockport, Louisiana and was originally homeported in Petersburg, Alaska for more than three decades. 

 
“The cutter Anacapa has been a reliable and highly effective presence in our nation’s coastal waters for more than 30 years, conducting life-saving missions, ensuring preservation of precious natural resources and contributing to national security,” said Fosse. “I want to thank the crew serving today, and all who served aboard Anacapa over these many years, for their dedication and service to our country.” 
  

While homeported in Port Angeles, the Anacapa successfully conducted numerous missions. Notably, in August 2022, the Anacapa rescued three people from a disabled sailboat and conducted an overnight tow of the vessel. Additionally, in April 2023, the Anacapa responded and assisted in the safe evacuation of 600 passengers when the Walla Walla ferry grounded in Rich Passage. 
  
“Even though the Anacapa had a short stay in her Port Angeles home port after cutter Cuttyhunk was decommissioned, she filled the remainder of Coast Guard coverage needed in the Pacific Northwest,” said Chief Warrant Officer Holly Campbell, Anacapa’s commanding officer. “The crews of the Anacapa have held the highest standard of excellence in serving our area of responsibility with pride, professionalism and resiliency throughout their tours of duty. The Anacapa has stood the watch for 34 years of honorable service to our nation. Fair winds and following seas during your last voyage, Anacapa. Thank you for your service.” 
 
Following the decommissioning ceremony, the Anacapa will transit to the Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore, Maryland, and will be placed in the Cutter Transition Division. 

From Deputy AC/S, Communication Strategy & Operations 

U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific 

April 26, 2024 

CAMP H.M. SMITH, Hawaii – Lt. Gen. William M. Jurney, commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, made an official visit to the Republic of Palau April 24-25, after participating in opening ceremonies for Exercise Balikatan in the Philippines. 

The Republic of Palau is one of the Compact of Free Association states aligned with the United States, which provides defense, funding, and access to social services. Lt. Gen. Jurney’s visit to Palau underscores the importance and depth of commitment the United States has for the U.S.-Palau partnership. 

“Palau has proven to be a long-standing friend of the United States in the Pacific. We thank President Whipps, Jr. for his steadfast support for the U.S. military presence, which helps maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific,” said Lt. Gen. Jurney. “We are grateful for the hospitality that Palau shows to the Marine Corps, and are proud of the contributions Marines have made to improving Palau’s infrastructure and serving the people of Palau.” 

Previous deployments to Palau have seen U.S. Marines and Sailors provide expertise in engineering, medical, maritime law enforcement, and explosive ordnance disposal capabilities. Some of the projects Pacific Marines have recently undertaken in Palau include restoration of the Peleliu airstrip, the construction of a weapons firing range, and renovation of the Peleliu World War II Museum, significant because of the upcoming 80th anniversary commemoration of the battle for Peleliu on September 15.  

“The Marines have a deep and enduring connection to the people of Palau, both through community service as well as the many Palauans who have served in the Corps,” said U.S. Ambassador to Palau Joel Ehrendreich.  

Lt. Gen. Jurney pledged to build on the long history the Marine Corps shares with the people of Palau.  

“We are committed to continuing the long and proud legacy of the Marine Corps working with the people of Palau as we secure and maintain a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.” 

U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific is the largest operational command in the Marine Corps. It comprises two-thirds of the Marine Corps’ active-duty combat forces, collectively known as the “Pacific Marines.” Pacific Marines serve as an expeditionary force-in-readiness. They operate as air-ground-logistics teams, and are forward positioned and actively employed throughout the Indo-Pacific every day. Pacific Marines live and work alongside the joint force and like-minded allies and partners to prevent conflict, respond to crisis, and if the Nation calls, to fight and win. 

From U.S. Central Command, April 28, 2024 

TAMPA, Fla. – Between 1:48 and 2:27 a.m. (Sanaa time), April 28, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) successfully engaged five airborne unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) over the Red Sea. 

It was determined the UAVs presented an imminent threat to U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels in the region. These actions are taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels. 

By Richard R. Burgess, Senior Editor 

ARLINGTON, Va. — A major homeport shift involving two Nimitz-class aircraft carriers is underway with the April 25, 2024, departure of USS George Washington (CVN 73) from Norfolk, Virginia, to the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility. The voyage will take the carrier to NAS North Island, California, where it will embark Carrier Air Wing Five (CVW-5) from USS Ronald Reagan and replace that carrier as the one forward-deployed to the U.S. Seventh Fleet in Yokosuka, Japan.  

Embarked in the George Washington are the Carrier Strike Group 10 staff and aircraft and personnel of Carrier Air Wing Seven (CVW-7). 

“USS George Washington (CVN 73), along with USS Porter (DDG 78) and USNS John Lenthall (T-AO 189), are scheduled to conduct passing exercises and operations at sea with partner nation maritime forces as the ships circumnavigate South America,” Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic said in an April 24 Facebook post. “Engagements are planned with Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Uruguay, with port visits planned for Brazil, Chile, and Peru.” 

The George Washington was the forward-deployed carrier based in Japan from 2008 until 2015, when it was replaced in Japan by the Ronald Reagan. In 2017, the George Washington entered a Refueling and Complex Overhaul at the Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding yard in Virginia, an evolution that took six years, including the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. The George Washington’s nuclear propulsion plant is fueled to run another 25 years.  

U.S. Central Command, 26 April, 2024 

TAMPA, Fla. – At 9:52 a.m. (Sanaa time) on April 25, one anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) was launched from Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist-controlled areas of Yemen into the Gulf of Aden. There were no injuries or damage reported by U.S., coalition, or commercial ships. 

Separately, between 12:19 p.m. and 4:17 p.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) successfully engaged and destroyed one unmanned surface vessel (USV) and one unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. 

It was determined that the ASBM, USV, and UAV presented an imminent threat to U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels in the region. These actions are taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels. 

U.S. Central Command, April 24, 2024 
 

TAMPA, Fla. – At 11:51 a.m. (Sanaa time) on April 24, a coalition vessel successfully engaged one anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) launched from Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist-controlled areas in Yemen over the Gulf of Aden. The ASBM was likely targeting the MV Yorktown, a U.S.-flagged, owned, and operated vessel with 18 U.S. and four Greek crew members. There were no injuries or damage reported by U.S., coalition, or commercial ships. 

Separately, between 12:07 pm and 1:26 pm, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) successfully engaged and destroyed four airborne unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) over Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. 

It was determined that the ASBM and UAVs presented an imminent threat to U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels in the region. These actions are taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels. 

April 25, 2024 | By Joseph Clark, DOD News  

U.S. military personnel have begun construction of a temporary pier off the coast of Gaza to deliver critical humanitarian assistance, senior defense and Biden administration officials said today. 

Construction of the pier is expected to be completed in early May. Once completed, it will initially facilitate the delivery of an estimated 90 truckloads of international aid into Gaza and scale to up to 150 truckloads once fully operational. 

The beginning of construction marks a significant milestone following President Joe Biden’s call for the military to conduct the emergency operation during his State of the Union Address last month.  

Soldiers from the Army’s 7th Transportation Brigade at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, and sailors from Naval Beach Group 1 at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, California, were tapped to deploy the Defense Department’s Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore capability, or JLOTS.  

The first of several watercraft used to construct the pier began the weekslong transit to the U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility less than two days after Biden’s address.  

Officials underscored today that no U.S. boots will be on the ground in Gaza as part of the operation. 

The U.S. has coordinated with the Israeli Defense Force to provide force protection for U.S. personnel operating at sea. The U.S. has also coordinated with an IDF engineering unit to receive the pier on the shore in Gaza once the construction at sea is complete. 

“The effort to deliver humanitarian assistance from the sea is fully supported by the Israeli Defense Force with whom we have been and will continue to work very closely — from fixing the JLOTS pier to the shore to providing force protection,” a senior defense official said. “This effort is fully integrated with the IDF.”  

The official added that the U.S. is also bringing “significant force protection as a prudent measure” and will continue to closely monitor the security environment to ensure the safety of U.S. forces.   

“We assess that the security environment around the area of Gaza that we’ve chosen to establish the JLOTS site is sufficient to support execution of the mission,” the official said. “But importantly, we reassess security every single day. And as he would do in any mission, the commander of U.S. Central Command will make a final determination on moving forward with JLOTS placement based on the security situation at the time.”  

Delivering the capability involves the complex choreography of logistics support and landing craft vessels that carry the equipment used to construct an approximately 1,800-foot causeway comprised of modular sections linked together, which is known as a Trident Pier.  

The units are also constructing a 72-foot wide by 270-foot long roll-on, roll-off discharge facility, which will remain about three miles off Gaza’s shore and enable cargo ships to offload aid shipments at sea prior to being transported to shore. 

About 1,000 soldiers and sailors are involved in the operation.   

DOD is working closely with the U.S. Agency for International Development, which has begun coordinating international assistance. Aid providers have begun staging cargo in Cyprus for delivery via the maritime corridor once the pier is in place.   

“Work on the maritime corridor is progressing along the expected timeline,” a senior administration official said. “This is a complex operation which requires close coordination with many partners, and we’re grateful for the work of our partners in this effort.” 

From U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, 26 April 2024 

ARABIAN SEA – The Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group (IKECSG) arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean while on a pre-announced Department of Defense deployment, April 26. 

The Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Gravely (DDG 107) entered the Eastern Mediterranean after transiting through the Suez Canal, April 26. 
 
CSGs bring to the region additional aviation and surface assets, providing greater flexibility and maritime capability to the U.S. 6th Fleet. 
 
“The Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group has delivered exceptional naval power in the U.S. 5th Fleet for the last five months,” said Rear Adm. Marc Miguez, commander, CSG-2, IKECSG. “Reentry into the U.S. 6th Fleet is only a small gesture of our ability to project combat superiority to any part of the globe.” 
 
While operating in the U.S. 5th Fleet, the IKECSG conducted operations in the Red Sea, Bab Al-Mandeb Strait, Gulf of Aden and Arabian Gulf including Operation Prosperity Guardian and self-defensive strikes into Iranian-backed Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. 
 
The strike group is commanded by Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 2 and comprised of flagship Dwight D. Eisenhower, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 with its nine squadrons, USS Philippine Sea (CG 58), and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 22, with the guided-missile destroyers USS Gravely (DDG 107) and USS Mason (DDG 87). 
 
Squadrons of CVW-3 include the “Gunslingers” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 105, the “Fighting Swordsmen” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 32, the “Rampagers” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 83, the “Wildcats” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 131, the “Screwtops” of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 123, the “Zappers” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 130, the “Dusty Dogs” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 7, the “Swamp Foxes” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 74 and the “Rawhides” of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40. 
 
IKECSG units departed their homeports of Norfolk, Virginia, and Mayport, Florida, on Oct. 13 & 14 for a scheduled deployment. 
 
For over 80 years, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) has forged strategic relationships with allies and partners, leveraging a foundation of shared values to preserve security and stability. 
 
Headquartered in Naples, Italy, NAVEUR-NAVAF operates U.S. naval forces in the U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) areas of responsibility. U.S. Sixth Fleet is permanently assigned to NAVEUR-NAVAF, and employs maritime forces through the full spectrum of joint and naval operations. 

From Team Ships Public Affairs, 25 April 2024 

SAN DIEGO – The keel for the future USNS Hector A. Cafferata Jr. (ESB 8), a Lewis B. Puller-class Expeditionary Sea Base, was laid at GD NASSCO shipyard April 25. 

The ship will be named for U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Private Hector A. Cafferata Jr., who served with distinction during the Korean War. Surviving the Battle of Chosin Reservoir among those who would be called, “the Chosin Few,” Cafferata received the Medal of Honor from President Harry S. Truman for his life-saving heroism during that battle. 

The contemporary keel laying ceremony represents the joining together of a ship’s modular components at the land level. As part of the ceremony, the keel is authenticated when the sponsors etch their initials into a ceremonial keel plate. The namesake’s daughter, Heather Cafferata, and granddaughter, Jessica Cafferata, attended the keel laying ceremony as the ship sponsors. The ceremony represents the connection between a ship and its sponsors, throughout the ship’s life. 

“We are honored that the late Hector A. Cafferata’s Jr.’s legacy will live on through this ship, and the keel laying is a first step of many milestones to come for this ship,” said Tim Roberts, Strategic and Theater Sealift program manager, Program Executive Office Ships. “ESBs provide a critical capability to the fleet and provide increased flexibility to our Sailors and Marines.” 

Expeditionary Sea Base ships are highly flexible platforms used across a broad range of military operations, supporting multiple operational phases. Acting as a mobile sea base, they are a part of the critical access infrastructure that supports deploying forces and supplies to provide prepositioned equipment and sustainment with adaptable distribution capability. 

These ships support Aviation Mine Countermeasure and Special Operations Force missions. In addition to the flight deck, the ESB features four aviation operating spots and a hangar capable of supporting MH-53E-equivalent helicopters; accommodations, workspaces, and ordnance storage for embarked forces; and enhanced command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence (C4I). These ships support embarked force mission planning and execution and have a reconfigurable mission deck area to store embarked force equipment, including mine sleds and Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs). 

GD NASSCO is also currently constructing the future USNS Robert E. Simanek (ESB 7) and John Lewis-class Fleet Replenishment Oilers Robert F. Kennedy (T-AO 208), Lucy Stone (T-AO 209), Sojourner Truth (T-AO 210) and Thurgood Marshall (T-AO 211). 

As one of the Defense Department’s largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships and craft, auxiliary ships, special mission ships, sealift ships and support ships. 

By Program Executive Office Unmanned and Small Combatants (PEO USC) Public Affairs 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Navy embarked the first Mine Countermeasures Mission Package (MCM MP) aboard USS Canberra (LCS 30), April 18, service officials announced. With the MCM mission package now onboard LCS 30, the Navy is looking forward to the first MCM Mission Package deployment in Fiscal Year 2025. 

As part of the embark process, the Navy installed sensors, unmanned vehicles, support containers and the software that enables Sailors to execute MCM operations from an Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship. The embarkation marks the formal turnover of the MCM mission package to the ship, signifying the crew is ready to commence onboard training and maintenance of the mission package in preparation for its first deployment. 

“Today, the LCS Mission Modules program delivers to the Fleet a modernized and integrated MCM mission package that removes Sailors from the minefield and allows for the future retirement of legacy MCM ships,” said Capt. Matthew Lehmann, program manager of the LCS Mission Modules (PMS 420) program office. 

An integrated suite of unmanned maritime systems and sensors, the MCM mission package locates, identifies, and destroys mines in the littorals while increasing the ship’s standoff distance from the threat area. Embarked with the MCM mission package, an LCS or a vessel of opportunity can conduct the full spectrum of detect-to-engage operations (hunt, neutralize and sweep) against mine threats using sensors and weapons deployed from the MCM Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV), an MH-60S multi-mission helicopter and associated support equipment. 

The MCM mission package achieved Initial Operational Capability (IOC) on March 31, 2023, following rigorous initial operational testing and evaluation (IOT&E) of the full mission package, including the AN/AQS-20 system, during the fall of 2022 aboard USS Cincinnati (LCS 20). With the deployment of the first MCM mission packages in Fiscal Year 2025, the Navy will commence the process of divesting from aging MH-53 helicopters and Avenger Class MCM ships. 

PEO Unmanned and Small Combatants leads the Navy’s efforts to provide littoral combat ships with mission-tailored capability to Combatant Commanders to provide assured access against littoral threats, leveraging unmanned naval capabilities for enhanced operational effectiveness. 

NEWPORT NEWS, Va., April 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — HII (NYSE: HII) announced today that its Newport News Shipbuilding division has delivered Virginia-class fast-attack submarine New Jersey (SSN 796) to the U.S. Navy. 

New Jersey is the 11th Virginia-class submarine delivered by NNS, and the 23rd built as part of the teaming agreement with General Dynamics Electric Boat. 

“It is a proud day for our entire team when we deliver a high-quality submarine like New Jersey to the fleet,” said Jason Ward, NNS vice president of Virginia-class submarine construction. “The mission ahead for New Jersey and her crew is clear, and we applaud our shipbuilders for delivering this critical capability to the fleet, while maintaining our highest standards of safety and quality.” 

More than 10,000 shipbuilders from NNS and Electric Boat participated in the construction of New Jersey, alongside thousands of suppliers across the country, including more than 100 in New Jersey who support submarine construction. It is the first Virginia-class submarine designed and built with crew gender integration. 

New Jersey was christened in November 2021 at NNS by ship’s sponsor Susan DiMarco, a New Jersey resident, retired dentist and wife of former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson. The submarine is expected to be commissioned later this year. 

A photo accompanying this release is available at: https://hii.com/news/hii-delivers-virginia-class-submarine-new-jersey-ssn-796-to-us-navy/.