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Kearsarge deploys to Caribbean for 4 months

NORFOLK, Va. — Another amphibious assault ship, the Kearsarge, left homeport Wednesday on a nontraditional gator mission.

Solo and without an embarked Marine expeditionary unit, the Kearsarge headed south for the Caribbean on a four-month “humanitarian assistance” mission called Operation Continuing Promise.

Such goodwill or “soft power” deployments are considered a core element of the Maritime Strategy, released in October 2007, along with forward presence, deterrence, sea control, maritime security and power projection. Sailors will build schools and playgrounds and provide medical care in Nicaragua, Colombia, Panama, Dominican Republic, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago.

“What this is, is a mission of cooperation,” said Capt. Frank Ponds, commander of Amphibious Squadron 8. “We’re not there to supplant their capacity.”

In addition to its regular Navy crew of roughly 1,080 sailors and officers, the Kearsarge will embark landing craft, six Marine H-53 helicopters and two Navy H-60s.

Also aboard will be 20 Seabees and 40 Air Force civil engineer airmen from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., under the command of Maj. Tom DeFazio. He said the airmen from the 5th Civil Engineer Squadron usually maintain air bases but plan to build a playground in each country visited.

Being aboard a Navy ship will be a first for the airmen.

“Every day is a new learning experience for us,” he said.

Asked about the detachment of six high-demand Marine heavy-lift helicopters, Kearsarge commanding officer Capt. Walt Towns said they’re needed to haul construction supplies inland. Devoid of the usual strike force elements like other amphibious warfare ships and surface combatants, Kearsarge is steaming alone.

“In our region we feel pretty secure,” Towns said.

Medical professionals from two nongovernmental organizations, Operation Smile, which repairs cleft palates, and Project Hope, will also embark. Canada and the Netherlands are also sending some military medical personnel.

The deployment is considered the second half of a similar mission under the same name that sent the San Diego-based Boxer to Peru, El Salvador and Guatemala for two months earlier this year.

Peleliu went on a similar deployment in 2007 in the Pacific and Southeast Asia.

Another Norfolk based big-deck amphib, the Nassau, recently returned from a five-month maritime security deployment, also without embarked Marines, but with the full naval complement of an expeditionary strike group.