Sailors man the rails as the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman departs Naval Station Norfolk on April 11. The ship and strike group entered 6th Fleet on April 18. (MC2 Jessica Paulauskas/Navy)
The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group entered the 6th Fleet area of operations April 18 as part of a her current deployment that is eventually slated to take the ship and her escort ships to the Persian Gulf.
While in the Mediterranean, the strike group is set to support NATO allies as well as European and African partner nations, according to a press release by the U.S. Sixth Fleet.
The carrier Harry S. Truman and her strike group left Norfolk April 11, just a year and nine months after returning form a record-setting deployment fighting ISIS.
By Mark D. Faram
“We are thrilled to have the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group here in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations and look forward to having them on our team as we conduct the full spectrum of maritime operations to include working alongside our NATO allies and regional partners,” Vice Adm. Lisa M. Franchetti, Sixth Fleet commander, said in the release.
Along with the aircraft carrier Truman, the battle group was comprised of the guided-missile cruiser Normandy, guided-missile destroyers Farragut, Forrest Sherman, Bulkeley and Arleigh Burke. Embarked on Truman are Carrier Air Wing 1, its eight squadrons, and Destroyer Squadron 28.
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Norfolk, Va. (April 11, 2018) Their job done, line handlers stand at attention as the carrier Harry S. Truman departs Norfolk Naval Station on deployment. (photo by Harold J. Gerwien)
Norfolk, Va. (April 11, 2018) Aviation Boatswains Mate Third Class Chaz Low and his wife Elizabeth share a few last moments prior to Low boarding the Truman and departing on deployment (photo by Harold J. Gerwien).
Norfolk, Va. (April 11, 2018) Looking spiffy with shiny new paint and sailors manning the rails, the aircraft carrier Truman departs Norfolk on a deployment to 5th and 6th Fleets (photo by Harold J. Gerwien)
Norfolk, Va. (April 11, 2018) Families watch as the carrier Harry S. Truman departs Norfolk Naval Station on deployment. (photo by Harold J. Gerwien)
Norfolk, Va. (April 11, 2018) Zakkiyya Anderson (L) who just got engaged to Truman sailor Aviation Electrickan's Mate James Cunningham to days ago and Morghan Small who is married to Yeoman Third Class Jordan Small. watch as the aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman departs Norfolk for a scheduled deployment. (photo by Harold J. Gerwien)
Norfolk, Va. (April 11, 2018) The German frigate Hessen gets a nudge from tugboats as she moves away from the Pier at Naval Station Norfolk, Hessen will make the first half of the Truman Strike Group Deployment. (photo by Harold J. Gerwien)
Norfolk, Va. (April 11, 2018) The guided-missile-crusie Normandy steams past Naval Station Norfolk’s pier 14 on its way to its way to the Atlantic Ocean for her deployment with the Harry S. Truman battle group. (photo by Harold J. Gerwien)
Norfolk, Va. (April 11, 2018) Assisted by tug boats, he carrier Harry S. Truman departs Norfolk Naval Station on deployment. (photo by Harold J. Gerwien)
The German frigate FGS Hessen is with the strike group for the first half of the deployment, and the guided-missile destroyers Jason Dunham and The Sullivans will join the group at a later date.
Truman is the first U.S. Navy aircraft carrier to operate in the Mediterranean Sea since July 2017, when the George H.W. Bush vacated the region.
About Mark D. Faram
Mark D. Faram is a former reporter for Navy Times. He was a senior writer covering personnel, cultural and historical issues. A nine-year active duty Navy veteran, Faram served from 1978 to 1987 as a Navy Diver and photographer.
