On 1 May, I was privileged to meet the President as he stepped off Air Force One at NAS North Island. Less than an hour later, President Bush was calling the ball at USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) for a historic landing. Once on deck, he welcomed home the men and women of Abe and Carrier Air Wing 14 from their record-setting 10-month deployment. CDR John Lussier, the XO of the VS-35 Blue Wolves, and his TACCO, LT Ryan Phillips, had the honor of flying the President to the carrier where they made history by trapping on board with the President as co-pilot in the S-3B Viking. Later that evening, the President addressed the nation from Abraham Lincoln’s flight deck where he announced the end to combat operations in Iraq. What a great day for the U.S. Navy!
It is amazing what this carrier strike group (CSG) has endured to bring freedom to the people of Iraq. No nuclear-powered aircraft carrier has been deployed longer — this was the longest deployment for any carrier in more than 30 years. The 8,000 young men and women who comprised the crews of the six-ship carrier strike group were vital in the success of this extended Western Pacific and Indian Ocean deployment.
The Lincoln CSG supported three major operations — Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), flying close air support and strike missions in Afghanistan; Operation Southern Watch (OSW), patrolling the skies over Iraq’s southern No Fly Zone; and most recently Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), where they joined naval aircraft from four other carriers in combat operations against Saddam Hussein’s regime.
The USS Nimitz (CVN-68) CSG recently arrived on station to relieve Abraham Lincoln and joined Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) and Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) CSGs in support of Iraqi Freedom. As the combat phase of OIF draws to completion, Kitty Hawk (CV-63) and Constellation (CV-64) returned to their home ports to enjoy a well-deserved heroes’ welcome.
The Carl Vinson (CVN-70) CSG continues to conduct deployed operations in the Western Pacific as part of America’s commitment to our friends and allies in the 7th Fleet area of responsibility.
These warships, which comprise more than half of our carrier fleet, proved the inherent strength and flexibility that is found only with the carrier strike group … a testimony to Naval Aviation’s superb combat readiness.
I recently released the following message to the Naval Air Force:
Subject: Well Done
I want to congratulate each and every one of you for your performance in Operation Iraqi Freedom. You are demonstrating for all the world to see, that the United States has the greatest Naval air power in the history of the world.
Hostilities are still in progress, but Iraq has been liberated. Our President and country called upon you for your courage, dedication and skill. You responded with precise, persistent combat power. We have seven aircraft carriers and air wings deployed in response to OIF. Each aircraft carrier is a sovereign piece of American territory; collectively, the most potent striking force ever assembled; and in working jointly and in combination with our allies, a remarkable testimony to our flexibility and capability.
Our victory, unfortunately, did not come without loss. Several of our fellow U.S. and Coalition service members paid with their lives to preserve security and freedom throughout the world. My thoughts and prayers go out to the shipmates and loved ones of those who lost their lives on the battlefield, in the air and at sea. Their great sacrifice, as well as your perseverance and determination, will allow the people of Iraq to live in a free and democratic country
Several of our carriers are on the way home, but there is still much work ahead. We will keep Naval air power in the region for the foreseeable future. We must approach this next phase with the same dedication and commitment that has led us to success thus far.
Last year my predecessor in command of the Naval Air Forces, VADM John Nathman, wrote the words to “Who We Are” and summarized the Naval Aviation vision as: “Fly, Fight, Lead.” Your actions in battle and the blood of our fallen aviators validate and sanctify those words. “You excel in the air. You make a difference.” I am proud of you!
Iraqi Freedom showed the world how much of a difference Naval Aviation makes. The Navy and Marine Corps team, working alongside our Coalition partners, is a fully integrated joint warfighting force that is fighting, and winning, the war to liberate Iraq and rid the world of its deadly weapons of mass destruction.
We have confidence in our sailors and Marines who are continuing to fight this battle — they are superbly trained, motivated and combat ready.
When U.S. and Coalition forces began OIF, they focused on these goals:
- To end the regime of Saddam Hussein by striking on a scope and scale that would ensure freedom for all Iraqis
- To identify, isolate and eliminate Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction, delivery systems, production capabilities and distribution networks
- To capture or drive out terrorists who have found safe harbor in Iraq, a longtime sponsor of terrorism
- To collect intelligence related to terrorist networks in Iraq and beyond, and to the global network of illicit weapons of mass destruction activity
- To secure Iraq’s oil fields and resources, which belong to the Iraqi people and are an important part of their national wealth and security
- To immediately deliver humanitarian relief and assistance to the Iraqi people
- To help the Iraqi people restore and rebuild their country by ensuring its territorial integrity, and by rapidly transitioning to a representative form of self-government that does not threaten its neighbors or the region.
In pursuit of these goals, Naval Aviation provided precise, persistent combat power. The five carrier strike groups and the amphibious forces, combined with our Coalition maritime forces, formed an unprecedented and lethal Naval air force.
On the first day of the war, more than 700 Coalition aircraft flew missions against more than 100 targets in Iraq. Navy and Marine Corps TacAir made up a significant part of the more than 1,000 sorties flown by Coalition aircraft in the beginning stages of Iraqi Freedom, dropping precision-guided munitions on numerous Iraqi military targets.
After one week, Coalition air forces made tremendous progress in Iraqi Freedom.
- We had air supremacy.
- Despite brutal sandstorms and 80 mile-per-hour winds, Coalition forces advanced more than 200 miles across Iraqi territory.
- In the north, the 173rd Infantry (Airborne) was deployed, and Coalition naval air forces launched successful attacks on terrorist targets to support the Army’s ground campaign.
- In the west, we patrolled the skies and prevented attacks on neighboring countries.
These achievements in OIF were made possible by more than 6,500 sorties flown from U.S. aircraft carriers, over 64 percent of which were strike and close air support missions. More than 800 Tomahawks were launched from ships in the carrier strike groups.
Close air support missions increased in frequency as the ground troops advanced on Baghdad. The targets for these missions required increased vigilance from our pilots to ensure precision targeting to protect friendly forces and innocent civilians.
Two weeks into OIF, the Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force aircrews were flying more than 1,000 sorties per day in direct support of Coalition ground forces, providing critical intelligence to the chain of command and essential logistics support throughout the theater. With support from Coalition maritime forces, the entire coastline of Iraq was secured.
The Navy’s newest aircraft, the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, also played a significant role in Iraqi Freedom. VFA-115 deployed with the single-seat “E” version for the first time aboard Lincoln last summer, and most recently, VFA-14 (F/A-18E) and VFA-41 (F/A-18F) deployed aboard Nimitz in March.
Facing a shortfall in non-organic tanker support, naval commanders converted long range F/A-18E Super Hornets on board Lincoln into “super tankers.” Instead of one Super Hornet going deep into Iraq unrefueled and delivering four weapons, that same “E” model F/A-18 can mission-fuel four C-model Hornets and quadruple the number of targets that can be hit!
The Super Hornet is so effective and in such high demand that Nimitz sent additional Super Hornets forward (while they were en route to relieve Lincoln) to join CVW-14 in the Persian Gulf. Once in theater, the Super Hornets were used as a force multiplier, playing a critical role in the air campaign by delivering ordnance on target as well as much-needed fuel to other carrier aircraft.
In recent months, our young men and women have demonstrated the strength of Naval Aviation to the entire world. They are the true heroes of this war — they made a difference.