NORFOLK, Va. – The George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group began conducting air strikes Monday on Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS/ISIL) targets in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.
It was jets from the USS George H.W. Bush that conducted the first American air strikes against ISIS on August 8, 2014. Now two years and more than 16,000 air strikes later, the Bush is back in action.
The George H.W. Bush CSG entered the Mediterranean Sea on Feb. 2. They replaced the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, which left the area in December after completing 1,899 sorties in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.
George H.W. Bush CSG is comprised of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), guided-missile destroyers USS Laboon (DDG 58), and USS Truxtun (DDG 103), and guided-missile cruisers USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) and USS Hue City (CG 66), Destroyer Squadron 22 (DESRON 22) staff, and the nine squadrons and staff of Carrier Air Wing 8 (CVW 8).
The USS George H.W. Bush, USS Laboon and USS Truxtun are homeported in Norfolk. The USS Philippine Sea, USS Hue City are homeported in Mayport, Florida.
The squadrons of Carrier Air Wing 8 are from Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana, NAS Whidbey Island, NAS Jacksonville, NAS Lemoore and Naval Station Norfolk.
“The precision strike operations being carried out by the Bush Carrier Strike Group in the eastern Mediterranean Sea continue to demonstrate the tremendous warfighting capability and flexibility of the U.S. Navy. By defeating violent extremists in Iraq and Syria, we are simultaneously supporting two separate geographic combatant commands. We remain committed to defeating Daesh, committed to our allies and partners, and committed to global security.” – Vice Adm. Christopher W. Grady, commander, U.S. 6th Fleet.
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