NORFOLK, Va. — About 4,000 Sailors and Marines of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit set sail on a routine deployment on Monday, July 10.
Ray Campos/WTKR
They departed from Naval Station Norfolk, Joint Expeditionary Base-Little Creek, and Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
Amy Tayon, whose son deployed today, said the watching her boy sail away is bittersweet.
A lot can happen in eight months, but you're also excited for them because it's an adventure. And it's an experience that a lot of people would never be able to do. And it's also, it's scary because a lot can happen on that ship too. But you're proud of them and it takes a really courageous person to even join the military.
Amy Tayon
The strike group includes the USS Bataan (LHD 5) and USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19) from Norfolk and the USS Carter Hall based in Little Creek.
Ray Campos/WTKR
The group is one of the nation's best crisis response forces and will be performing a wide range of military, humanitarian, and diplomatic missions.
