Published: November 03, 2009 08:17 am      

Local sailors returns from five-month deployment

Navy Airman Recruit Sean R. Carpentiere, son of Vickie L. and Eddie L. Carpentiere of Joshua; Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Ferlissia M. Hunnicutt, whose husband, Samuel, is the son of Sandra Meredith of Burleson; and Navy Airman Kimberly K. Kenimer, a 2007 graduate of Joshua High School in Joshua, and more than 5,000 fellow sailors and Marines aboard the Nimitz-class nuclear aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan recently returned from a five-month deployment to the U.S. 5th Fleet and 7th Fleet areas of responsibility.

The Ronald Reagan, the Carrier Strike Group 7 flagship, the guided-missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville, the guided-missile destroyers USS Gridley and USS Howard arrived to meet family members waiting on the pier aboard Naval Station in San Diego, Calif.

This return marked the completion the Ronald Reagan’s fourth deployment since it was commissioned in 2003 as well as the groups return from Afghanistan. More than 5, 000 sailors, 20 percent of whom are women, serve aboard USS Ronald Reagan and hail from all 50 U.S. states and 40 nations.

The guided missile destroyer USS Decatur and the guided missile frigate USS Thach (FFG 43) remain deployed in the 5th Fleet to provide Maritime Security Operations and are scheduled to return next month.

The Ronald Reagan and embarked Carrier Air Wing 14 operated in the 5th Fleet AOR for more than two months, providing 30 percent of all air support to U.S. and coalition ground forces in Afghanistan and flew more than 1, 600 sorties in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

The squadrons of CVW-14 include the “Redcocks” of Strike Fighter Squadron 22, the “Fist of the Fleet” of VFA-25, the “Stingers” of VFA-113, the “Eagles” of VFA-115, the “Black Eagles” of Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 113, the “Cougars” of Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 139 and the “Black Knights” of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 4.

A detachment from Fleet Logistics Squadron 30 provided logistics support to the carrier.

Additionally, the ships of Carrier Strike Group 7 were vital in counterpiracy operations off the coast of Somalia and the Horn of Africa, and maritime security operations to include protecting vital Iraqi infrastructure in the North Arabian Gulf.

The Ronald Reagan’s sailors participated in 50 community relations projects during port visits to Singapore, Dubai, the United Arab Emirates and Phuket, Thailand.

Carpentiere is a 2003 graduate of Godley High School in Godley and joined the Navy in February 2009.