More than 4,300 Sailors serving in the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group (IKECSG) are scheduled to arrive at their homeports in Norfolk and Mayport, Fla., Dec. 19, following six months of operations in the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility.
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), with embarked squadrons of Carrier Air Wing 7, will arrive in Naval Station Norfolk, and guided-missile cruiser USS Hue City (CG 66) will arrive at Naval Station Mayport.
Both ships are returning early from a previously scheduled nine-month deployment in order to make preparations to deploy in late February for additional operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet Area of Responsibility.
While deployed, Eisenhower and Hue City conducted maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts, and missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
IKECSG ships USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109), USS Farragut (DDG 99) and USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81) have remained on station in the U.S. 5th Fleet Area of Responsibility and are scheduled to return in March 2013.
[mappress] Naval Today Staff, December 16, 2012; Image: US Navy