THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 25, 1996 TAG: 9601250457
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 39 lines
The aircraft carrier George Washington will sail Friday with 14 other ships for a six-month Mediterranean deployment that likely will mean a lot of time in the waters off Bosnia.
The George Washington's battle group, commanded by Rear Adm. Henry C. Griffin III, will relieve the carrier America and its battle group, which deployed in August.
The America, on its final overseas mission before deactivation later this year, has been primarily in the Adriatic Sea in support of the United Nations effort in Bosnia.
In preparation for the upcoming deployment, the George Washington and the assault ship Guam and its amphibious ready group participated in joint task force exercises off the Atlantic coast in December.
Griffin described the exercises as a ``final examination'' before the Mediterranean mission, culminating a year of intense preparation. ``We are ready to serve as the nation's fast response force wherever and whenever needed,'' the admiral said.
The carrier battle group includes a pair of nuclear-powered attack submarines, the Scranton and the Baltimore. The George Washington last returned from a Mediterranean mission in November 1994.
``The men and women of this battle group have worked hard to ensure they are ready to serve,'' said Adm. William J. Flanagan Jr., commander of the Navy's Norfolk-based Atlantic Fleet. ``I'm very proud of what they have accomplished and confident they will represent our nation well.''
The America is expected back at Norfolk Naval Base in late February. by CNB