Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group returns to San Diego

Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Hector Carrera | 210523-N-WY048-1281 SAN DIEGO (May 23, 2021) Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Cord Fraizer greets his family following Amphibious transport dock ship USS Somerset’s (LPD 25) return to homeport of Naval Base San Diego. Somerset, a part of the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group returned to Naval Base San Diego May 23 after a deployment to U.S. 3rd, 5th, 6th and 7th Fleets where they served as a crisis-response force for combatant commanders in the Africa, Central and Indo-Pacific Commands. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Hector Carrera)  

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES

05.23.2021

Courtesy Story

Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet           

SAN DIEGO—USS Makin Island (LHD 8), USS San Diego (LPD 22) and USS Somerset (LPD 25) returned to port at Naval Base San Diego, May 23, concluding a seven-month deployment to the U.S. 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 7th Fleet areas of operation.

Marines with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), embarked aboard the ships of the ready group, arrived off the coast of Southern California, May 21, to disembark at Camp Pendleton, California.

“I am so excited to be able to welcome home the Makin Island Amphibious Readiness Group and 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit to San Diego,” said Rear Adm. Philip Sobeck, commander of Expeditionary Strike Group 3. “These ships were deployed during an unprecedented pandemic and demonstrated the ability of the Navy and Marine Corps team to fight through to do the mission. I am so incredibly proud of each and every one of them and their families for their service and their sacrifice.”

The Makin Island ARG is comprised of the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island, and amphibious transport dock ships USS San Diego and USS Somerset, and led by Commander, Amphibious Squadron THREE. The 15th MEU consists of the Command Element; the Aviation Combat Element, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 164 (Reinforced); the Ground Combat Element, Battalion Landing Team 1/4; and the Logistics Combat Element, Combat Logistics Battalion 15.

The ARG-MEU team departed November 10, after completing a pre-deployment sequester and back-to-back at-sea exercises in October.

The ARG-MEU conducted more than 10,000 hours of flight operations, 6,800 launch and recoveries, and traveled more than 135,000 nautical miles of open ocean and restricted water transits.

The Makin Island ARG and 15th MEU provided numbered fleet and combatant commanders with a responsive, flexible and forward-deployed asset capable of maritime power projection, contingency operations and crisis response. Their capabilities enabled the shaping the operational environment to protect the United States and allied interests in any threat environment.

For more information visit https://www.dvidshub.net/news/397062/makin-island-amphibious-ready-group-15th-marine-expeditionary-unit-returns-7-month-deployment

• Date Taken: 05.23.2021
• Date Posted: 05.23.2021 18:09
• Story ID: 397149
• Location: SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, US