SASEBO, Japan – USS Tortuga (LSD 46) departed Aug. 13 to join USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) for a deployment to the 7th Fleet area of responsibility.
The Amphibious Ready Group is scheduled to participate in several exercises that will provide training to help enhance security, stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region, while continuing to advance regional partnerships with allies.
“We’ll deploy to various spots around the western pacific to do bilateral and multilateral training to further relationships with our counterpart navies and marine corps throughout the AOR,” said Cmdr. John Barnett, commanding officer of Tortuga.
Tortuga regularly deploys and has seen little time in port until recently.
“They do a lot of functions like creative arts night where people will come and sing or do one of their hobbies or talents,” said Engineman 3rd Class Davetta Gholson. “They do ice cream socials, nachos, funnel cakes. I’ve never been on a boring deployment. Even if we were stuck out to sea for a month, they always find something to do, to keep it interesting.”
Approximately 400 Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit are scheduled to embark onboard Tortuga along with detachments from Naval Beach Unit 7.
“This ship was built to carry Marines and to support Marines as they conduct operations ashore,” said Barnett. “I think any time we get the green portion of the team onboard it’s good for us and good for the Marines. It helps develop both of our expeditionary capabilities.”
“I'm glad I got this ship,” said Gholson. “There have been a lot of challenges but we get over it and move on to the next one.”
Commander, Amphibious Squadron 11, along with Bonhomme Richard, USS Denver (LPD 9), and USS Tortuga, are forward deployed in Sasebo, Japan, and are part of Bonhomme Richard ARG, operating in the 7th fleet area of responsibility.
| Date Taken: | 08.13.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 08.13.2012 17:33 |
| Story ID: | 93142 |
| Location: | SASEBO, AICHI, JP |
| Web Views: | 163 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Operating Forward, USS Tortuga departs for deployment, by PO3 Karen Blankenship, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
