NORFOLK, Va. — For the 6,000 sailors of the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group who shipped out Wednesday from Naval Station Norfolk, the timing of their most recent deployment wasn't ideal: 24 days before Christmas.
Duty calls, but the goodbyes are never easy.
"To those much is given, much is expected. We totally support my husband. But, it is what it is," said one sailor's wife, Lymarie Rice.
The Navy is being vague about where the Truman group is going, what they'll be doing and how long they'll be gone.
Typically, East Coast-based aircraft carriers head to the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean or Arabian Gulf regions, and they're gone for about six to seven months.
The deploying ships and aircraft of the strike group, commanded by Rear Adm. Curt Renshaw, included flagship USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), commanded by Capt. Gavin Duff; the nine squadrons of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1, staffs of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 8 and the Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS San Jacinto (CG 56).
The guided-missile destroyers of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 28 commanded by Capt. Todd Zenner included the USS Cole (DDG 67), USS Bainbridge (DDG 96), USS Gravely (DDG 107) out of Norfolk, and USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) out of Naval Station Mayport, Florida.
The squadrons of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1, commanded by Capt. Matthew Barr, that embarked aboard Truman include Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 11 “Red Rippers;" VFA-211 “Fighting Checkmates;" VFA-34 “Blue Blasters;" VFA-81 “Sunliners;" Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 137 “Rooks;" Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 126 “Seahawks;" Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 11 “Dragon Slayers;" Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM)72 “Proud Warriors;" and a detachment from Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40 “Rawhides.”
The Royal Norwegian Navy’s Fridtjof-Nansen class frigate HNoMS Fridtjof Nansen (F310) is also operating with the strike group as part of the Cooperative Deployment Program.
The Truman just departed the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in May, following a 10-month overhaul.