NORFOLK, Va. — The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group leaves Norfolk this week for a regularly scheduled deployment, with most of its 6,500 sailors heading out Monday.
The strike group includes the flagship USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75); Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1 with nine embarked aviation squadrons; staffs from Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 8, CVW-1, and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 28; the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG 64); and two Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers, USS Stout (DDG 55) and USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109).
The carrier strike group returned home to Naval Station Norfolk in 2022 after its most recent deployment in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Then the aircraft carrier underwent a year of maintenance and upgrades at area shipyards.
The Truman departs Monday from Naval Station Norfolk, with the entire strike group deploying by Wednesday.
Due to operational safety concerns, the Navy is going to great lengths to not officially say where the Truman is headed. However, since last October when Hamas attacked Israel, the last three Navy carrier strike groups that have deployed from both the east and west coasts have ended up in the Middle East.
Families were there to say goodbye. Kirk and Becky Poole said they were proud, but also, sad.
"Yeah, a little bit, both. It's definitely a bundle," they said.
Machinist's Mate 2nd Class Gianna Rodriguez said: "I'm pretty excited to go on deployment and hopefully hit some cool ports and see some things I've never seen before."
Undoubtedly there'll be much hard work in the months ahead. Truman team leaders said the crew was ready.
"We are ready to deploy once again, prepared to provide prompt and sustained combat operations if and when called upon to do so," said Captain Dave Snowden, USS Harry S. Truman Commanding Officer.
Added Rear Admiral Sean Bailey, Carrier Group 8 Commander: "When we deploy, we never know what's going to be in store for us in the future."
As for how long this deployment could take, Fleet Forces Admiral Daryl Caudle in an op-ed piece over the weekend stated it is expected to last seven months.