Several Navy units return to county from deployments
By: North County Times wire services | ∞
Sgt. Kyle Wohlwend nuzzles with his 6-month-old daughter Kayla, who was six days old when he left for war, after his return to Miramar Marine Corps Base on Tuesday.
Don Boomer
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SAN DIEGO - Components from the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group returned to San Diego Tuesday after an extended deployment in support of humanitarian relief efforts for South Asia tsunami victims.
First to arrive at Naval Air Station North Island was regionally based CVW-2 aircraft and helicopters from Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light 47 and Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 2, according to the Navy.
Following the aircraft, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Lincoln stopped at the Coronado base. It is due to return to its homeport in Everett, Wash., on Friday morning.
Sailors aboard the San Diego-based guided missile cruiser Shiloh and guided missile destroyer Benfold, part of the carrier strike group, arrived with the Lincoln, docking at 32nd Street Naval Station San Diego.
More than 280,000 people were killed when a magnitude-9 earthquake generated massive waves that swept across the Indian Ocean and devastated the coastlines of a dozen nations on Dec. 26.
"Seeing what we saw was shocking," Lt. Cmdr. Mark Leavitt told KFMB-TV. It's something I will never forget."
Leavitt told KFMB the victims were grateful for America's help.
"In general, smiles all around -- salutes, thumbs-up," he said. "They were very happy to see us."
On New Year's Day, sailors from the strike group began delivering vital food, water and medicine to the Banda Aceh region of Indonesia. The group also provided helicopter transportation for those displaced by the waves.
From Jan. 1 to Feb. 4, strike group aircraft flew 1,747 missions in support of Operation Unified Assistance, carried about 5.7 million pounds of supplies, including 16,308 gallons of water, and transported 3,043 passengers.
More than 1,200 crew members from the ship and its accompanying air wing also volunteered to go ashore to assist victims.
"Being able to go ashore and help, even if only for a day or two, was an experience I wouldn't trade," said Shiloh Damage Controlman Third Class Guillermo Canate of Chicago.
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