The Pentagon has deployed their second US Navy carrier strike group to the eastern Mediterranean in a move that will deliver additional American firepower to the waters near Israel as fears mount that its war with Hamas could worsen and spiral into a regional conflict.
During her scheduled deployment that left Naval Station Norfolk, USA on Saturday 14th October she was directed by the Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin with her Carrier Strike Group (CSG) to the Eastern Mediterranean in response to Israel’s war with Hamas.
The strike group IKECSG includes the guided missile cruiser USS PHILIPPINE SEA CG 58 ( With a female Commanding Officer) together with the Arleigh Burke Class guided missile destroyer USS GRAVELY DD 107 that left Naval Station Norfolk and the Arleigh Burke Class guided-missile destroyer USS MASON DDG 87 who left Naval Station Mayport on Friday 13th October.
Top image of USS PHILIPPINE SEA CG 58 entering Grand Harbour, Malta back to February,2004.
The IKECSG is an integrated combat weapons system that delivers superior combat capability to deter, and if necessary, defeat America’s adversaries in support of national security. The CSG is comprised of more than 5,000 Sailors of CSG-2 staff, commanded by the flagship Dwight D. Eisenhower, commanded by Capt. Christopher Hill; Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 squadrons, commanded by Capt. Mitch McCallister; Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 22 staff and units, commanded by Capt. David Wroe; guided-missile cruiser USS PHILIPPINE SEA CG 58, commanded by Capt. Michelle Nakamura; and the Information Warfare Commander, Capt. Mitchell Finke.
“President Eisenhower once said, ‘never send a battalion to take a hill if a regiment is available.’ As the flagship of the strike group, the Mighty IKE is ready to provide overwhelming air power to deter aggression and promote world peace,” said Hill. “We trained rigorously for this deployment, and we are excited to celebrate the Navy’s 248th birthday by sending the best damn ship in the Navy to sea.”
