US warship sails the Arabian Sea, avoiding port, killing time ... and germs

Umm...wow. What the hell Navy...?

quote:

For the past three months, the crew of the dock landing ship Fort McHenry has been stuck at sea, avoiding port because of an outbreak of disease.

But Navy officials bristle at the mention of a “quarantine.”

They point out that only 25 of more than 700 sailors and Marines have been diagnosed with viral parotitis, an infection that triggers symptoms similar to mumps, with fever, dehydration and chills reported in about 3.5 percent of the service members on board the Florida-based warship.

....

Easy to tell if the ship is under quarantine, it will be flying a large black pennant from the highest mast.

Three months at sea is not unusual.

Three months of actually not putting into port, though?

^^ yeah we used to do that all the time, sometimes we’d stop in GTMO to BSF (brief stop for fuel)...

quote:

Originally posted by Orguss:
Three months of actually not putting into port, though?

We called it deterrent patrol. Did 9. Did not stop to refuel.

Their last port visit was in Romania 07Jan19. Wonder what they picked up there ...

December 12, USS Fort McHenry departed Mayport for a scheduled deployment, as part of the USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) ARG.

December 14, The Fort McHenry moored at Berth 1, Pier 4 on Naval Station Norfolk for a three-day port call; Moored at Berth 6, General Cargo Terminal in Port of Morehead City, N.C., for onload from Dec. 18-19; Transited the Strait of Gibraltar eastbound on Dec. 31.

January 3, 2019 The Fort McHenry transited the Strait of Messina southbound; Transited the Bosporus Strait northbound on Sunday evening.

January 7, USS Fort McHenry moored at Passenger Berth in Port of Constanta, Romania, for a three-day visit; Transited the Bosporus Strait southbound on Jan. 11; Transited the Suez Canal on Jan. 15.

January 21, LSD 43 conducted a replenishment-at-sea with the USNS Alan Shepard (T-AKE 3), while underway in the Gulf of Aden; Participated in a passing exercise (PASSEX) with the ENS Alexandria (F 911), the ex-USS Copeland (FFG 25), while underway in the North Arabian Sea on Feb. 12; Conducted a replenishment-at-sea with the USNS Kanawha (T-AO 196) on Feb. 13 and 22nd.

March 9, USS Fort McHenry conducted a replenishment-at-sea with the USNS Richard E. Byrd (T-AKE 4), while underway in the Gulf of Aden.

http://www.uscarriers.net/lsd43history.htm

quote:

Originally posted by bcereuss:

quote:

Originally posted by Orguss:
Three months of actually not putting into port, though?

We called it deterrent patrol. Did 9. Did not stop to refuel.

Underwater.

quote:

Originally posted by irreverent:

quote:

Originally posted by bcereuss:

quote:

Originally posted by Orguss:
Three months of actually not putting into port, though?

We called it deterrent patrol. Did 9. Did not stop to refuel.

Underwater.

Sounds like an old boomer blue/gold crew patrol...

quote:

March 9, USS Fort McHenry conducted a replenishment-at-sea with the USNS Richard E. Byrd (T-AKE 4), while underway in the Gulf of Aden.

I wonder if the Byrd’s crew did the replenish in hazmat suits- or are they out doing laps now too?

Since when did the Navy start contracting out deployments to Carnivale Cruise Lines?

https://x-files.fandom.com/wiki/Purity

Geez, we were 30 days at sea when they invaded Cambodia. The boys got a little surly. Fights became common. Wouldn't want to be there.

I am thinking there's a rumor going round the ship which was told to family members stateside.

100 days underway is not all that unusual. It can easily be determined by the amount of beer brought on board during the onload/un-rep(s).

Zombies

It's what everyone is thinking.

Was on the current record holder Teddy Roosevelt for 159 days straight without a port call.

6-pack cruise.

If we hadn't been kicking the shit out of Afghanistan post-911, it would have sucked.

But it was epic.

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
Was on the current record holder Teddy Roosevelt for 159 days straight without a port call.

6-pack cruise.

If we hadn't been kicking the shit out of Afghanistan post-911, it would have sucked.

But it was epic.

Me thinks someone be yanking you by ye yardarm

I believe the record is just over 180 days. Leave San Diego and next/ first port - San Diego. My LCPO, circa 1988, claimed he was on that cruise as an airmen.

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
Was on the current record holder Teddy Roosevelt for 159 days straight without a port call.

6-pack cruise.

If we hadn't been kicking the shit out of Afghanistan post-911, it would have sucked.



But it was epic.

You guys relieved the Enterprise. I knew an OS on your boat then.

700x3x90=189,000 meals. How do they have that much food?

quote:

Originally posted by Keystoner:
700x3x90=189,000 meals. How do they have that much food?

They can resupply by VERTREP (vertical replenishment...aka helicopters)

quote:

Originally posted by LS1 GTO:

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
Was on the current record holder Teddy Roosevelt for 159 days straight without a port call.

6-pack cruise.

If we hadn't been kicking the shit out of Afghanistan post-911, it would have sucked.

But it was epic.

Me thinks someone be yanking you by ye yardarm

I believe the record is just over 180 days. Leave San Diego and next/ first port - San Diego. My LCPO, circa 1988, claimed he was on that cruise as an airmen.

Well, the Navy considers the 159/160 day record by the Roosevelt to be the record, regardless of mysterious 'beliefs' and 'rumors'.

I'd certainly love to hear about a longer time underway record, but nobody ever seems to be able to name it, date it, or provide any proof.

quote:

Originally posted by RR:
You guys relieved the Enterprise. I knew an OS on your boat then.

Yessir, that was us. They kept us sitting in the Med when the war kicked off in case anyone up there needed a 'tune up'. Since they all folded like a cheap suit when Enterprise / Vinson started the show, we popped through the ditch, did 1 day of currency flying in the Red Sea, then dropped it in gear to make PIM to join in the fray.

I think we did about a week of 3 carrier ops before Enterprise left, then we worked nights from 2300-1300 for about 3 months, then flipped to days after Vinson left.

It was a great deployment, one for the books. It was an honor to serve during that turbulent time and dole out punishment 500# at a time.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: RHINOWSO,