The September 11th attack
Hawai'i squad deployed in Middle East since May
This article is based on a story submitted by Billy Koone, assistant public affairs officer for Patrol Squadron Nine, on deployment in the Arabian Gulf, with additional information from Advertiser news services.
The Golden Eagles of Patrol Squadron Nine, a Navy squadron based at the Kane'ohe Marine Corps Base, have been deployed for months in the Middle East, stretched across detachment sites in Diego Garcia, Oman, and Bahrain, in a sensitive area for global security after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11.
U.S. Navy
The squadron arrived at the various sites at the end of May, relieving Patrol Squadron 47 for that squadron's trip back to Kane'ohe Bay. The Golden Eagles immediately set out on operations in the Arabian Gulf.
The Golden Eagles of Navy Patrol Squadron Nine assemble at Kane'ohe Marine Corps Base before deployment in May to support operations in the Middle East.
On Wednesday, the Pentagon ordered a number of fighters, bombers and other aircraft to the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean. More deployments are expected.
Patrol Squadron Nine is primarily based out of a Naval Support Facility on the island of Diego Garcia, also known as "Dodge," in the Indian Ocean, where squadron members train and prepare for operations in the Arabian Gulf. From this base, aircrews and maintenance personnel rotate throughout the three sites.
Diego Garcia, largest island in the Chagos Archipelago, covers 6,720 acres with an average elevation of four feet above sea level. Diego Garcia was the only U.S. Navy base that launched offensive air operations during Operation Desert Storm.
In Masirah, Oman, crews are flying armed surveillance missions in support of the Constellation Carrier Battle Group and providing intelligence to Fifth Fleet commanders. Oman, a sultanate and Islamic country about the size of Kansas with a population of more than 2.6 million, is at the southeastern tip of the Arabian peninsula, on the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman.
Out of Bahrain, crews have been contributing to naval efforts to patrol the Arabian Gulf and assist the ships of the carrier battle group to monitor activities within Iraq and Iran. Bahrain, known as the "Pearl of the Gulf," is an archipelago in the Arabian Gulf about 20 miles east of Saudi Arabia, with about 600,000 residents. The main island is 40 miles long and 10 miles wide.
Aside from the three main detachment sites, the squadron was also detached to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where members had the opportunity to fly with the Saudi military in a bilateral exercise. The aircrew gained valuable experience in joint operations and experienced a glimpse into Saudi culture.
Source: U.S. Navy
Patrol Squadron Nine
A Navy squadron based at Kane'ohe Marine Corps Base has been in the Middle East since May. The squadron is primarily based on the island Diego Garcia but is also stretched across detachment sites in Oman and Bahrain.
Recently, several crews and maintenance personnel flew up to Kuwait to endure the searing heat and harsh environment while living in tents in the middle of the desert. Their primary mission has been to monitor activity across the Iraqi border with live weapons, enforcing Iraq's compliance with international sanctions against the dictator state.
On Diego Garcia, the squadron enjoyed the last days with Cmdr. Timothy Brewer as commanding officer and is now led by Cmdr. Robert Lally. The squadron also welcomed a new executive officer, Cmdr. Bradley Carpenter, and Elizabeth Carpenter to VP-9.
Rear Adm. Anthony Winns, Commander Patrol and Reconnaissance Force Pacific, and Commodore Harry Harris, commander of Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing One, presided over a change of command ceremony on July 27. The troops were treated to a personal session with Rear Adm. Winns the day before the ceremony, during which he relayed a message from Adm. Vernon Clark, chief of Naval Operations; addressed the state of the Navy today; and relayed pressing issues for the Navy's top leaders.
In closing, the admiral noted the many achievements of Patrol Squadron Nine and the fine reputation its members have among the Patrol Squadron community and the Navy as a whole.
In Bahrain, Patrol Squadron Nine played host to 51 British sailors and two Nimrod aircraft from a Maritime Patrol Squadron based in the United Kingdom. Crews from both militaries got to fly together for orientation and to observe different methods for mission accomplishment.
Three months into the Middle East deployment, Patrol Squadron Nine has taken part in several medical evacuations to Singapore and helped play an instrumental role in a search-and-rescue operation out of the Seychelles Islands, off the coast of Africa. In the Arabian Gulf, the aircrews and maintenance personnel have endured the harsh desert environment while displaying great tenacity in keeping aircraft combat ready.
The aircrew's skills in using advanced aircraft systems have contributed to the intelligence-gathering efforts for Fifth Fleet commanders and helped to ensure stability in a volatile gulf environment.
The Sept. 11 terrorist actions in New York City, and Washington D.C., have created new challenges for the United States government and the military services.
In the remaining days of its deployment, VP-9 personnel have committed to be at the highest level of readiness for any services the Navy and the United States call on it to perform.
