28 March (continuing)Norfolk VA:
                   USS BIDDLE (CG-34) conducted 36 boardings and diverted 8 merchant
                         ships--the highest percentage of the Navy's maritime interceptions
                         force--assisted by embarked Helicopter Detachment Qne's 375 anti-
                         sub and anti-surface warfare sorties.  The guided missile cruiser then
                         assumed anti-aircraft defenses for the combined battle force in the
                         Red Sea, coordinating 850+ aircraft interceptions with carrier-based
                         combat air patrols.
                   USS ThOMAS C. HART (FF-1092) conducted 43 boardings and over 300
                         interrogations of merchant vessels near the Gulf of Aqaba, in the
                         Northern Red Sea. Her 131 days in the Red Sea made the ground
                         offensive easier by choking off supplies to Saddam Hussein's war
                         machine.
                   USS SOUTh CAROUNA (CGN-37) spearheaded maritime interceptions in
                         the Red Sea, boarding 26 merchant vessels before shifting to anti-air
                         warfare commander for the Mediterranean Sea, protecting and identi-
                         f~ring hundreds of coalition aircraft transiting to and from air strikes.
                   Colts Neck NJ:
                   USS DETROIT (AOE-4), a fast combat support ship, replenished 250+
                         ships, including USS JOHN F. KENNEDY, USS SARATOGA and
                         USS AMERICA battle groups and 52 coalition ships, with 70 million
                         gallons of diesel and jet fuel, and thousands of tons of ammunition
                         and general stores by the end of deployment.
                   USS WISCONSIN (BB-64), the first battleship to return to CONUS, arrived
                         at Norfolk VA liomeport. Braving mine fields and enemy fire in the
                         Arabian Gulf, USS WISCONSIN fired her 16-inch guns 324 times
                         during 34 naval gunfire support missions, accounting for some 874,800
                         pounds of high explosives on enemy targets including command posts,
                         infantry bunkers, missile and artillery sites and communication bun-
                         kers in occupied Kuwait. The battleship's barrages were so deadly,
                         hundreds of Iraqis surrendered to the Remotely Piloted Vehicle -- the
                         unmanned drone aircraft -- that was the spoiter for the guns, a first in
                         history.
                   Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 130 of Carrier Air Wing 3 (embarked
                         on USS JOHN F. KENNEDY) arrives at Whidbey Island WA home-
                         port.
                   Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 132 of Carrier Air Wing 17 (embarked
                         on USS SARATOGA) arrives at Whidbey Island WA homeport.

29 March           Naval forces continue counter air-defensive, combat air patrols, minesweep-
                         ing and maritime interception operations.
                   Marine ground forces hold defensive positions.
                   USS FRANCIS HAMMOND (FF-1867), USS SHASTA (AE-33), USS
                         NIAGRA FALLS (AFS-3) and coalition ships,. assists burning Sri
                         Lankan merchant vessel MERCS-HORANA in Arabian Gulf.
                   Status of LT Charles J. Turner, missing since 18 January downing of his A-
                         6, was changed to Killed in Action.


                                         A-57

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