Operation Iraqi Freedom Surge Deployment Journal (2003)
I found my journal from the USS Kearsarge's deployment. There aren't many entries, but I was busy keeping the flight deck comms up for 24 hour flight quarters.
February 14, 2003
34 days and counting... Today is yet another deadline for the UN weapons inspectors. I think we will all have a clearer idea of where this is all going very soon.
For some reason the last 33 days have gone by pretty fast. I just hope the next few months also come and go.
February 18, 2003
Still waiting to find out what our role is going to be in all of this. Everyday there are new rumors. Today's is that we may be home by July. I was hoping it would be by Josh's and Jacob's birthdays in June but if we get home in July, that means we can go pick up Josh because his probation will have started. And we can take a vacation up north before we head back to Virginia.
Most of the Marines have gone into Kuwait now. It still seems like there are too many onboard. I wish none of them had to go ashore because I am scared for them and their families.
I started worrying about Josh more today. There are record snow falls in the northeast, and I am just hoping he is warm enough where he is. I emailed Zach and asked him the next time he talks to Josh to find out if he needs anything, especially clothes. I also sent him a card to where he is, he should get that soon.
February 18, 2003
We all got a rude awakening today. I had been asleep for about 3 hours when the general alarm went off followed by,"SCUD missile inbound, this is not a drill." Kinda scary thing to be woke up by, really scary. I scrambled along with all the other day sleepers to get my uniform on and get to my GQ station, the ET shop. I passed an airman who was on his knees crying and saying,"I'm not ready to die." I had to make the decision not to help him so more people might be saved by me getting to my station to do my job.
There were two possible reasons for us going to GQ. One is there was an Iranian missile test that know one knew about until the SCUD showed up on the RADAR scope, the other was that the Army was testing their ability to shoot down a SCUD. Our CO never told us why. All I know is I am definitely ready to go home now.
March 30, 2003
It's been awhile since I've written, mainly because the war has started and I have been watching too much CNN to be able to write. I am staying pretty busy working nights, taking classes and PT'ing. I am supposed to be going to days after we leave Bahrain on April 11th or so. We are almost to the half-way mark, if this was a normal deployment, our 90th day is April 12th, which means a sea-service ribbon wohoo!
June 14th, 2003
Well, it's been just over five months since I have been home. Jacob's 3rd birthday is a week from today. Hopefully, we will still be home by the end of June. We were supposed to be home in 12 days, but we were tasked with another "mission", Operation Shining Express (where do they get these names?!). We are headed to Liberia, a country in the southwest part of Africa. Due to several uprisings, we may be needed to evacuate some Americans that aren't too keen on staying there. Hopefully, if our assistance is needed it will be over quickly and will we head home.
June 22, 2003
We were supposed to be home in four days, now we will be home in eight days, or "seven days and a wake-up." A week from tomorrow is not bad at all. We didn't end up doing a NEO off the coast of Liberia. We got there and a cease fire treaty was signed so our assistance wasn't needed. The American Ambassador came onboard for a hair cut and left with cases of steak and about 50 pounds of sugar.
It feels like eight days is very far away and being underway will never end, thankfully it will very soon.
June 23, 2003
I need to get off this boat. People are so inconsiderate and self-centered. Six more days before we all get a break from each other.
February 14, 2003
34 days and counting... Today is yet another deadline for the UN weapons inspectors. I think we will all have a clearer idea of where this is all going very soon.
For some reason the last 33 days have gone by pretty fast. I just hope the next few months also come and go.
February 18, 2003
Still waiting to find out what our role is going to be in all of this. Everyday there are new rumors. Today's is that we may be home by July. I was hoping it would be by Josh's and Jacob's birthdays in June but if we get home in July, that means we can go pick up Josh because his probation will have started. And we can take a vacation up north before we head back to Virginia.
Most of the Marines have gone into Kuwait now. It still seems like there are too many onboard. I wish none of them had to go ashore because I am scared for them and their families.
I started worrying about Josh more today. There are record snow falls in the northeast, and I am just hoping he is warm enough where he is. I emailed Zach and asked him the next time he talks to Josh to find out if he needs anything, especially clothes. I also sent him a card to where he is, he should get that soon.
February 18, 2003
We all got a rude awakening today. I had been asleep for about 3 hours when the general alarm went off followed by,"SCUD missile inbound, this is not a drill." Kinda scary thing to be woke up by, really scary. I scrambled along with all the other day sleepers to get my uniform on and get to my GQ station, the ET shop. I passed an airman who was on his knees crying and saying,"I'm not ready to die." I had to make the decision not to help him so more people might be saved by me getting to my station to do my job.
There were two possible reasons for us going to GQ. One is there was an Iranian missile test that know one knew about until the SCUD showed up on the RADAR scope, the other was that the Army was testing their ability to shoot down a SCUD. Our CO never told us why. All I know is I am definitely ready to go home now.
March 30, 2003
It's been awhile since I've written, mainly because the war has started and I have been watching too much CNN to be able to write. I am staying pretty busy working nights, taking classes and PT'ing. I am supposed to be going to days after we leave Bahrain on April 11th or so. We are almost to the half-way mark, if this was a normal deployment, our 90th day is April 12th, which means a sea-service ribbon wohoo!
June 14th, 2003
Well, it's been just over five months since I have been home. Jacob's 3rd birthday is a week from today. Hopefully, we will still be home by the end of June. We were supposed to be home in 12 days, but we were tasked with another "mission", Operation Shining Express (where do they get these names?!). We are headed to Liberia, a country in the southwest part of Africa. Due to several uprisings, we may be needed to evacuate some Americans that aren't too keen on staying there. Hopefully, if our assistance is needed it will be over quickly and will we head home.
June 22, 2003
We were supposed to be home in four days, now we will be home in eight days, or "seven days and a wake-up." A week from tomorrow is not bad at all. We didn't end up doing a NEO off the coast of Liberia. We got there and a cease fire treaty was signed so our assistance wasn't needed. The American Ambassador came onboard for a hair cut and left with cases of steak and about 50 pounds of sugar.
It feels like eight days is very far away and being underway will never end, thankfully it will very soon.
June 23, 2003
I need to get off this boat. People are so inconsiderate and self-centered. Six more days before we all get a break from each other.
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