Description A Western Pacific Cruise is a ship's deployment from her home port, usually lasting between 5 and 8 months. Ships visit different ports such as Phuket, Thailand; Salalah, Oman; Darwin, Australia, Bali, Jebel Ali, Singapore, United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong. The ships hosted foreign militaries, performed numerous underway replenishments-at-sea and conducted general quarters drills, fire drills and maritime patrols.
US Navy provides during these deployments provocative "freedom of navigation" operations, known as FONOPS, that send warships into the disputed areas around the world on any given year.
Any cruise is hazardous with sailors injured or killed during flight, refueling, ordnance, operations or weather; day or night. Foriegn military vessels threatening by fast approach to ramming. Often at times ships are endangered by low fly overs from hostile aircraft.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
January / 1996
To Month/Year
December / 1996
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
Memories Got married Mar 21 1996. about a month and a half before deployment. 2nd cruise CVN-70, Operation southern watch. Extended time in Persian Gulf, due to increase in activity. missing port visit to Perth, Australia