On Friday, multiple US Navy squadrons that were deployed for nine months to fight against Houthi rebels in Yemen returned to the United States. They were met with heartwarming scenes of their loved ones running towards them with open arms at Virginia’s Naval Air Station Oceana. In a touching video, one woman was picked up and spun around by her uniformed partner who presented her with a rose.
Other families expressed their pride by waving American flags and holding “Welcome Home” signs with patriotic themes. The entire fleet of squadrons based at the Naval Air Station Oceana has returned home, according to the United States Fleet Forces Command. This group played a crucial role in defending military and commercial ships against attacks from Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in the Indian Ocean.
The Navy’s aircraft carrier strike group and air wing carried out critical strikes on the Houthi rebels in Yemen to protect vessels from armed attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The US Air Force, alongside Eisenhower sailors, conducted seven planned airstrikes into territories controlled by the Houthis, according to the Virginian-Pilot. Pilots aboard the aircraft carrier completed thousands of aircraft launches and recoveries, as reported by the Navy.
One serviceman, Lieutenant Russell Hill, spent months in the Red Sea aboard Carrier Air Wing 3 during his first deployment. Upon returning home, he shared that he was excited to take advantage of simple freedoms like going to the gym and shopping at Walmart in civilian clothing. He was also looking forward to spending quality time with his wife, Hannah Kate.
Another serviceman, Kiara Marsh, who is part of the VRC-40 crew, expressed her excitement about seeing her family and friends upon returning home from the deployment. The homecoming marked the end of the mission for multiple squadrons including VRC-40, VAW-123, VFA-83, VFA-131, VFA-32, and VFA-105 that were part of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group.
The deployment was extended twice due to the ongoing conflict with the Houthi rebels in Yemen. Captain “Starvin” Marvin Scott, the commanding officer of Carrier Air Wing 3, expressed pride in his team’s response and readiness to defend freedom of navigation in the Red Sea when escalation from the Houthis began. The return of the carrier strike group will be celebrated over a three-day period that includes four ships, nine squadrons, and 6,500 sailors.
