USS ANTIETAM CG-54

Winter 2007

On January 19, 2007 the guided missile cruiser.USS Antietam CG54 and its HSL-43 Helicopter Detachment set sail for seven months from San Diego to support Operations Enduring and Iraqi freedom.  The nearly 400 men and women of the Antietam deployed with the USS John C Stennis Strike Group after an intensive inter-deployment training cycle and pre-deployment maintenance period.  In order to provide direct support for "the boots on the ground" in Afghanistan and Iraq, Antietam and the Strike Group sailed non-stop to the battle line catching glimpses of Hawaii, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia from afar.

As the Stennis and Carrier Air WIng Nine fly countless sorties in support of our troops in theater, the Antietam provides critical air defense coverage and continues to hone its war fighting proficiency through a variety of challenging warfare exercises.  Individual sailors also take advantage of the underway time to qualify for new watch stations and the right to be called Surface Warfare Officers and Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialists.

Though at sea for almost four months straight, morale remains high and the crew finds ways to relax while on station. Sunday holiday routine includes steel beach barbecues, flight deck basketball, special events, and non-stop movies. Future port visits will also provide anticipated rest and relaxation for Antietam sailors. On March 14th the crew celebrated the time honored tradition of "Beer Day' that follows 45 days at sea. Regardless of the task the USS Antietam is poised to carry out the nation's business in the Global War on Terror that befits the Antietam tradition.