Acting Chief Naval Operations Adm. James Kilby revealed during a panel discussion last week that USS Truman struck ISIS targets in Somalia back in February.
“They launched the largest air strike in the history of the world - 125,000 pounds from a single aircraft carrier into Somalia,” he said.
The carrier was part of a U.S.-led effort to protect international shipping in the region. It targeted Houthi rebel positions in Yemen during five months in the Red Sea.
“They engaged 160 threats, either to Israel or to them or defending shipping. They conducted 670 strikes,” Kilby said.
During that time, the carrier lost three F/A 18 fighters in three separate accidents. It collided with a commercial vessel off the coast of Egypt. No one was seriously injured in any of the accidents. The Navy is still investigating all of the incidents.
The Norfolk based strike group’s return includes USS Gettysburg, along with the destroyers USS Stout and USS Jason Dunham, and Carrier Air Wing 1 with its nine embarked squadrons. USS Truman is scheduled to arrive Sunday at Naval Station Norfolk. Its air wing is arriving in stages, with the fighter units Saturday at Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach.
