USS Carl Vinson To Visit Malaysia

By Vinson Strike Group Public Affairs

PACIFIC OCEAN -  USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) and USS Bunker Hill (CG 52) of the Carl Vinson Strike Group arrived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for a port visit Jan. 22.

The Strike Group is conducting a deployment to the western Pacific. While in port, the crews will be participating in community relations projects that include visits to the Shekinah Senior Home in Klang and the Wesley Senior Citizen Home in Kuala Lumpur.
Additionally, volleyball and soccer games are planned between Malaysia and Vinson Strike Group Sailors.
 

"The great majority of our Sailors have never been to Malaysia, so this has been something we’ve all been looking forward to for some time. I’m thrilled that our Sailors will get to experience the sights, sounds and especially the tastes of this amazing culture," said Rear Adm. Samuel Perez, Vinson Strike Group Commander. "We don’t view this as just a liberty port, but an educational experience for our men and women."

In addition to the surface ships attached to the Strike Group, Vinson is home to Destroyer Squadron 1 and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17, which includes the "Red Lions" of Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron 15, the "Fighting Redcocks" of Strike Fighter Squadron 22, the "Fist of the Fleet" of Strike Fighter Squadron 25, the "Sunliners" of Strike Fighter Squadron 81, the "Rawhides" of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 40, the "Garudas" of Electronic Attack Squadron 134, the "Stingers" of Strike Fighter Squadron 113 and the "Tigertails" of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 125.

While in the 7th Fleet the Vinson Strike Group will focus on maritime theater security cooperation efforts, building on the strong alliances between the U.S. and its allies in the Pacific to help establish conditions for regional stability.

Carrier Strike Group 1 was formally established October 1, 2009 and led Vinson and Bunker Hill when they supported disaster response and humanitarian operations in Haiti this year. This is the first deployment of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, Stockdale. This is Bunker Hill’s first deployment since it underwent cruiser modernization, the first Ticonderoga class guided-missile cruiser to complete its mid-life modernization. This is Vinson’s first visit to 7th Fleet since 2005.

This article was originally published at: http://www.c7f.navy.mil/news/2011/01-january/014.htm

-PACOM-
(Posted Jan. 24, 2011)