Battle Cats Return to NASNI

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Arianne Anderson, Fleet Public Affairs Center Pacific


Sailors from Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light (HSL) 43 Det. 3 returned to Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI) in San Diego on Sept. 11, after a four-and-a-half month deployment operating with countries in Southeast Asia.

The exercise allowed the HSL-43 Battle Cats to work closely with different countries such as Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei, and Singapore during the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise while aboard USS Jarret (FFG 33).

“Twenty folks can really make a difference in the world,” said Cmdr. Matthew F. Coughlin, HSL-43’s commanding officer. “This deployment helped build bridges with countries bringing allies and friends together. They did an amazing job, and I am glad they are back safe and sound.”

HSL-43 Command Master Chief George Dwyer echoed Coughlin.

“I am really proud of the detachment,” Dwyer said. “They’re amazingly, hard-working professionals. They are helping to stabilize our relationships worldwide.”

While deployed, Det. 3 Sailors were afforded the ability to log a tremendous amount of flight time operating with both U.S. and host nation visit, board, search, and seizure teams. They also supported anti-submarine warfare training missions.

Air crew members also performed an over-land search and rescue operation just outside the city limits of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, when a Malaysian helicopter and crew went missing. The six members logged more than 26 hours and found the missing helicopter on the fourth day of the operation.

Lt. Cmdr. Greg Batchelder, Det. 3's officer-in-charge, spoke of his great pride in the Battle Cats.

“These men worked really hard out there and I want to give them a special thanks,” said Batchelder. “But, what we did out there wouldn’t have been possible without the crew of HSL-43 or the family members here.”

Numerous HSL-43 Sailors, family members, and friends gathered at the hangar when Det. 3 returned home.

The wife of Aviation Warfare Systems Operator 2nd Class (AW/SW) Timothy Hines, said her heart was doing the “thumpity-thump thing times 1,000.”

“I am excited out of my skin to have him home,” Hines said. “He was gone for less than five months, but it felt like forever.”

For many others the feeling was quite the same.

“I am just so happy to be home,” said Aviation Structural Mechanic 3rd Class Rylan Gorby. “There just isn’t much else to say. I couldn’t be happier.”

HSL-49 Det. 3 Returns Home From Deployment

Photo: Boatswain's Mate 3rd Class Pat Fox signals a thumbs-up to an SH-60B Seahawk helicopter crew assigned to Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light (HSL) 49 after a safe landing aboard the guided missile destroyer USS Howard (DDG 83). Howard and HSL-49 are part of Expeditionary Strike Group 5, which is currently conducting operations in support of the global war on terrorism. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman James Seward

NAS NORTH ISLAND, Calif. (NNS) -- The "Dons" of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light (HSL) 49 Det. 3, returned home to Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI) on March 13, following a six-month deployment.

Embarked with Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 5 aboard USS Howard (DDG 83), the two-helicopter detachment performed maritime security operations (MSO) in the Persian Gulf in direct support of the global war on terrorism.

MSO sets the conditions for regional security and stability in the maritime environment and complements the counter-terrorism and security efforts of regional nations. In addition, MSO denies international terrorist organizations the use of the maritime environment as a venue for attack or to transport personnel, weapons or other materials.

Det. 3 aided Howard and ESG 5 in oil platform defense south of Iraq by maintaining perimeter security around the Khawr Al Amaya and Al Basrah oil terminals. The oil exports from these two terminals account for 85 percent of Iraq’s economic revenues. In this capacity, the detachment provided surface surveillance and coordination to warfare commanders in the region and air support to visit, board, search and seizure teams from Howard and other coalition and Iraqi forces.

“This deployment has proven to be a valuable learning experience for both flight crew and maintainers alike," said pilot Lt. j.g. Jeffery J. Lassard. "The variety of operations and missions undertaken have challenged the detachment personnel and provided a solid experience base for future deployments. I am glad to have taken part.”

In addition to the defense operations around Iraq, Det. 3 carried out search and rescue missions, medical evacuations and logistics support flights. Det. 3's Sailors also on-loaded and off-loaded mail, distinguished visitors and vital parts to the ship and her crew.

Prior to arriving on station in the Persian Gulf, they participated in several joint naval exercises including an undersea warfare exercise with the Boxer Expeditionary Strike Group and forces stationed in-and-around the Hawaiian Islands. They also participated in Malabar 2006, a multinational exercise involving the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, as well as the Indian and Canadian navies.

These exercises increased combat readiness and interoperability while enhancing the cooperative security relationship between foreign allies and the United States.

Det. 3, safely executed 649 flight hours during their six-month deployment. Of those, 400 were operational hours with the majority taking place in the Gulf.

During the course of their deployment, Det. 3 made several port visits including Pearl Harbor; Darwin, Australia; Mumbai (formerly Bombay), India; Manama, Bahrain; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Guam.