Expeditionary Strike Group Three
Encyclopedia
The Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) Three, which has its roots in the Amphibious Group Three (COMPHIBGRU Three), is an expeditionary strike group — an amphibious ready group which combines the capabilities of surface action groups, submarines, and maritime patrol aircraft with those of Amphibious Ready Groups — for deployment and maintaining staff proficiencies to provide fleet commanders with a highly flexible, ready fly-away unit. It is capable of projecting expeditionary striking power in the maritime
, littoral, and inland
environs
in support of U.S. national interests.
As COMPHIBGRU Three, the organization participated in Operations Desert Shield, Restore Hope, Continue Hope and United Shield
. Upon a reorganization and implementation of the newly developed strike force concept on 2003, the organization participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Note: COMPHIBRON = Commander, Amphibious Squadron
s and two non-deploying readiness squadrons.
and was joined by its East Coast counterpart and together they had a total of 31 amphibious ships, four combat logistics ships and eight supporting merchant ships, thus forming the largest Amphibious assault force since the Korean War
. COMPHIBGRU THREE participated in what is considered as the major amphibious operation of the Gulf War
when in February 1991, together with the Fifth Marine Expeditionary Brigade, it landed more than 6,500 Marines at Al Mishab, Saudi Arabia
, just south of the Kuwait
-Iraq
border.
COMPHIBGRU THREE was to participate in numerous humanitarian assistance operations after Operation Desert Storm came to an end.
. In Operation Restore Hope the force acted as a Maritime Prepositioning Force - based at the Mogadishu
Port Facility and in January 1995, the force played the role of Commander, Naval Forces, during the final withdraw of U.N.
forces from Somalia.
From 1995 to 1998 COMPHIBGRU THREE participated in various naval exercises. Amongst them Exercise Cooperation from the Sea (1995) with the Russian Federation Navy, exercises with Jordan
ian forces (1996) embarking landing craft from the United Arab Emirates for the first time in U.S. Navy history, Exercise Native Fury in Kuwait (1998), Exercise Freedom Banner in Korea (In October 1998, the command absorbed Naval Inshore Undersea Warfare Group ONE and redesignated Naval Coastal Warfare Group ONE) and in (2000) Exercise Natural Fire in Mombasa, Kenya.
In Operation Iraqi Freedom Two (OIF II), included a host of amphibious and maritime ships whose mission was to substitute Marines from the First Marine Expeditionary Force with troops from the Army
's First Infantry. To support the OIF II Force Rotation Plan and the First Marine Expeditionary Force's deployment to relieve the Third Air Cavalry Regiment and the 82nd Airborne in Iraq, Commander Amphibious Group Three, Rear Adm. W. C. Marsh, and his San Diego-based staff deployed into the Fifth Fleet Area of Operations. Marsh assumed duties as Commander Task Force 51 (CTF 51) and began overseeing amphibious operations in the area.
On April 17, 2007 Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) Three was commissioned in San Diego, California
.
Sea
A sea generally refers to a large body of salt water, but the term is used in other contexts as well. Most commonly, it means a large expanse of saline water connected with an ocean, and is commonly used as a synonym for ocean...
, littoral, and inland
Inland
Inland is an area of land away from the coast or shore line. It usually refers to the interior part of a country or region.Inland may refer to:* Inland Fräkne Hundred, a hundred of Bohuslän in Sweden...
environs
Natural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
in support of U.S. national interests.
As COMPHIBGRU Three, the organization participated in Operations Desert Shield, Restore Hope, Continue Hope and United Shield
Operation United Shield
Operation United Shield was the name given to a multinational military operation that was conducted from 9 January 1992 to 3 March 1995. The purpose of Operation United Shield was the safe evacuation of all United Nations peacekeeping troops from Somalia...
. Upon a reorganization and implementation of the newly developed strike force concept on 2003, the organization participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Expeditionary Strike Group Three Subordinate Commands
- COMPHIBRON 1
- COMPHIBRON 3
- COMPHIBRON 5
- COMPHIBRON 7
- Commander, Naval Beach Group One
- Commander, Tactical Air Control Group One
Note: COMPHIBRON = Commander, Amphibious Squadron
History
Expeditionary Strike Group Three can trace its origins to Amphibious Group Three (COMPHIBGRU Three) which was commissioned on October 1, 1984. On August 1, 1986, COMPHIBGRU Three was reorganized into three assault squadronSquadron (naval)
A squadron, or naval squadron, is a unit of 3-4 major warships, transport ships, submarines, or sometimes small craft that may be part of a larger task force or a fleet...
s and two non-deploying readiness squadrons.
Operation Desert Shield
In December 1990, the 13-ship Amphibious Task Force became the largest to sail from the West Coast since 1965 when it set sail in support of Operation Desert Shield. The Task Force reached the north Arabian SeaArabian Sea
The Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...
and was joined by its East Coast counterpart and together they had a total of 31 amphibious ships, four combat logistics ships and eight supporting merchant ships, thus forming the largest Amphibious assault force since the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. COMPHIBGRU THREE participated in what is considered as the major amphibious operation of the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
when in February 1991, together with the Fifth Marine Expeditionary Brigade, it landed more than 6,500 Marines at Al Mishab, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, just south of the Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
-Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
border.
COMPHIBGRU THREE was to participate in numerous humanitarian assistance operations after Operation Desert Storm came to an end.
Somalian Civil War
During the Somalian Civil War, COMPHIBGRU THREE participated in various operations, Operation Restore Hope, Operation Continue Hope and Operation United ShieldOperation United Shield
Operation United Shield was the name given to a multinational military operation that was conducted from 9 January 1992 to 3 March 1995. The purpose of Operation United Shield was the safe evacuation of all United Nations peacekeeping troops from Somalia...
. In Operation Restore Hope the force acted as a Maritime Prepositioning Force - based at the Mogadishu
Mogadishu
Mogadishu , popularly known as Xamar, is the largest city in Somalia and the nation's capital. Located in the coastal Benadir region on the Indian Ocean, the city has served as an important port for centuries....
Port Facility and in January 1995, the force played the role of Commander, Naval Forces, during the final withdraw of U.N.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
forces from Somalia.
1995-2000
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
ian forces (1996) embarking landing craft from the United Arab Emirates for the first time in U.S. Navy history, Exercise Native Fury in Kuwait (1998), Exercise Freedom Banner in Korea (In October 1998, the command absorbed Naval Inshore Undersea Warfare Group ONE and redesignated Naval Coastal Warfare Group ONE) and in (2000) Exercise Natural Fire in Mombasa, Kenya.
Operation Iraqi Freedom
In 2003, COMPHIBGRU THREE provided the forces and stood up as Commander Task Force 51 to execute a multitude of the Naval Component Commander's assigned missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In addition to the deployments in support of OIF, CPG-3 also deployed the first expeditionary strike group, Expeditionary Strike Group One, onboard in August 2003. ESG 1 operated in direct support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. ESG 1 didn't return from OEF an OIF until March 2004.In Operation Iraqi Freedom Two (OIF II), included a host of amphibious and maritime ships whose mission was to substitute Marines from the First Marine Expeditionary Force with troops from the Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
's First Infantry. To support the OIF II Force Rotation Plan and the First Marine Expeditionary Force's deployment to relieve the Third Air Cavalry Regiment and the 82nd Airborne in Iraq, Commander Amphibious Group Three, Rear Adm. W. C. Marsh, and his San Diego-based staff deployed into the Fifth Fleet Area of Operations. Marsh assumed duties as Commander Task Force 51 (CTF 51) and began overseeing amphibious operations in the area.
On April 17, 2007 Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) Three was commissioned in San Diego, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Leadership
As of July 2011, the leadership of Expeditionary Strike Group Three consists of the following personnel:- Commander: Rear Admiral Gerald P. Hueber, USN
- Deputy Commander: Colonel Scott T. Carhart, USMC
- Chief of Staff: Captain Mark E. Cedrun, USN
- Commander Master Chief: CMDCM(SW/AW) Rosa L. Wilson, USN