13th MEU leaves San Diego for six-month deployment

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By Gidget Fuentes
Times staff writer

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — The 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit left home July 16 aboard the ships of the Tarawa Expeditionary Strike Group on a deployment to the Western Pacific and Persian Gulf.

The amphibious assault ship Tarawa set out with the amphibious transport dock Cleveland and dock landing ship Pearl Harbor. The 5,500-member strike group, led by Rear Adm. Michael A. LeFever, is deploying with the frigate Ingraham, based in Everett, Wash., and cruiser Chosin and fast-attack submarine Santa Fe, both based in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

The destroyer Gonzalez, already deployed as part of the “Sea Swap” program, will join the ESG during the deployment, which is expected to last about six months.

The Camp Pendleton, Calif.-based 13th MEU, commanded by Col. James K. LaVine, includes Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 163 and MEU Service Support Group 13.

The deployment to support military operations in the Gulf region is the second for the Tarawa, which took Iraq-bound Marines to Kuwait in the spring of 2003.