Yokosuka Naval Base (Japan), May 06: Thousands of wives, husbands, daughters and sons lined the piers of this US Naval base to welcome home the USS Kitty Hawk, which returned today after a four-month deployment in support of the war in Iraq. "It's a relief," petty officer Ryan Belle, of toledo, Ohio, said as he hugged his pregnant wife, Sayuri. "It was a hard cruise."
Navy officials estimated about 5,000 people turned out to welcome the Kitty Hawk, which was at sea for more than 100 days. "I'm so excited to have him back," said Arkila Campbell, who waited for her husband with her four small children as the carrier pulled in to a loud party ashore, replete with rock bands, hamburger stalls and free cake for all.
"It's my third time welcoming him home. But this time it has special meaning, because he went to war," said Campbell, of Sandersville, Mississippi. Her husband, Marcus, is a petty officer aboard the ship. Among the VIPs greeting the ship was US ambassador to Japan Howard Baker and senior Japanese military officials.
An F/A-18 fighter from the Kitty Hawk was the first us fighter downed in the war. It was shot down by friendly fire, and the pilot was killed. Some 5,000 sorties were flown off the Kitty Hawk, but only two aircraft were lost.
Also returning to port today were the uss cowpens and the USS John S McCain. Both ships also played an active role in the war. The cowpens was the fist ship to fire tomahawk missiles from the Arabian Gulf. Bureau Report