Carrier Strike Group 8
Commander, Carrier Strike Group 8, abbreviated as CCSG-8 or COMCARSTRKGRU 8, is one of five U.S. Navy carrier strike groups currently assigned to the United States Fleet Forces Command. Carrier strike groups gain and maintain sea control as well as project naval airpower ashore.[4][5]
| Carrier Strike Group 8 | |
|---|---|
 Carrier Strike Group 8 emblem | |
| Founded | 1 October 2004 |
| Country |  United States of America |
| Branch |  United States Navy |
| Type | Carrier Strike Group |
| Role | Naval air/surface warfare |
| Part of | United States Fleet Forces Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia |
| Website | Official Website |
| Commanders | |
| Commander | Rear Admiral Ryan Scholl, USN[1] |
| Chief of Staff | Captain Steven Bellack, USN[2] |
| Command Master Chief | CMDCM Michael Bates, USN[3] |
As of 2018 the group flagship is the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75). The other units of the group are the guided-missile cruiser USS Hué City (CG-66), Carrier Air Wing One, and the ships of Destroyer Squadron 28.[Note 1][6][7]
History
During 1994, USS Hue City (CG-66) was a unit of Carrier Group 8.[8] During 1999, the previous Carrier Group 8's flagship was Eisenhower.
In May and June 1998, Vella Gulf completed a two-month BALTOPS Cruise, taking part in the 26th annual maritime exercise BALTOPS '98 in the Western Baltic Sea from 8–19 June 1998. During the exercise, Commander, Carrier Group 8, commanded the exercise from the ship.
From November 2001, at the commencement of Multinational Interception Force (MIF) operations in the Persian Gulf, Royal Australian Navy ships came under the control ('chopped to the OPCON') of Commander Carrier Group 8, Rear Admiral Mark P. Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald was also serving as Commander Task Force 50 (CTF 50) embarked in the carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71).
The group was established by redesignation of the former Carrier Group 8 on 1 October 2004.
The Strike Group deployed on 2 January 2010 to the Middle East to help with operations by the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleets.
Effective 1 October 2012, when not deployed, Carrier Strike Group 8 is part of the U.S. Fleet Forces Command, and its commander reports to Commander Task Force 80, the director of Fleet Forces' Maritime Headquarters. Carrier Strike Group 8 is designated Task Group 80.3.[9]
On 6 October 2014, U.S. Fleet Forces Command announced that the Carrier Strike Group 8 command staff would deploy with Truman, instead of Eisenhower, in accordance with the U.S. Navy's Optimized Fleet Response Plan (O-FRP).[10] This change does not affect the other ships or units that are otherwise assigned to either strike groups.[10]
Past Commanders
- Rear Admiral Jay L. Johnson
- Rear Admiral Charles S. Abbot, May 1994 - July 1995
- Rear Admiral William J. Fallon, July 1995 - February 1996
- Rear Admiral Gregory G. Johnson, February 1996 - August 1997
- Rear Admiral Mark P. Fitzgerald
- Rear Admiral George E. Mayer
- Rear Admiral H. Denby Starling II, July 2003 - July 2004[11]
- Rear Admiral William J. McCarthy, July 2004 - July 2005[11][12]
- Rear Admiral Allen G. Myers, July 2005 - June 2007[12][13]
- Rear Admiral Philip H. Cullom
- Rear Admiral Kurt W. Tidd
- Rear Admiral Philip S. Davidson
- Rear Admiral Michael C. Manazir, September 2011 - June 2013[14]
- Rear Admiral Michael M. Gilday, June 2013 - June 2014[14]
- Rear Admiral Victorino G. Mercado, June 2014 - April 2015[15][16]
- Rear Admiral Bret C. Batchelder, April 2015 - July 2016[16][17]
- Rear Admiral Dale E. Horan, July 2016 - September 2017[17][18]
- Rear Admiral Eugene H. Black III, September 2017 - April 2019[18][19]
- Rear Admiral Andrew J. Loiselle, April 2019 - June 2020[1][19]
Carrier Air Wing
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Carrier Air Wing One comprises:
- Strike Fighter Squadron 11, (VFA-11)
- Strike Fighter Squadron 81, (VFA-81)
- Strike Fighter Squadron 136, (VFA-136)
- Strike Fighter Squadron 211, (VFA-211)
- Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 126, (VAW-126)
- Electronic attack Squadron 140, (VAQ-137)
- Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 40 Det. 2, (VRC-40)
- Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 11, (HSC-11)
- Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 72, (HSM-72)
Aircraft operated
- F/A-18 Hornet
- F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
- EA-18 Growler
- E-2C Hawkeye
- C-2A Greyhound
- MH-60S Seahawk
- MH-60R Seahawk
Notes
- As of 2012, units of Destroyet Squadron 28 included USS Farragut (DDG-99), USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG-81), USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109), USS Elrod (FFG-55), USS Ramage (DDG-61), USS Mitscher (DDG-57), USS Cole (DDG-67)USS Donald Cook (DDG-75), and USS Forrest Sherman (DDG-98)
References
- "Carrier Strike Group Eight Changes Command at Sea Aboard USS Harry S. Truman". U.S. 2nd Fleet. 1 June 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
- "Chief of Staff". Carrier Strike Group Eight. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
- "Command Master Chief". Carrier Strike Group Eight. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
- "The Carrier Strike Group". Navy Data. U.S. Navy. 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2011.
- Addison, Jr., Victor G. (July 2010). "The answer was the Carrier Strike Group ... Now What was the Question?". Naval Institute Proceedings. 136 (7): 47. ISSN 0041-798X. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
A CSG deploys with a carrier air wing plus rotary-wing assets and is equipped to conduct sustained maritime power-projection, combat, and other missions.
- "Destroyer Squadron 28". Carrier Strike Group Eight. 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
- "Destroyer Squadron 28 Ships". Destroyer Squadron 28. 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
- USS Hue City Command History 1994
- "USFF Commanders Guidance Brief to Senior Staff 17 Sep_FINAL". Scribd.com. 17 September 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
Slides 22, 43–49
- "Fleet Forces Announces Carrier Schedule Changes". NNS141006-05. U.S. Fleet Forces Public Affairs. 6 October 2014. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
- Journalist 2nd Class (SW/AW) John Osborne (6 July 2004). "GW Sailors Celebrate Three Changes of Command". USS George Washington Public Affairs. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
- Journalist 3rd Class (SW) Kary Favell (19 July 2005). "Carrier Strike Group 8 Holds Change of Command". USS George Washington Public Affairs. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
- Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Holly Whitfill (17 June 2007). "Carrier Strike Group 8 Holds Change of Command". USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Public Affairs. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
- Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Shannon M. Smith (14 June 2013). "CCSG 8 Changes Command". Eisenhower Strike Group Public Affairs. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
- "Rear Admiral Victorino Mercado". Command Info: Commander Carrier Strike Group Eight. Carrier Strike Group Eight. 2014. Archived from the original on 15 October 2014. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
- Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Taylor DiMartino (20 April 2015). "Carrier Strike Group 8 Changes Command, Continues Deployment Preparation". USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) Public Affairs. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
- Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Lindsay A. Preston (22 July 2016). "Carrier Strike Group 8 Changes Command". USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) Public Affairs. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
- Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Anthony Flynn (6 September 2017). "Carrier Strike Group 8 Changes Command". Carrier Strike Group 8 Public Affairs. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
- Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Victoria Granado (26 April 2019). "Carrier Strike Group Eight changes command". USS Harry S Truman. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
