NAS Lemoore Carrier Air Wing squadrons welcomed home by family and friends

Thursday, February 22, 2024 - 2:03pm By The Leader Staff

Jet aircraft from VFA-2 Bounty Hunters fly in formation over NAS Lemoore before landing after a long four-month deployment.

Photo by Gary Feinstein

Families and friends turned out to welcome four squadrons at NAS Lemoore following a four-month deployment in the Western Pacific. Red roses and hugs were the order of the day as families and friends gathered for the homecoming as the squadrons returned from active sea duty on Monday, Feb. 19. The strike group departed San Diego on 12 October 2023 for the scheduled deployment and participated in and supported numerous bilateral and multinational maritime exercises supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific.

The strike group also conducted routine port visits to the Republic of South Korea (ROK), Singapore, the Philippines, and Hawaii. The Vinson crew conducted 9,540 launch and recovery evolutions, 7,835 aircraft moves, and 651 aircraft elevator moves and transferred nearly 5,000 pallets of cargo and mail.

Those squadrons – VFA-97, VFA-2, VFA-113, and VFA-92 – made an impressive return on Monday as hundreds of friends, family, and well-wishers welcomed them home.

In addition, hundreds of service members attached to the squadrons returned on Wednesday, Feb. 21. The squadrons and carrier conducted routine port visits to the Republic of South Korea, Singapore, Philippines, and Hawaii. The Vinson crew conducted 9,540 launch and recovery evolutions, 7,835 aircraft moves, and 651 aircraft elevator moves and transferred nearly 5,000 pallets of cargo and mail.