Big deck amphibious warship USS Wasp (LHD-1) passed through the Strait of Gibraltar on Wednesday and is now operating in the Mediterranean Sea, according to ship spotters.
The transit follows a brief port visit to Naval Station Rota, Spain.
“While in the Mediterranean, our crew, both Sailor and Marine, will have to sustain an increased level of awareness and caution,” Wasp operations officer Cmdr. Sean Getway said in a statement.
“The ship must maintain a strong presence during the months ahead and be prepared to conduct a variety of tasking.”
Wasp and its Amphibious Ready Group deployed from the East Coast on June 1 with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit embarked, according to the Navy.
Wasp, amphibious transport dock ship USS New York (LPD-21), and dock landing ship USS Oak Hill (LSD-51) make up the three-ship ARG that had been operating in the Baltic Sea as part of the BALTOPS exercises earlier this month. Oak Hill, along with guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG-60), were part of the U.S. Navy contingent participating in the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landing in France
The North Carolina-based 24th MEU is composed of a command element, Battalion Landing Team 1/8, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365 (Reinforced) and Combat Logistics Battalion 24 as the Logistics Combat Element.
The last ARG/MEU in the Mediterranean Sea was Bataan with the 26th MEU embarked. The ARG/MEU returned to the East Coast in March.
Meanwhile, aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) pulled into Naval Station Souda Bay, Greece, for its second official port visit since the carrier deployed in October on Tuesday.
The carrier is headed back to Naval Station Norfolk, Va., and is set to be replaced by USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) which departed Busan, South Korea on Wednesday. Following participation in the tri-lateral Freedom Edge exercise with Japan and South Korea, Roosevelt will head to U.S. 5th Fleet as part of the ongoing Prosperity Guardian mission to protect merchant shipping in the
