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Naval History and Heritage Command

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December 1990

1 Dec 
VADM Stanley R Arthur relieves VADM Henry H. Manz, Jr., as Commander, Navy Central Command/Commander, 7th Fleet. 18-ship Amphibious Group Three. with V Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB) embarked. departs 3 West coast ports. SECDEF increases activation authority of 63,000 more military reservists. The Navy's authorization ceiling was raised from 10,000 to 30,000.

2 Dec 
Iraqi Armed Forces conducted activity that included the firing of surface-to-surface missiles within Iraq; missiles landed in Iraq. The flight path was away from U.S. and coalition forces. In Operation SHARP EDGE, USS NASHVILLE (LPD-13) relieves USS WHIDBEY ISLAND and USS NEWPORT off Monrovia. Liberia.

4 Dec 
Navy implements DOD-authorized limited stop loss action to retain personnel previously scheduled for retirement, release from active duty and completion of reserve recall orders considered essential to national security and serving in positions and skills critical to Operation Desert Shield. The Navy's first use of this authority, effective 1 January 1991, affects Navy personnel (medical, religious support, other specialities) assigned to Marine Corps units and complements 8 November Marine Corps stop-loss implementation. SECNAV announces activation of additional Naval Reserve units.

6 Dec 
DOD announces new U.S. troop strength at over 250,000 in region; updates numbers of intercepts - 4,605; boardings - 569; diversions - 22; 117,313 Reserves/National Guard recalled: 6,691 Navy, 15,893 USMC. Navy ship strength: 19 (Arabian Gulf), 21 (North Arabian Sea/Gulf of Oman), 9 (Red Sea), 15 (Mediterranean). In Operation SHARP EDGE. USS WHIDBEY ISLAND and USS NEWPORT deploy to Mediterranean. Situation quiet. 

7 Dec 
DOD announces 8 December deployment of USS RANGER (CV-61) Carrier Battle Group with appropriate escorts and embarked airwings. USS HORNE (CG-30), San Diego, and USS JARRETT (FFG-33), Long Beach, deploy to Persian Gulf 

8-18 Dec 
Amphibious exercise conducted by elements of IV Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB) and Amphibious Task Group Two off the coast of Oman. 

10 Dec 
II Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF), 24,000 Marines, deploys from Camp Lejeune, NC. 

11 Dec 
DOD announces new U.S. troop strength at over 260,000 in region; updates numbers of intercepts - 4,833; boardings - 583; diversions - 22; 121,940 Reserves/National Guard recalled: 6,877 Navy, 16,495 USMC. Coalition forces strength in excess of 220,000.

13 Dec 
USS SAMPSON (DDG-10) diverts a freighter in N. Red Sea. SECNAV activates 2,388 Naval Reserve personnel to staff Navy Fleet Hospitals 20 and 22.

14 Dec 
Navy implements DOD-authorized limited stop loss action to retain personnel with skills which are critical and in short supply due to extended medical requirements of Operation Desert Shield. The Navy's second use of this authority affects all Navy doctors, nurses, hospital corpsmen and medical service corps personnel whose dates of retirement or separation fall on or after 2 January 1991. SECNAV activates 769 additional Naval Reservists from 44 units. 

15 Dec 
USS MISSISSIPPI (CON-40) diverts a freighter in the N. Red Sea. 

16 Dec 
USS MISSISSIPPI diverts a freighter in the N. Red Sea.

18 Dec 
DOD announces new U.S. troop strength at over 270,000 in region; updates numbers of intercepts - 5393; boardings - 668; diversions - 26; 124,943 Reserves/National Guard recalled: 7249 Navy, 17,066 USMC. USS MONTGOMERY diverts a freighter in the N. Red Sea. Sealift update: 253 ships in support, 200 under MSC operational control; 188 offloads completed (approximately 10.2 billion pounds of unit equipment and petroleum products). 20 Dec DOD announces new U.S. troop strength at about 280,000 in region; updates numbers of intercepts - 5509; boardings - 679; diversions - 27; 127,293 Reserves/National Guard recalled: 7314 Navy, 17,375 USMC. USS INDEPENDENCE (CV-62) returns to San Diego homeport from Persian Gulf deployment. Members of Reserve Squadrons HCS-4 and HCS-5, the Navy's only combat Search and Rescue squadrons, are deployed in the Middle East. SECNAV activates 289 additional Naval Reservists from 28 units.

21 Dec 
An Israeli-chartered liberty ferry shuttling crewmembers of the USS SARATOGA (CV-60) capsized and sank off Haifa, Israel, resulting in 20 deaths. Additional crewmember is missing/presumed drowned. 

23 Dec 
A truck on a liberty excursion in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, carrying crewmembers of the USS MIDWAY (CV-41) overturned, killing 2 sailors, injuring 5 others. 

USS MISSISSIPPI diverts a freighter in the N. Red Sea.

26 Dec 
USS FIFE (DD-991), USS OLDENDORF (DD-972), USS TRENTON (LPD14), USS SHREVEPORT (LPD-12), USS CURTS (FFG-38), and two multinational craft intercepted IBN KHALDOON ("Peace Ship") in the Arabian Sea after the Iraqi-flagged freighter refused repeated requests to stop. Crewmembers attempted to restrain boarding team of Navy personnel and grab their weapons, resulting in warning shots being fired in the air and a smoke grenade and noise grenade set off for crowd control. IBN KHALDOON was diverted to port after search revealed prohibited cargo. SECNAV activates 480 additional Naval Reservists from 3 units.

28 Dec 
USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN-71) and USS AMERICA (CV-66) Carrier Battle Groups with appropriate escorts and embarked airwings deploy from Norfolk. Total of 17 ships depart from 5 East coast ports. Iraqi Armed Forces fires 5th surface-to-surface missile within Iraq; missile landed in Iraq. The flight path was away from U.S. and coalition forces. DOD announces chemical/biological vaccination program for U.S. forces. SECNAV activates 172 additional Naval Reservists from 40 units.

31 Dec 
USS MISSISSIPPI diverts a freighter in the N. Red Sea.

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Published: Mon Mar 02 11:21:44 EST 2015