Roosevelt carrier group returns

NORFOLK, Va. - Family and friends were pier-side at Naval Station Norfolk Saturday morning to welcome home sailors of the USS Theodore Roosevelt.

"It's been hard for all of us, but we're happy today," said mother Misty Steffey.

"I just thank God that everybody is coming home safe," Linda Jenkins told WAVY.com.

During their seven-month deployment, the Nimitz-class carrier along with its strike group, supported maritime security in the Navy’s 5th, 6th and 7th Fleet areas of operation.

"We're out there protecting the world and we're out there doing the right thing, but when you leave people like this behind it doesn't get easy," said 1st Lieutenant David Tarwarter.

"I never felt this before," said sailor Jason Hickenbottom. "You can be excited for Christmas or other things, but there is nothing to prepare you for this."

The guided missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61), the guided missile destroyers USS Mason (DDG 87) and USS Nitze (DDG 94) also arrived Saturday. The ships were supposed to return to Naval Station Norfolk on Friday, but were delayed because of weather.

The ships encountered rough weather off the coast of the Outer Banks. The captain of the USS Monterey, Capt. Todd Bostock, told WAVY.com, "We were experiencing seas that were 8 to 11, 9 to 12 feet. True winds were somewhere between 25 and 30 knots...sometimes gusting higher than that."

On Friday, members of the Roosevelt's Air Wing arrived home. The Bear Aces of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 124 (VAW-124), flying the E-2C Hawkeye, returned to Naval Station Norfolk, Chambers Field just before 2:00 p.m.

At around the same time, Naval Air Station Oceana welcomed the Valions of Strike Fighter Squadron 15 (VFA-15), flying F/A-18 Hornets; the Blacklions of Strike Fighter Squadron 123 (VFA-213) flying F/A-18 Super Hornets; the Golden Warriors of Strike Fighter Squadron 87 (VFA-87) flying F/A-18 Hornets, and the Tomcatters of Strike Fighter Squadron 31 (VFA-31) flying F/A-18 Super Hornets.

Carrier Air Wing Eight provided combat support to coalition ground forces in Afghanistan while conducting missions as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. The Navy says the air wing's aircraft executed more than 3,100 combat sorties totaling more than18,000 flight hours while delivering 61,000 pounds of precision guided ordnance.