
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, June 24, 1994                    TAG: 9406240514 
SECTION: LOCAL                     PAGE: B5    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT 
DATELINE: 940624                                 LENGTH: Short

FLIERS TO RETURN HOME FROM MED

{LEAD} Fliers stationed on the carrier Saratoga returned Thursday, ending a six-month deployment to the Mediterranean, where they flew missions over Bosnia-Herzegovina in support of U.N. and NATO operations.

The aviators arrived at the Oceana and Norfolk Naval Air stations Thursday morning.

{REST} It was the final fly-in from the Florida-based Saratoga, the oldest active-duty carrier in the fleet. The Saratoga, which was expected to pull into Mayport, Fla., this morning, is scheduled to be decommissioned in two months after 38 years and 22 deployments.

Norfolk-based members of the Saratoga's 14-ship joint task group are expected to return this morning.

Arriving at the Norfolk Naval Base are the destroyers Comte de Grasse and Arthur W. Radford, the amphibious assault ship Inchon, the oiler Monongahela and the Trenton, an amphibious transport dock.

Arriving at the Little Creek Amphibious Base are the Spartanburg County, a tank landing ship, and the Portland, a dock landing ship.

{KEYWORDS} HOMECOMING

by CNB