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

DATE: Saturday, July 30, 1994                TAG: 9407300192
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY JACK DORSEY, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: NORFOLK                            LENGTH: Medium:   82 lines

HOMECOMING NEXT MONTH IN THE WORKS FOR INCHON 4,000 ABOARD WERE SENT TO HAITI JUST 12 DAYS AFTER RETURNING FROM A 6-MONTH DEPLOYMENT

When the guys get home, the work will be put on the back burner - at least for 30 days.

That's the word from the four ship captains in the Inchon amphibious ready group, steaming in the Caribbean near Haiti.

The captains are working to get the sailors and Marines home in three weeks, and to get them leave when they're here so they can spend time with their families.

Called away over the Fourth of July weekend when the Haitian boat exodus soared, more than 4,000 sailors and Marines were ordered back to sea with only 12 days' rest after a six-month Mediterranean and Indian Ocean cruise.

``We want a little payback,'' said Capt. Charles C. ``Skip'' Buchanan, commodore of the Inchon amphibious group. ``Everybody was asked to put in their (upcoming leave) schedule, and I don't know anyone who didn't get it.''

Now that high seas and restrictive U.S. immigration regulations have slowed the flood of Haitian refugees to a trickle, and as other ships prepare to take the Inchon group's place, there is hope that the Inchon group's crews can plan for a homecoming that lasts.

For the 2,000 Camp Lejeune, N.C., Marines aboard, that means Aug. 19 as a return date. The 1,900 sailors aboard would arrive the next day, Aug. 20, docking at Norfolk Naval Station and Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base.

But once in port, there is still work to do - for example, the two major inspections awaiting the 320-man crew of the dock-landing ship Portland, said Cmdr. Robert G. Brewer Jr., the commanding officer.

One inspection, conducted by the Naval Board of Inspections and Survey, is a rugged test of every piece of the Portland's equipment to determine if the ship if worthy to stay on active duty.

Frequently, weeks of hard work are needed to prepare for the inspection.

Another is a logistics management inspection that also would requires extra work.

Brewer worked out a plan to move the equipment test from September to March and the logistics inspection from October to December. The Portland will still enter a shipyard in October for a previously scheduled four-month maintenance period, but will have no other missions.

``I really have nothing scheduled after we get back,'' Brewer said. That means his crew members can use their accumulated leave when they return.

For the tank-landing ship Spartanburg County, the return will mean retirement. The 23-year-old ship is scheduled for decommissioning in late September.

But the 240 crew members aboard the Spartanburg County can't escape the Naval Board of Inspections and Survey.

``But once that is done, we'll take 30 days leave,'' said Cmdr. Patrick M. Comi, the ship's captain. ``This time, the first ones to go on leave are those who didn't get a chance last time.''

Capt. G. ``Tom'' Lennon, captain of the amphibious transport dock Trenton, said his ship has no mechanical problems and is prepared to take full advantage of its 30-day leave policy.

``This ship, since last July, has been in port just 63 days,'' he said. ``That is a long, long time to be gone and yes, we are concerned about the long-term impact.''

The amphibious assault ship Inchon and its 700-member crew will have some work ahead, said Capt. William D. Young, its commanding officer. The 24-year-old helicopter and troop carrier is being converted to a mine warfare command ship.

The process will take a year. The Inchon then will be transferred to Ingleside, Texas.

``Our big concern is the conversion,'' Young said. ``We should be finding out at the end of this month where the contract will be let. I'm sure the majority of the crew would like to stay in Norfolk but it might turn out to be somewhere else.''

The ship will get new berthing areas, for both men and women, plus special equipment for its new role. Before any work starts, the crew must unload all the supplies and ammunition but there should be time for 30-day leaves. ILLUSTRATION: Color staff photo by PAUL AIKEN/

A flight deck worker aboard the Inchon, in the Carribean, stands by

as a helicopter drops a pallet of supplies.

by CNB