DATE: Friday, November 21, 1997             TAG: 9711210630

SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A16  EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JACK DORSEY, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   69 lines

G.W. WILL ENTER THE GULF TODAY, DESPITE EASING OF IRAQI TENSION

The Norfolk-based carrier George Washington and its four escorts prepared to enter the Persian Gulf today, its brass as suspicious as ever of Iraq's promise to behave and its crew ready for whatever duty lies ahead.

``As Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said this morning, `I'll believe it when I see it,' '' said Rear Adm. Michael G. Mullen, commander of the carrier's battle group, about Iraqi promises to allow American weapons inspectors to return to their work in Iraq.

Answering orders to beef up the carrier Nimitz battle group, which has been in the gulf a month, the G.W. reached the Strait of Hormuz Thursday night, six days after it was diverted from the Mediterranean Sea, more than 3,000 nautical miles away.

Its arrival, with the Norfolk-based cruiser Normandy close by and three other Atlantic Fleet ships trailing a day behind, coincided with a relaxation in the stare-down between the United States and Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

But Mullen said by satellite telephone Thursday that his orders have not changed. Nor is his crew breathing any easier.

``Our plans remain unchanged,'' he said. ``We expect to go up and operate with Nimitz, starting (today).''

The Nimitz, from Bremerton, Wash., has been at sea since August, making an around-the-world cruise that will bring it to Norfolk in the spring. Once here its crew will join nearly 1,000 families that have already moved to Hampton Roads from the West Coast.

By Saturday, Mullen said, the G.W.'s air crews will be flying missions over southern Iraq with their Nimitz-based colleagues, monitoring the ``no-fly'' zone set by the United Nations.

The G.W.'s escorts - the guided missile destroyer Carney, fast attack submarine Annapolis and fast combat support ship Seattle, besides the Normandy - will begin patrols in search of Iraqi contraband.

``So,'' Mullen said, ``we will basically become principal participants in what has been going on out here for some time.''

The long-term outlook is keyed to what happens as the situation unfolds. ``I think it is a terrific development, what has been said by the Iraqis,'' Mullen said. ``We'll see what happens.

``Everybody understands this is a pretty unstable part of the world and we really are ready,'' he said. ``I feel as ready as I've ever felt going into any kind of operational situation: to handle it from the peaceful resolution, which I hope results out of our strong forward presence; and, if necessary, the combat solution.''

He could not provide much insight, he said, as to whether the ships would return to the Med in time for Christmas, when the carrier was expected to be making a port call at Cannes, France. Many crew members' families have plans to meet the ship there.

``Just tell them to hang in there,'' he said. ``We are in touch with them. Keep those cards and letters and e-mail coming.

``They will know as soon as we do, almost,'' he said. ``I just pledge to each and every one of them I'll get the word to them as soon as I know what's going on, as far as where we are going to go, when we will get there and how long we will be there.''

Both the G.W. and the Nimitz are early in their six-month deployments, ``so there is time to work this out,'' Mullen said.

Its original schedule called for the G.W. to transit the Suez Canal en route to the Persian Gulf in February. ILLUSTRATION: Photo

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Sailors aboard the Norfolk-based George Washington move an AIM-54C

Phoenix air-to-air missile Tuesday. Getting armaments in order is

one precaution should Iraq renige on its promise to let in U.S.

weapons inspectors. KEYWORDS: IRAQ PERSIAN GULF

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