USS Fort McHenry leaves Mayport for seven-month deployment

Jacksonville, FL — Mayport-based USS Fort McHenry is leaving for a seven-month deployment in support of maritime security operations in Europe and the Middle East.

A spokesperson for Naval Station Mayport says more than 4,500 Sailors and Marines serving in the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) will deploy next week.

The 22nd MEU is comprised of approximately 2,500 Marines and Sailors.  It includes a command element, ground combat element, aviation combat element and logistics combat element.

The Kearsarge ARG consists of the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), the amphibious transport dock ship USS Arlington (LPD 24), the dock landing ship USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43), Fleet Surgical Team (FST) 2 and FST 8, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 26, Tactical Air Control Squadron 21, components of Naval Beach Group 2 and the embarked staff of Amphibious Squadron 6.