Local News

<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Saturday, December 15, 2007 Whidbey jets, crews home for holidays The squadron starts returning today after a six-month deployment. Herald Staff OAK HARBOR -- A squadron of EA-6B warplanes and their crews are scheduled to start returning to Whidbey Island Naval Air Station in time for Christmas after a six-month deployment aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise. Electronic Attack Squadron 137 "Rooks" supported U.S. forces in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Four EA-6B Prowlers and their air crews are scheduled to touch down about 1:30 p.m. today, with support and maintenance personnel arriving either late Sunday or Monday. The squadron of 200 men and women left in early July to provide electronic countermeasure support for troops in Iraq during the hot Persian Gulf summer. In early November, the Enterprise was sent to support operations in Afghanistan, where the Rooks worked with another Whidbey Prowler squadron, the Electronic Attack Squadron 133 "Wizards." The carrier strike group returned to operations in Iraq, with the Rooks racking up deployment totals of 130 combat sorties and 750 combat hours. The Rooks also had port calls in Cannes, France, and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. On the trip back to the U.S., Rook jets received some custom paint work similar to that shown on World War II aircraft. The artwork on one aircraft includes the USS Enterprise's "Ready on Arrival" motto. "We wanted the Rooks to share the tradition of inspirational artwork displayed on U.S. aircraft of World War II," said Cmdr. James Lines, the Rooks' commanding officer.

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