The family of Ensign Gilbert Garcia (above) runs to greet him on the evening of July 1 as he returns home to Whidbey Island Naval Air Station after five months deployed with Electronic Attack Squadron 140 Patriots aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. Aviation Ordnanceman 1st Class Tucker Alexander (left) gets a hug and kiss from his wife Shannon on July 1 upon his return home to Oak Harbor, after his deployment.
The 200-member Patriots Squadron came home to Whidbey Island Naval Air Station July 1, following a five-month combat deployment. Electronic Attack Squadron 140 served their deployment aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) after departing in February supporting Operation Enduring Freedom, logging 661 flight hours.
The squadron arrived on two airlifts. No EA-6B Prowlers flew back into Whidbey due to the squadron’s transfer of jets to the U.S. Marine Corps. The Patriots will now transition to the new EA-18G Growler, which will take approximately a year, according to Anthony Popp, NAS Whidbey’s community relations coordinator.
“We have a remarkable squadron because our sailors care about each other, our squadron and our Navy,” said Cmdr. Joe Martinez, the Patriots commanding officer in a news release. “The bottom line is our entire Patriot family has sacrificed to meet our nation’s calling and I am extremely proud to be a part of this team.”
The Patriots have been operating at the tip of the spear for the past two years. In June 2011, the squadron embarked on USS Eisenhower in support of Operation Unified Protector in Libya. Soon thereafter, the Patriots went right into workups followed by a six-month deployment to the North Arabian Sea in support of Operation Enduring Freedom that started in June 2012.
After returning to NAS Whidbey Island for the holidays, the Patriots received a short-notice schedule change and underwent a six-week maintenance period during the 2012 holidays in preparation for its most recent OEF deployment. While deployed, the squadron visited liberty ports in Marseille, France; Manama, Bahrain; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; and Lisbon, Portugal.
Also returning were 17 service members from the Sea Operational Detachment from Fleet Readiness Center Northwest who provide technical support to keep the jets in top condition.
