The carrier USS George H.W. Bush arrived in Phuket, Thailand, Sunday for a scheduled port visit, with about 4,800 personnel on board. According to Associated Press it was the first port visit since its departure from the U.S. in March and a 6-month deployment in the Middle East. A statement from the U.S. Embassy in Thailand said that the carrier was involved in Operation Epic Fury, the military’s name for combat operations against Tehran, and "and the U.S. naval blockade in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility to secure maritime security and stability in the Middle East." In footage from local broadcaster TPBS, the large carrier arrived on October 4 under blazing sun in the south of Thailand. Passenger boats then came to collected batches of service personnel to take them to shore. The statement from the U.S. Embassy described the shore leave as a chance for sailors to experience "Thailand’s rich history and culture," with scheduled events such as tours and a U.S. vs. Thailand soccer match. The USS Abraham Lincoln, an aircraft carrier that spent nearly nine months at sea to support U.S. operations against Iran, also docked in Thailand last month. The carrier is scheduled to depart Thailand on October 9.
Source: Kanal13
