Carrier Strike Group 10 (abbreviated as CSG-10 or CARSTRKGRU 10), is a U.S. Navy carrier strike group. , CSG-10 consists of , the strike group's current flagship, with Carrier Air Wing Seven embarked on board, and ships of Destroyer Squadron 26., the ships of Destroyer Squadron 26 deployed with CSG-10 were s , , , and .
Through Cruiser-Destroyer Group 2 and Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla 2, the group traces its history to the formation of Destroyer Flotilla 2 during the First World War. From the 1970s, the group has made scores of deployments to the Mediterranean and Middle East, usually led by a large-deck aircraft carrier. Between 2004 and 2014, the group made four deployments to the U.S. Fifth Fleet operating in the Persian Gulf and North Arabian Sea. The group's aircraft flew over 10,800 air combat missions in support of coalition ground forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. The group's surface warships were also involved in several high-profile anti-piracy and maritime security operations. The group participated in two major multi-lateral exercises, Operation Brewing Storm 2005 and Operation Bold Step 2007.
Historical background Carrier Strike Group 10's lineage can be traced to Destroyer Flotilla 2, which was established during the First World War at Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island. The Flotilla was deactivated in 1922 as part of fleet reductions after the war. Destroyer Flotilla 2 was reactivated in 1931 and served throughout the 1930s as a caretaker of reserve destroyers until again deactivated in the early days of World War II.For 7 December 1941 at Pearl Harbor, see http://niehorster.org/013_usa/_41_usn/pac-bat_destroyers_2.html As part of a Navy reorganization, the Flotilla was reactivated yet again in 1946. In 1973, Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla 2 was renamed Cruiser-Destroyer Group 2, and it relocated to Charleston Navy Yard in South Carolina in 1974.Actual text says DesFlot Two was redesignated CruDesGru Two in 1973, but all DesFlots had been CruDesFlots since 1962. Among its ships was , a destroyer tender.
Rear Admiral Samuel L. Gravely, Jr., the first African-American flag officer in the U.S. Navy, commanded Cruiser-Destroyer Group 2. Vice Admiral Henry C. Mustin, also commanded Cruiser-Destroyer Group 2. During his tenure as Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Group 2, Admiral Mustin was a pioneer in the tactical use of the Tomahawk cruise missile, and he was one of the first non-aviators to command a U.S. Navy carrier strike group.
In late June 1990, Rear Admiral Thomas D. Paulson, Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Group 2, led the cruiser and the frigate to visit Poland during BALTOPS '90, a U.S. Naval Forces Europe-hosted exercise in the Baltic Sea. Their port call at Gdynia was the first visit by United States Navy vessels to Poland since 1927.
went to war during Operation Desert Storm as part of Cruiser-Destroyer Group 2.
In the middle of 1992, there was a U.S. Navy reorganization. The chart below shows Cruiser-Destroyer Group 2's units after the reorganization.
Cruiser-Destroyer Group 2, late 1992 Cruisers/Submarines Destroyer Squadron 26 Carrier Air Wing 17 squadrons embarked aboard Fighter Squadron 103: F-14B Airborne Early Warning Squadron 125: E-2C Fighter Squadron 74: F-14B Sea Control Squadron 30: S-3B Strike Fighter Squadron 83: F/A-18C Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 9: SH-3H Strike Fighter Squadron 81: F/A-18C —— Attack Squadron 35: A-7E —— Airborne Early Warning Squadron 132: EA-6B —— In 1993, following a fleet reorganization, the group staff went aboard a new flagship, the new Nimitz class aircraft carrier . The group participated in the 2000 NATO Exercise Destined Glory, Operation Joint Endeavor, Operation Deny Flight, Operation Southern Watch, and Operation Vigilant Resolve. After 2001 the group took part in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 1997 Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Group 2, Rear Admiral Michael Mullen, led the group on deployment from George Washington.
On 1 October 2004, Cruiser-Destroyer Group 2 was redesignated as Carrier Strike Group 10. Subsequently, George Washington was relieved as the flagship by the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier .
Structure
Commanders The strike group commander is responsible for unit-level training, integrated training, and material readiness for the ships and aviation squadrons assigned to the group. When not deployed, the strike group is part of the U.S. Fleet Forces Command, and its commander reports to Commander Task Force 80, the director of Fleet Forces' Maritime Headquarters. Carrier Strike Group 10 is designated Task Group 80.4. When deployed overseas, the group comes under command of the numbered fleet (Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, or Seventh) in whose area it is operating, and will have a task force or task group designator, for example, Task Group 50.1 in the Fifth Fleet area.
Group commanders since May 2004 have included: • Rear Admiral Michael C. Tracy (May 2004 – April 2005) • Rear Admiral Joseph F. Kilkenny (April 2005 – July 2006) • Rear Admiral William E. Gortney (July 2006 – April 2008) • Rear Admiral Mark I. Fox (April 2008 – May 2009) • Rear Admiral Patrick Driscoll (May 2009 – March 2011) • Rear Admiral Herman Shelanski (March 2011 – August 2012) • Rear Admiral Kevin M. Sweeney (August 2012 – August 2014) • Rear Admiral Bruce Lindsey (August 2014 – ) Rear Admiral Jesse A. Wilson Jr.(November 2015 – September 2016) Rear Admiral James J. Malloy(September 2016 – July 2017) Rear Admiral Samuel Paparo(July 2017 – March 2018) Rear Admiral John F. Meier(March 2018 – June 2019) Rear Admiral Paul J. Schlise(June 2019 – May 2020) Rear Admiral Brendan R. McLane(May 2020 – December 2020) Rear Admiral Richard J. Cheeseman(December 2020 – April 2022) Rear Admiral Dennis Velez(April 2022 – May 2023) Rear Admiral Robert D. Westendorff(May 2023 – March 2025) Rear Admiral Alexis T. Walker(March 2025 – Present)
Composition The current composition of the strike group includes:
USS San Jacinto (CG-56) USS Monterey (CG-61) USS Vella Gulf (CG-72) Destroyer Squadron 26, at Naval Station Norfolk USS Stout (DDG-55) USS McFaul (DDG-74) USS Oscar Austin (DDG-79) USS Truxtun (DDG-103) USS James E. Williams (DDG-95) USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CV-69) – Flagship Carrier Air Wing Three Strike Fighter Squadron 105 'Gunslingers' – McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet Strike Fighter Squadron 131 'Wildcats' – McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet Strike Fighter Squadron 32 'Swordsmen' – McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet Strike Fighter Squadron 83 'Rampagers' – McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet Electronic Attack Squadron 130 'Zappers' – Boeing EA-18G Growler Airborne Early Warning Squadron 123 'Screwtops' – Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 7 'Dusty Dogs' – Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk Helicopter Strike Maritime Squadron 74 'Swamp Foxes' – Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk
Operational history
2004–2005 deployment
Carrier Strike Group Ten departed Norfolk on 13 October 2004 for an extended deployment under the command of Rear Admiral Michael C. Tracy. The strike group participated in the Joint Maritime Course north of Scotland between 25 and 28 October 2004 which included multi-national strike, surface, and submarine warfare exercises. The strike group transited the Suez Canal on 11 November 2004, joining the U.S. Fifth Fleet, and relieved Carrier Strike Group Four, led by , on 20 November 2004.
Truman and Carrier Air Wing Three launched 2,577 sorties, totaling nearly 13,000 flight hours, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and maritime security operations being relieved by the Carrier Strike Group One in the Persian Gulf on 19 March 2005. One major air operation involved a VAW-126 detachment of two E-2C Hawkeyes that operated out of Kandahar International Airport in southern Afghanistan, from 4–13 December 2004. The detachment's mission was to provide airborne command and control for the inauguration of President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai. This event was attended by an entourage led by U.S. Vice President Richard B. Cheney and Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld.
Despite plans to cross the equator and visited South Africa, diplomatic issues caused the strike group to transit the Suez Canal, stopping in Portsmouth, England, prior to returning to the United States on 19 April 2005.
2004–2005 deployment force composition CARSTRKGRU X Warships Carrier Air Wing Three (CVW-3) squadrons embarked aboard flagship Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 115 (VMFA-115): 12 FA-18A+ Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 7 (HS-7): 3 HH-60S & 4 SH-60S Strike Fighter Squadron 105 (VFA-105): 12 FA-18C(N) Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 40 (VRC-40), Det. 4: 2 C-2A Strike Fighter Squadron 37 (VFA-37): 10 FA-18C(N) Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Light 46 (HSL-46) Fighter Squadron 32 (VF-32): 10 F-14B HSL-46 Det 3: 2 SH-60B – Tactical Electronics Warfare Squadron 130 (VAQ-130): 4 EA-6B HSL-46 Det 8: 2 SH-60B – —— Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW-126): 4 E-2C —— 2004–2005 deployment exercises and port visits Number Regional Exercises Port Visits Notes Duration U.S. Force Bilateral/Multilateral Partner(s) Operating Area Location Dates 1st: 25–28 Oct 2004 Carrier Strike Group 10 Joint Maritime Course (JMC-043) Eastern Atlantic Souda Bay, Crete 5–8 Nov 2004 2nd: —— —— —— —— Bahrain 13–18 Dec 2004 3rd: —— —— —— —— Portsmouth, England 4 April 2005
Preparation exercises, 2005 and 2007
Code-named Operation Brewing Storm, Joint Task Force Exercise 05-2 (JTFEX 05-2) was held between 14 and 22 July 2005, and it involved Carrier Strike Group Ten, Carrier Strike Group 2, the Spanish frigate Álvaro de Bazán, and the Peruvian submarine Antofagasta. Truman and Carrier Air Wing Three also completed sustainment training 19 July 2005 in accordance with the U.S. Navy's Fleet Response Training Plan (FRTP), which included general quarters drills, strike warfare, close air support, and air defense operations. Following humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in September 2005, Truman underwent an extended yard period at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Virginia.
In 2007, the strike group's final preparation for deployment was Joint Task Force Exercise 07-2 (JTFEX 07-2). JTFEX 07-2 involved 30 ships and more than 15,000 personnel from five different navies led by the aircraft carriers , , and (pictured). It took place between 26 and 31 August 2007 off the coast of North Carolina and Florida.
2007–2008 deployment
On 5 November 2007, the group departed Norfolk under the command of Rear Admiral William E. Gortney for its 2007–2008 deployment.
Carrier Air Wing Three aircraft flew more than 26,500 hours during 9,500 sorties, including 2,459 combat sorties directly in support of coalition forces operating on the ground in Iraq. This included flying almost 14,000 combat hours and expended 77,500 pounds of ordnance during 228 troops-in-contact events, as well as providing defense to the Iraqi oil platforms. Additionally, the carrier air wing provided logistical support to the American Embassy in Lebanon. The air wing's aircraft also carried out a variety of security cooperation exercises with five countries within the Sixth Fleet and Fifth Fleet areas to enhance allied cooperation and interoperability.