Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Fourteen - 2006

2006

June 2006 marked the start of another eventful summer deployment aboard the USS Kitty Hawk for the Chargers. Before deploying, HS-14 earned the "Golden Wrench Award" for having the most outstanding maintenance department in the airwing. This marked the third time the Chargers had taken home the award, more than any other squadron in CVW-5. With maintenance operating at full potential and the flight crews ready to fight, the Chargers were ready to start the cruise.

The deployment kicked off with a short port call to Otaru, Japan, a suburb of Sapporo on the Japanese island of Hokkaido. After Otaru, the USS Carrier Strike Groyp Five, led by USS Kitty Hawk, joined up with Carrier Strike Group Nine, led by the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), and Carrier Strike Group, led by USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), along with Marine Corps, Air Force, and various foreign militaries for the largest operation in over a decade, Valiant Shield. This exercise involved more than 30 ships, 280 aircraft, and 22,000 sailors, marines, and airmen, and focused on the strike groups' ability to maintain a very robust air strike schedule while being attacked by multiple submarine and surface threats. HS-14 performed incredibly, scoring many simulated torpedo attacks on the American, Australian, and Singaporean attacking subs, while allowing almost no attacks against the carrier Kitty Hawk.

While defending the carrier from simulated sub-attacks, the Chargers also had a dedicated Combat Search and Rescue detachment working out of Guam. This detachment focused on joint operations with the Golden Falcons of HS-2 while conducting Naval Special Warfare insertions and extractions. The detachment also gave the crews a chance to learn different techniques when operating in low light, tactical environments. The Chargers worked with several other units from different services and countries during the remainder of the year. Further exercises included "Allies in the Outback", ANNUALEX, and an Atsugi CSAR Detachment.