USS Barnstable County
(LST-1197)

Commander Amphibious Ready Group (CARG) 2-93
Cruise Book

Ship's Motto: 'Pontifex Maximus' - Supreme Leader

All Cruise Book Photos Courtesy Stephan Pierle

The Ships of CARG 2-93

Following a short training cruise to Puerto Rico between 19 January and 11 February 1993, Barnstable County conducted last minute readiness reviews before putting to sea on 23 February. In company with Wasp (LHD-1), El Paso (LKA-117) and Nashville (LPD-13), the ship embarked elements of the 24th MEU and headed across the Atlantic on 24 February. After an uneventful crossing, the ships passed through the Strait of Gibraltar on 8 March, sailed east to Egypt, transited the Suez Canal on the 15th, and arrived off Mogadishu on 23 March. Once there, the amphibious ships joined other American forces in the region, which were attempting to protect humanitarian relief operations in Somalia from local warlords and bandits. On 25 March, the four ships moved south to Kismaayo, Somalia, where Marines had landed earlier to protect humanitarian efforts around that port city. While on station there, Barnstable County earned the nickname "The Somali Coast Guard," for the number of rescue operations she carried out. On 27 March, the LST towed a stricken cargo ship to safety and repaired both the vessel's hull and engine damage. A little over two weeks later, on 14 April, the amphibious ship's boarding party saved another cargo ship, that time a small sailing ship, in need of rudder repairs.

Detached on 28 April 1993, Barnstable County sailed north to the Persian Gulf, mooring at Dubai on 2 May.- After a four-day port visit, the ship rendezvoused with Wasp, El Paso and Nashville off Bahrain and sailed northwest to Kuwait. There, on 9 May, the LST participated in Operation Nautical Mantis, a three-day training exercise with Saudi forces. Following a week long tender availability alongside the destroyer tender Cape Cod (AD-43) later in the month, Barnstable County again returned to Kuwait, this time for Operation Eager Mace, a combined British-Kuwaiti amphibious exercise held in early June.

On 10 June, 1993, however, Barnstable County received orders to immediately sail back to Mogadishu. American forces in that country had been drawn into heavy fighting and the situation had deteriorated rapidly. After loading Marines, the LST cruised south, arriving off Somalia on the 19th. There, she took station as a quick reaction force in case the situation ashore grew any worse. Two weeks later, the ship moved north to Boosaaso, Somalia, and supported humanitarian efforts there between 5 and 9 July. On the latter date, Barnstable County departed Somalia, along with all the other units, as the American intervention in Somalia came to an end. She transited the Suez Canal on 15 July and, after port visits to Rhodes, Greece, and Benidorm, Spain, moored at Rota for turnover. She departed Spain on 6 August, dropped the Marines off at Morehead City on the 18th, and finally returned home to Little Creek on 20 August.

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USS Barnstable County(LST-1197)

Commander Amphibious Ready Group (CARG) 2-93Cruise Book

USS Barnstable County
(LST-1197)

Commander Amphibious Ready Group (CARG) 2-93
Cruise Book