JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — (The video above is from an unrelated report)
"The World Famous Pelicans" of Patrol Squadron (VP) 45 are returning to Naval Air Station Jacksonville Monday following a six-month deployment to the 7th Fleet area of operations.
The Public Affairs Office for Naval Air Station Jacksonville says VP-45, consists of 304 personnel and seven P-8A Poseidon (P-8A) aircraft.
They were deployed to Kadena Air Base, Japan in May 2021 and assumed command of Task Force 72.2, which is responsible for conducting anti-submarine warfare, theatre security cooperation and more.
The deployment was led by the squadron’s Commanding Officer (CO) Cmdr. Charles Larwood and Cmdr. Seth Eisenmenger, the executive officer at the time, who ‘fleeted up’ as CO during the deployment.
“VP-45 is no stranger to the Pacific or the geo political intricacies of the region,” said Eisenmenger. “We proudly represented American values in the region and reinforced the importance of international law through operations that ensured freedom of movement in the maritime domain. It is inspiring that we not only provided regional stability but had a positive impact on the global stage.”
The squadron accomplished over 440 sorties, totaling 2,750 flight hours, leading to increased cooperation with our partners and providing a forward presence which ensured a free and open Indo-Pacific.
“Transitioning from the operational tempo of a deployment into a work up cycle does have its challenges but this team has built a solid plan to meet the requirements,” said Eisenmenger. “Once the team returns from some well-deserved time off, our focus returns to building the combat force ready to execute our nation’s needs.”