Morgan Hill’s Salvador C. Munoz and his fellow Sailors on board the aircraft carrier USS Constellation (CV 64) are taking part in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
On March 19 President Bush revealed his plan to rid Iraq of its Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), and to free the Iraqi people. Constellation has played and will continue to play a major role in accomplishing the president’s plan.
Munoz, a first class petty officer, is the 20-year-old son of Tommy Munoz of Morgan Hill, and is an aviation structural mechanic aboard “America’s Flagship”.
“I am responsible for maintaining the egress and environmental control systems aboard the squadron’s aircraft,” said Munoz, a 1999 graduate of Live Oak High School.
Munoz and the crew of Constellation left their homeport of San Diego on November 2, 2002 for a regularly scheduled deployment. During the first week of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Constellation and four other aircraft carriers in the Middle East flew more than 5,500 sorties over the skies of Iraq. Their mission was to strike emerging targets and to provide close air support to coalition forces on the ground in and around Southern Iraqi cities. Munoz feels that Constellation’s impact on the situation in Iraq has been enormous.
“It is important to show our presence so that any possible aggressors know that we have the capabilities to react to any crisis situation quickly and powerfully,” said Munoz, an eleven-year Navy veteran.
With the pressures of war on Munoz’s mind, there are still many rewarding aspects of being assigned to Constellation. “It is rewarding to know that we are doing our job to ensure the freedoms of all the people back home,” Munoz said.
Munoz and the crew of the Constellation are deeply involved in the task of liberating Iraq. They have worked very hard preparing for this moment and are ready.
Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Scott F. Lord will be prepared morally, intellectually and physically to become one of the future leaders of the Navy. In addition to instilling the highest ideals of honor, courage, and commitment, the Naval Academy will offer Lord a bachelor of science degree in one of 18 academic majors in engineering, math, science, social sciences and the humanities.
During the summers, Lord will receive on-the-job training on surface ships, submarines, aircraft, and at Marine Corps units. Upon graduation, Lord will be commissioned as a Navy of Marine Corps officer.
Lord is a 2000 graduate of Clark High School of Las Vegas, Nev. and joined the Navy in December of 2000.
Navy Airman Gabriel R. Piper, son of Jeffrey M. Piper of Morgan Hill, recently returned from a 10-month deployment to the Western Pacific and Arabian Gulf while assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, homeported in Everett, Wash.
Piper was one of more than 10,000 Pacific Fleet Sailors and Marines aboard the ships of the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Battle Group and USS Belleau Wood Amphibious Ready Group who participated in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
Piper’s scheduled six-month deployment began in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Southern Watch in July 2002. As the battle group neared completion of its deployment in December 2002, the USS Abraham Lincoln Battle Group was recalled to duty in the Arabian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF).
Aircraft carriers, like USS Abraham Lincoln, are deployed around the world to maintain U.S. presence and provide rapid response in times of crisis. They serve as a highly visible deterrent to would-be aggressors, and are equipped with the most versatile and powerful weapons and aircraft available.
Piper is a 2000 graduate of Serber Lake High School of Lynnwood, Wash. And joined the Navy in March 2001.
