Expeditionary Strike Group 3 is an expeditionary strike group (ESG) of the U.S. Navy. Expeditionary strike groups combine the capabilities of surface action groups, submarines, and maritime patrol aircraft with those of Amphibious Ready Groups for deployment and maintaining staff proficiencies to provide fleet commanders with a highly flexible, ready fly-away unit. It is capable of projecting expeditionary striking power in the maritime, littoral, and inland environs in support of U.S. national interests.
The mission of Expeditionary Strike Group 3 is to provide amphibious expertise and a deployable staff for combat and contingency operations in support of the nation's interests and maritime strategy. The staff advocate for the readiness and employment of U.S. amphibious forces across the full spectrum of military operations.
As Amphibious Group 3, the organization participated in Operations Desert Shield, Restore Hope, Continue Hope and United Shield. Upon reorganization and implementation of the newly developed ESG concept on 2003, it participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Expeditionary Strike Group 3 Subordinate Commands
Commander, Amphibious Squadron 1 (COMPHIBRON 1) Commander, Amphibious Squadron 3 (COMPHIBRON 3) Commander, Amphibious Squadron 5 (COMPHIBRON 5) Commander, Amphibious Squadron 7 (COMPHIBRON 7) Commander, Naval Beach Group 1 (COMNAVBEACHGRU 1) Commander, Tactical Air Control Group 1
History
Expeditionary Strike Group 3 can trace its origins to Amphibious Group 3 (PHIBGRU 3).
PhibGru 3 was probably active during World War II and was definitely active by 1945; at Eniwetok on 7 September 1945, revised orders directed to Tacloban in the Philippines, where she arrived on 14 September and reported to Commander Amphibious Group 3 for duty in the occupation of Aomori, Japan. On 17 September Bayfield embarked soldiers and equipment of the U.S. 81st Infantry Division. The landings at Aomori took place according to schedule on 25 September 1945. With the outbreak of the Korean war in June 1950, was ordered to the Far East. As flagship for Rear Admiral Lyman A. Thackrey, Commander, Amphibious Group 3, she acted as standby for Mount McKinley (AGC-7) during the invasion of Inchon, Korea, and coordinated and controlled the logistics operations.
In 1978, Amphibious Group Eastern Pacific (PHIBGRUEASTPAC) at San Diego consisted of Amphibious Squadrons 1, 3, 5, and 7, all at San Diego. Early in 1987, the Thirteenth Edition of Ships and Aircraft still listed PhibGruEastPac at San Diego with the same four squadrons, but Amphibious Squadron 7 had moved to Long Beach, Ca. PhibGru 3 was reestablished on 1 October 1984 by redesignating Amphibious Group, Eastern Pacific. On 1 August 1986, COMPHIBGRU 3 was reorganized into three assault squadrons and two non-deploying readiness squadrons.
Operation Desert Shield
In December 1990, the 13-ship Amphibious Task Force became the largest to sail from the West Coast since 1965 when it set sail in support of Operation Desert Shield. The Task Force reached the north Arabian Sea and was joined by its East Coast counterpart and together they had a total of 31 amphibious ships, four combat logistics ships and eight supporting merchant ships, thus forming the largest Amphibious assault force since the Korean War. COMPHIBGRU 3 participated in what is considered as the major amphibious operation of the Gulf War when in February 1991, together with the 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, it landed more than 6,500 United States Marines at Al Mishab, Saudi Arabia, just south of the Kuwait-Iraq border.
COMPHIBGRU 3 was to participate in numerous humanitarian assistance operations after Operation Desert Storm came to an end.
Somali Civil War
During the Somali Civil War, COMPHIBGRU 3 participated in various operations, Operation Restore Hope, Operation Continue Hope and Operation United Shield. In Operation Restore Hope the force acted as a Maritime Prepositioning Force – based at the Mogadishu Port Facility and in January 1995, the force played the role of Commander, Naval Forces, during the final withdraw of UN forces from Somalia.
1995–2000
From 1995 to 1998 COMPHIBGRU 3 participated in various naval exercises. Amongst them Exercise Cooperation from the Sea (1995) with the Russian Navy, exercises with Jordanian forces (1996) embarking landing craft from the United Arab Emirates for the first time in U.S. Navy history, Exercise Native Fury in Kuwait (1998), Exercise Freedom Banner in Korea (In October 1998, the command absorbed Naval Inshore Undersea Warfare Group 1 and redesignated Naval Coastal Warfare Group 1) and in (2000) Exercise Natural Fire in Mombasa, Kenya.