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Article: This time, the Navy is everywhere.
- Article from:
- Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service
- Article date:
- April 2, 2003
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: John E. Mulligan
WASHINGTON _ While the Navy has a smaller presence in the Persian Gulf region than it did a decade ago, naval forces today represent a bigger and more crucial piece of what may prove to be a more arduous war effort.
Now arrayed around the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Gulf and the Eastern Mediterranean Sea are 90 of the 304 ships in the fleet, including 5 of the 12 aircraft-carrier battle groups and 4 of the 7 principal amphibious groups. In all, 70,000 sailors and 65,000 Marines are in the region.
"It is oft-overlooked but true," said retired Vice Admiral Robert Dunn, "that the United States is able to do things like ...