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Boxer strike group, 13th MEU to deploy Friday

SAN DIEGO — More than 4,000 Marines and sailors with the Boxer Expeditionary Strike Group will leave from the naval base here Friday for a scheduled seven-month deployment to the Western Pacific and Persian Gulf regions.

The departure marks the first operational voyage of the San Antonio-class New Orleans — the Navy’s newest amphibious transport dock — and the first operational deployment of the Marine Corps’ UH-1Y Huey utility helicopters, which feature four-blade rotors and increased speed, lift and range.

The strike group and embarked 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit have spent several busy months training at sea and at various military ranges to prepare for a variety of missions, ranging from humanitarian aid and boarding vessels to conducting amphibious operations and strike missions.

Along with New Orleans, the Boxer strike group includes the amphibious assault ship Boxer, dock landing ship Comstock, guided-missile destroyer Chung-Hoon, guided-missile cruiser Lake Champlain and Coast Guard cutter Boutwell. Joining them for the deployment are elements of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 21, Naval Beach Group 1, Assault Craft Units 1 and 5, Beach Master Unit 1 and Fleet Surgical Team 5.

The Camp Pendleton-based 13th MEU includes: Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 1st Marines; Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 163 (reinforced); and Combat Logistics Battalion 13.