Carrier Strike Group Three 2004–09 operations
Carrier Strike Group Three 2004–2009 operations included a world cruise, three western Pacific (WESTPAC) deployments and a change-over of its flagship. During this period, CARSTRGRU-3 provided combat operational support for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan (OEF-A) as well as participated such major exercises as Valiant Shield 2007, Key Resolve/Foal Eagle 2009, and Northern Edge 2009. The strike group's 2005 WESTPAC deployment marked the final overseas mission for Sea Control Squadron 33 (VS-33), the Screwbirds. Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 71 (HSM-71), a new component to Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9), became the first squadron of its kind to embark on board a carrier as part of a carrier air wing when it operated with Carrier Strike Group Three during its 2009 WESTPAC deployment Carrier Strike Group Three (CSG-3 or CARSTRGRU-3) is one of six U.S. Navy carrier strike groups currently assigned to the U.S. Pacific Fleet. CARSTRGRU-3 is currently based at Naval Base Kitsap, Washington, and it typically deploys to the U.S. Seventh Fleet operating in the Western Pacific (WESTPAC) and the U.S. Fifth Fleet in the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf. The Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier became the current flagship for Carrier Strike Group Three,