The San Diego-based aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson Monday turned over command of operations in the Arabian Gulf to another flattop, the USS Theodore Roosevelt, and is preparing to sail home.
"There is still much to be done, but it will be nice to have the compass rose point in one direction for miles at a time," after months of traversing the narrow gulf, Capt. Karl Thomas said in a Facebook message to sailors, airmen and family members.
The Vinson departed San Diego last August and began flight operations against targets of the self-proclaimed Islamic State two months later.
In March, a threatening online posting of 100 U.S. military personnel published by a website believed to be friendly to ISIS included four officers in charge of aviation aboard the carrier. The list included names, photos and purported addresses.
Thomas reminded his crew and their family members to be security conscious when posting on social media.
It was not immediately clear when the Vinson will return to San Diego. In a previous message, Thomas said more than 1,200 friends and family members of the crew are scheduled to take part in the traditional "Tiger Cruise" from Honolulu.
The Theodore Roosevelt, which had been based on the East Coast, will transfer its home port to San Diego when its deployment comes to an end.
