Navy Support during the Afghanistan War

Commanding Carrier Strike Group 5 would be a Challenge any time but during the early days of combat in Afghanistan in October and November 2001 it was particularly remarkable. Chapter member Steve Kunkle had that honor and will discuss a little-known operation he directed during that time.  Elements of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) including 20 helicopters (H-47 and H-60) with flight crews, and 600 combat soldiers and maintenance crews embarked aboard USS Kitty Hawk, his flag ship.  They conducted helo insert combat operations into Afghanistan from the North Arabian Sea in a unique operation which employed fixed wing Navy and rotary wing Army aircraft simultaneously. Rear Admiral (L) Kunkle is a 1973 graduate of the US Naval Academy.  He served on active duty for 30 years as a Navy fighter pilot flying the A-7 Corsair, FA-18 Hornet and F-14 Tomcat, logging over 1284 carrier arrested landings and nearly 5,000 flight hours.  He commanded VFA-15 during Operation Desert Storm, Carrier Air Wing 2 while enforcing the Iraq no fly zone, and Carrier Strike Group 5 during Operation Enduring Freedom.