Jason A. Simila Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Jason A. Simila, son of Delbert A. Simila of The Dalles, recently returned from a routine, scheduled deployment while Assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, home-ported in Norfolk, Virginia. Simila was one of more than 6,500 Sailors and Marines aboard the ships of the USS Carrier Strike Group. Enterprise was the first U.S. aircraft carrier to Deploy since the end of major military operations in Iraq. During the deployment Simila’s unit spent most of its time in the Arabian Gulf Region. Enterprise’s 80-plane air wing flew more than 19,000 flight hours, Conducted 8,000 sorties and seven precision bombing strikes over Iraq. Carriers like Enterprise are deployed throughout the world to maintain U.S. Presence and provide rapid response in times of crisis. They serve as a Highly visible deterrent to would-be aggressors, and are equipped with the Most versatile and powerful weapons and aircraft available. Simila is a 1999 graduate of Hood River Valley High School and joined the Navy in June 1999. The Dalles Chronicle March 21, 2004 Written permission to reprint given by The Dalles Chronicle, The Dalles, Oregon Copied and submitted by Earline Wasser Member of Columbia Gorge Genealogical Society c/o The Dalles/Wasco County Public Library 722 Court Street The Dalles, Oregon 97058 http://community.gorge.net/genealogy [Note: new website address] Browse http://historysavers.com/orwasco/ recently updated information regarding Wasco County - Links are at the bottom of page http://searches.rootsweb.com/ "Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant." Robert Louis Stevenson Incoming and Outgoing mail protected by Trend Micro PC-cillin program