S.L. sailor heading for gulf

A Salt Lake sailor is at sea aboard the USS Boxer after an amazingly swift turnaround for the ship following its previous deployment to the Middle East.

Stephen L. Creer is among 900 sailors and 200 Marines aboard the Boxer. An aviation boatswain's mate handler, he noted that he works on the ship's flight deck with aircraft, assisting in firefighting, direction, towing and maintenance.

The Boxer is an 840-foot multipurpose amphibious assault ship. Its last deployment ended only 6 1/2 months before it put to sea again on Jan. 14.

During that earlier duty, the Boxer's intelligence experts provided satellite imagery of the hospital and surrounding areas to Marine pilots aboard the ship who participated in the nighttime rescue of then-prisoner of war Army Pvt. Jessica Lynch.

The fast turnaround to a second deployment was in response to the new "Fleet Response Plan" announced in August 2003 by the chief of naval operations, Adm. Vern Clark.

On Feb. 6, the Boxer arrived in Singapore for a routine port visit. Sailors and Marines were given a chance to enjoy the city's sights and culture while the Boxer took on stores and conducted personnel changes before continuing toward the Persian Gulf.

Creer, 28, is the son of John and Jennie Creer of Salt Lake City. A four-year Navy veteran, he is a 1993 graduate of East High School.

A Navy press release quoted him as saying serving at sea means a great deal to him. "I am very willing to go over there and bring support to the Iraqi people," Creer added.