NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Nearly 300 Sailors and 400 Marines left Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek as USS Gunston Hall deployed Monday.

USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) will join the Sailors and Marines of the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group and embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit who deployed earlier in March.

The Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group is made up of the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) and the amphibious transport dock USS Arlington (LPD 24).

“Gunston Hall is excited about deploying and joining the rest of the Kearsarge ARG and working with our allies and partners overseas in the coming months,” said Cmdr. Beth Nelson, commanding officer of USS Gunston Hall.

“The ship’s crew and our Marine forces have worked and trained extremely hard to become the capable force that we are today. We thank our families and friends for the support and the Maintenance Team for helping get ready and out to sea.”