In June 1998 CCDG-3 deployed to the Persian Gulf . The deployment was the first on board the USS '' Abraham Lincoln '' . On 20 August 1998 , the group took part in Operation Infinite Reach , launching Tomahawk cruise missiles against the Sudanese Al-Shifa pharmaceutical factory . This factory was suspected of assisting Osama Bin Laden in making chemical weapons . The Battle Group also launched a second wave of Tomahawk cruise missiles against Bin Laden 's terrorist training camps in Afghanistan . These cruise missile strikes were ordered by President Bill Clinton 13 days after terrorists bombed the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania . Rear Admiral Kevin Green transferred command of the group to incoming Rear Adm. Phillip Balisle on 3 December 1999 , aboard the flagship '' Abraham Lincoln . '' In 2002 , the battle group deployed to the Persian Gulf to fly operations over Afghanistan the group carried out combat operations against Iraqi military forces during the 2003 invasion of Iraq
bombed the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania
1998 United States embassy bombings
Carrier Strike Group 9