Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew T. Evans, son of Ellamay and William Evans of West Babylon, N.Y., and his shipmates are in the middle of a scheduled deployment, while assigned to the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge, homeported in Norfolk, Va.

Evans’ ship deployed with USS Ashland, USS Ponce and USS Gonzalez as part of the USS Kearsarge Expeditionary Strike Group in support of the global war on terrorism and Operations Enduring/Iraqi Freedom.

The primary mission of Evans’ ship is to embark, deploy and land elements of a Marine landing force by helicopter, landing craft air cushion or amphibious assault vehicle.

Evans is a 2001 graduate of Christ The King Regional High School of Maspeth, N. Y. and joined the Navy in October 2001.