3 Navy ships return to San Diego after seven-month deployment Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Natalie M. Byers Amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8) returns to Naval Base San Diego. Makin Island, lead ship of the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, returned to Naval Base San Diego May 23 after a deployment to U.S. 3rd, 5th, 6th and 7th Fleets where they served as a crisis-response force for combatant commanders in the Africa, Central and Indo-Pacific Commands. and last updated 2021-05-23 20:38:58-04 SAN DIEGO (CNS) - The amphibious assault ship Makin Island and amphibious transport dock ships San Diego and Somerset returned to home port at Naval Base San Diego Sunday, ending a seven-month deployment.