3 U.S. CARRIERS DEPART

Three of the six U.S. aircraft carrier battle groups deployed for Operation Desert Storm have been withdrawn, with the USS John F. Kennedy passing through the Suez Canal Tuesday.

Also, five U.S. amphibious assault ships have left the Persian Gulf from the southern port of Dubai, bound for East Coast ports.The carrier USS Saratoga transited the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean on Monday, en route to home port at Mayport, Fla. Also on Monday, the USS Midway left the north Arabian Sea, officials said.