USS George Washington (
CVN 73) is the sixth ship in the
Nimitz class of nuclear-powered
supercarriers, and the fourth
United States Navy ship to be named after
George Washington, first
President of the United States. She was built by
Newport News Shipbuilding and was commissioned July 4, 1992.
Previously homeported in Norfolk, VA, in May, 2008, the carrier was en route to its new homeport in Japan when it suffered a serious fire off the coast of South America causing $70 million in damages and resulting in the relief from command of both its Captain and Executive Officer. The
George Washington underwent repairs in
San Diego, CA, shortly after the blaze, and finally arrived in
Yokosuka on September 24, 2008 to a mixture of cheers and protests from the local populace.
Description
George Washington (commonly known as
GW) is 1,092 ft (333 m) long, 257 ft (78 m) wide and is as high as a twenty-four-story building, at 244 feet (74 m). The super carrier can accommodate approximately 80 aircraft and has a flight deck 4.5 acres (18,000 m²) in size, using four elevators that are 3,880 ft² (360 m²) each to move planes between the flight deck and the hangar bay. With a combat load,
GW displaces almost 97,000 tons and can accommodate 6,250 crewmembers. Her four distilling units can make 400,000 U.S. gallons (1,500 m³) of
potable water a day; her food service divisions serve 18,000 meals per day. There are over 2,500 compartments on board requiring 2,520 tons (2.1 MW) of air conditioning capacity (enough to cool over 2,000 homes). The warship uses two Mark II stockless anchors that weigh 30 tons each, with each link of the anchor chain weighing 360 pounds (160 kg). She is currently equipped with 2 20 mm
Phalanx CIWS mounts and 2
Sea Sparrow SAM launchers. 1 CIWS and 1 Sea Sparrow mount were removed to make way for 2
RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile launchers, installed during the 2005 Planned Incremental Availability (PIA).
Traditionally, US Navy aircraft carrier hangar bays were painted "Navy Gray";
George Washington was commissioned with her hangar bay bulkheads and overhead painted white, to make the hangar bay appear larger and brighter. Since then, all US carriers have followed suit. All US Navy aircraft carriers have their hull number painted on both sides of their island structure for identification. These numbers are lighted white for visibility at night while in port. By order of
Congress,
George Washington's island number is outlined in red, white and blue lights in honor of her namesake's contributions to America's independence.
General Washington had long been a proponent of a strong Navy. On November 15, 1781 he wrote,
Without a decisive Naval force, we can do nothing decisive. And with it, everything honourable and decisive. These words are engraved on a plaque on the ship's quarterdeck. The ship cost over $4.5 billion in 2007 dollars to manufacture.
Propulsion
Two Westinghouse
A4W nuclear reactors are used for propulsion (the ship is capable of steaming more than three million miles before refueling) turning 4 five-bladed screws that weigh 66,220 pounds (30 t) each driving the ship at speeds over 30 knots (56 km/h).
Awards
George Washington has been the recipient of numerous awards recognizing the ship's excellence. They include the 1997, 2000, and 2002
Battenberg Cups, the 1994, 1997, 2000, and 2002
Battle "E", two Navy Unit Commendations and three Meritorious Unit Commendations. In 1994, she won the
Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award for the Atlantic Fleet.
Seal
thumb|100px|frame|left|USS George Washington ship's sealDesigned by its commissioning crew, the ship's seal includes a classic silhouette of America's first president and his signature, a band of thirteen stars representing the original
thirteen colonies and the crossed
American flag and
Betsy Ross flag, the "flags of freedom." Also featured is the ship itself, launching an
F/A-18 all encircled by an unbroken rope symbolizing the solidarity of the crew. The ship's motto, "Spirit of Freedom," was used by General Washington in a letter to a fellow patriot during the
American Revolution to describe the mood of the people.
History
The contract for
George Washington's was awarded to
Newport News Shipbuilding on December 27, 1982. The keel was laid on August 25, 1986, she was christened July 21, 1990 by then-
First Lady Barbara Bush, and was commissioned at
Naval Station Norfolk on July 4, 1992.
Maiden deployment, 1994
In 1994, during
George Washington's maiden deployment the ship served as the backdrop for the 50th anniversary of
D-Day.
Second deployment, 1996
In 1996, during its second deployment,
George Washington was host to a meeting of the Joint Military Commission composed of the military leaders of the former warring factions in
Bosnia and Herzegovina. The ship also played a peacekeeping role in
Operation Decisive Endeavor in Bosnia and Herzegovina and enforced the "No Fly zone" over Southern
Iraq as part of
Operation Southern Watch (OSW).
Third deployment, 1997
On its third deployment from October 1997 to April 1998,
GW spent most of her six-month cruise in the
Persian Gulf as the cornerstone of the U.S. military force, which compelled Iraq to allow United Nations weapons inspectors into the country.
Fourth deployment, 2000
On its fourth deployment from June 21, 2000 to December 2000,
George Washington again spent a large portion of the six-month deployment in the Persian Gulf as the centerpiece of the U.S. military presence there. The deployment included operations in the
Mediterranean Sea,
Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf. While in the Persian Gulf, the battle group supported OSW by flying more than 800 sorties over Iraq. Surface forces supported UN sanctions against Iraq by conducting Maritime Interception Operations and diverting more than 20,000 metric tons of oil smuggled out of Iraq in violation of UN sanctions. In the
Adriatic, the battle group was a stabilizing presence when tensions rose in the region after presidential elections in Yugoslavia. During the deployment, battle group ships steamed more than and spent a combined 1800 days underway. The aircraft of Carrier Air Wing 17 (
CVW-17) flew more than 9,000 sorties and made 9,000 arrested landings aboard
George Washington.
George Washington returned to home port on December 19, 2000.
2001
On February 13,
George Washington began a six-month Planned Incremental Availability (PIA) at
Norfolk Naval Shipyard. The ship received upgrades to many ship systems, including berthing spaces, ventilation systems, and computer networking. On July 31 the ship began four days of sea trials before returning to homeport in preparation for workups for a planned 2002 deployment.
On September 6
George Washington was presented with the 2000
Battenberg Cup, awarded annually to the Atlantic Fleet ship or submarine with the greatest crew accomplishments during the previous calendar year. It was the second time
GW had won the award (the ship was also the winner of the 1997 award). The crew also accepted the
Flatley Award for aircraft carriers with the best aviation safety record.
On the morning of September 11,
George Washington was operating off the coast of Virginia conducting routine
carrier qualifications when the
September 11 attacks took place. She was diverted north and arrived in
New York City the following day. For the next three days, the ship and her air wing (most of which was hastily transferred from ) provided
airspace defense for the city and surrounding area in coordination with
NORAD. The ship then returned home and resumed the Inter Deployment Training Cycle. From November 2 to November 29
George Washington participated in Tailored Ship's Training Availability (TSTA) I/II. For the remainder of the year and into 2002 the ship hosted more carrier qualifications.
Fifth deployment, 2002
The
George Washington Battle Group deployed on June 20, 2002 and headed for the North
Arabian Sea where it relieved the Battle Group on July 19.
On September 11, 2002,
George Washington was relieved by the Battle Group in the Persian Gulf, where
George Washington had been supporting
Operation Southern Watch and
Operation Enduring Freedom. On October 2 the crew was treated to a flight deck concert by the band
3 Doors Down while the ship was making a port visit to
Lisbon,
Portugal. Footage from this concert and the band's tour of the ship was used in the video to the band's single "When I'm Gone". The
George Washington Battle Group returned to Norfolk on December 20, 2002. During the six-month deployment,
George Washington launched approximately 10,000 sorties.
2003
On June 23
George Washington was presented with the 2002 Battenberg Cup. It was the third time the ship had won the prestigious award.
On September 11 while the ship was operating off the coast of Virginia, an
arresting wire parted while an F/A-18 was landing. As the wire parted, it snapped back violently across the deck, injuring eleven crewmen, two critically (the wire nearly hit an additional crew member but he jumped above the wire in time). The sailors, who were part of the ship's company,
VAW-120 and
VFA-106 had to be medically evacuated from the ship but all survived the mishap. The aircraft was lost over the side but the pilot was able to eject safely. Footage of the mishap was later used in a
National Geographic special about the ship that was being filmed at the time.
GW returned to Norfolk, Va., December 19, 2003 after 40 days at sea, where she successfully completed her Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX). The GWSTRKGRU was composed of
Destroyer Squadron 28 and Carrier Air Wing 7 (
CVW-7), , , , , and .
The exercise involved more than 7,600 Sailors operating off the coasts of Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia and Florida. Having completed this final phase of the training cycle, the strike group assumed surge status and is fully qualified to deploy.
Sixth deployment, 2004
The Navy announced on January 13, 2004 that the
George Washington Carrier Strike Group would depart for a "surge" deployment a week later. On January 20
GW, with CVW-3 embarked, deployed in support of the global war on terrorism.
George Washington made a port visit at
Souda Bay,
Crete beginning on February 6 through February 10, 2004. On February 16,
George Washington transited the
Suez Canal and entered the
Red Sea on February 17.
On February 20
George Washington entered the Gulf of Aden and a week later was conducting operations in the Persian Gulf. On March 13 the ship made the first of three port visits to
Jebel Ali,
United Arab Emirates. On April 8,
F/A-18 Hornets from Carrier Air Wing Seven participated in
Operation Vigilant Resolve. One of the
Naval Air Station Oceana-based “Wildcats” from Strike Fighter Squadron 131 (
VFA-131) conducted a 20 mm strafing run against an enemy position. Another VFA-131 Hornet dropped two 500 pound
GBU-12 laser-guided bombs on another enemy position in
Fallujah, Iraq, on April 9. This was the first live ordnance dropped by
CVW-7 aircraft since
George Washington deployed in support of Operations
Iraqi Freedom and
Enduring Freedom.
After being relieved by the , the ship began her transit home, making a final port visit at
Naples,
Italy from July 14–18. After traveling more than and spending six months at sea,
George Washington completed its sixth Mediterranean and Persian Gulf deployment and returned to Norfolk on July 26.
2005
On January 28, 2005 the ship entered drydock for Planned Incremental Availability (PIA). Many ship's systems were upgraded and maintenance was done to the hull. The ship's four
jet blast deflectors were removed and upgraded to handle the increased heat generated by the
F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. The ship's defensive weapons configuration was also altered, as one
Phalanx CIWS mount and one
Sea Sparrow launcher were removed and replaced with two
Rolling Airframe Missile launchers. During the 11 months the ship was drydocked, the crew contributed 20,000 hours of volunteer community service to the city of
Newport News. The availability was completed on schedule, and
George Washington returned to her Norfolk homeport on December 17, 2005.
On December 1, 2005, the United States Navy announced that
George Washington would replace as the forward-deployed carrier at
Yokosuka Naval Base in
Yokosuka,
Japan, becoming the first nuclear-powered surface warship permanently stationed outside the continental US. In an attempt to explain the carrier's mission to the Japanese public, the U.S. Navy printed a
manga about life aboard GW, titled "CVN-73".
2006
thumb|The USS George Washington on its way to Norfolk Naval ShipyardGW and
CVW-17 left Norfolk on April 4 for a scheduled two month deployment to operate as part of
SOUTHCOM's "Partnership of the Americas". This deployment included counter-drug operations in the
Caribbean Sea, crew exchanges and exercises with Latin American and South American navies, and port visits for the carrier and strike group, which consisted of , , and . The first of these port visits took place from April 14–17 in
St. Maarten, and
Antigua from May 15–18.
GW returned to Norfolk on May 24.
In a ceremony held on September 1, Commanding Officer Garry R. White was promoted to Rear Admiral, marking a rare occasion when a
Flag Officer commanded a ship. She entered
Norfolk Naval Shipyard for a Planned Incremental Availability in September to prepare for her upcoming homeport transfer to
Yokosuka Naval Base in
Yokosuka,
Japan. Work included removal and replacement of the ship's radar mast, propeller screws, and re-alignment of the Aviation Intermediate Maintenance Department.
On December 14, Rear Admiral White was relieved by Captain David Dykhoff in a ceremony held at Naval Station Norfolk.
2008
On April 7, 2008
George Washington, with
CVW-17 and Carrier Strike Group 8 embarked, departed Norfolk, VA for the transit around South America, en route to
Yokosuka, Japan to replace
USS Kitty Hawk. After the planned turnover with
Kitty Hawk at
NS Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, CVW-17 and Carrier Strike Group 8 were to return to their home ports in the US to be replaced by
Carrier Air Wing 5, based at
Naval Air Facility Atsugi, and Carrier Strike Group 5 based at
Yokosuka Naval Base in
Yokosuka,
Japan.
Transit and fire
During the South American transit, the Washington Battle Group participated in US
Southern Command exercises Partnership of the Americas and Unitas, a joint military exercise between the US, Brazilian and Argentine Navies. On April 22, 2008,
George Washington arrived in
Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil, for her first port visit to that country. The ship transited the
Strait of Magellan on May 9-10.
thumb|right|225px|Firefighting in Hangar Bay 3On May 22, 2008 while the ship was off the Pacific Coast of South America, a fire occurred that injured 37 sailors. There were no fatalities. The Navy defined the incident as 'serious'. According to a statement from Naval Air Forces' public affairs office, the fire broke out in the ship's air-conditioning and refrigeration space and an auxiliary boiler room. The fire spread via a cableway and caused extreme heat in some parts of the ship. It took several hours for the ship's crew to contain and extinguish the fire.
On May 27,
George Washington stopped at
NAS North Island in San Diego, California for repairs. On June 20, the Navy announced that the damage from the fire was more serious than previously thought, and that repairs would take at least until August and would cost $70 million. It was announced that the turnover with
Kitty Hawk was postponed and would take place in San Diego instead of Hawaii.
On July 13, 13,000 Japanese protested in
Yokosuka against the basing of
George Washington in Japan, saying that the onboard fire showed that the nuclear-powered carrier was unsafe. The US Navy said that Rear Admiral James Kelly, commander of US Naval Forces Japan, would meet with Yokosuka Mayor
Ryoichi Kabaya to fully explain the fire and what preventive measures the Navy would take.
A Navy investigation found that the fire was "entirely preventable" and was caused by unauthorized smoking taking place in a room where 115 gallons of flammable refrigerant compressor oil was improperly stored. The room was located near the aft auxiliary boiler. The ship's damage control team took nearly eight hours to discover the source of the smoke and flames. By that time, the fire had spread to eight decks and 80 compartments and destroyed miles of electrical and fiber-optic cables. The damage control department had been found deficient in three inspections between June 2007 and April 2008. Although the carrier's commanding officer started a program to remedy the team's training and performance in the month before the fire, the report concluded those efforts were insufficient. Rear Admiral Frank Drennan, who led the investigation, said, "It is apparent from this extensive study that there were numerous processes and procedures related to fire prevention and readiness and training that were not properly functioning. The extent of damage could have been reduced had numerous longstanding firefighting and firefighting management deficiencies been corrected."
On July 30, 2008
Admiral Robert F. Willard, commander of the
U.S. Pacific Fleet, announced that Captain David C. Dykhoff had been relieved of his duties as Commanding Officer citing "a loss of confidence in his ability to command and his failure to meet mission requirements and readiness standards." Executive Officer Captain David M. Dober was also relieved for "substandard performance."
[Eisman, Dale, "Two Top Navy Officers Fired Over $70 Million Carrier Blaze", Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, July 31, 2008.][ U.S. Navy NNS080730-13 July 30, 2008] Six other sailors were disciplined with
nonjudicial punishment. Four sailors were found guilty of violating a lawful order and hiding hazardous materials in direct violation of safety regulations. Two non-commissioned officers were found guilty of negligence and dereliction of duty for not properly supervising the workspace. The Navy's Pacific Fleet refused to name the enlisted sailors disciplined. The
Navy and Marine Corps Medal was later awarded to Senior Chief Petty Officer Keith Hendrickson for leading a team that rescued four shipmates trapped by the fire deep in the interior of the ship.
thumb|right|225px|Sailors form the phrase, "Nice to meet you" in Japanese, as they arrive in YokosukaOn August 21, under new skipper Captain J.R. Haley and executive officer Captain Karl O. Thomas,
departed NAS North Island for Japan, with
Carrier Air Wing Five (CVW 5) embarked. The carrier arrived at Yokosuka, Japan on September 25, 2008. Several hundred local proponents and protestors greeted the ship's arrival.
The ship sailed to Korea on 1 October and participated in that country's International Fleet Review. Afterwards, the carrier, accompanied by cruiser
Cowpens and destroyer
John S. McCain traveled to
Guam, arriving on 31 October 2008. The George Washington Carrier Strike Group returned to Japan Nov 21.
2009
thumb|left|Anchored in Gage Roads Western Australia July 2009
In June, 2009 the Navy revealed that 15 of the carrier's sailors were being expelled from the service for use of illegal
designer drugs. On July 2, 2009
George Washington, accompanied by
USS Cowpens, anchored on
Perth's Gage Roads.
GW sailors visited
Fremantle and the state capital
Perth. Crewmembers volunteered to complete community projects including cleaning, maintenance, and painting at organisations including
PMH, a
Salvation Army rehabilitation centre,
Perth Zoo and Cohunu Koala Park. During mid July, the ship was involved in Operation Talisman Sabre, off the coast of the Northern Territory, Australia.
From August 2 to 6, 2009,
GW made a port call in Singapore where sailors enjoyed some R&R and participated in community relation projects such as painting and landscaping at a local community center, children's center, association for the disabled, and special education school.
The ship made a 4-day goodwill visit to Manila bay, Philippines, anchoring off historic Corregidor Island from August 11 to 15, 2009 .
In August 2009, USS
George Washington participated in the Indonesian Fleet Review, during
Sail Bunaken 2009 event, in
North Sulawesi,
Indonesia. The parade of warships and tallships from 40 nations include five of which belong to the George Washington Carrier Strike Group including
George Washington, , , , and . Carrier Airwing Five, currently embarked on
George Washington, also participated with a multi-aircraft fly-by of the viewing station during the parade. The George Washington Carrier Strike Group returned to Japan September 3 for a maintenance upkeep period prior to her second fall patrol.
Commanding Officers
- Captain Robert Michael Nutwell, USN - 19 March 1990 to 23 January 1993
- Captain Robert Gary Sprigg, USN - 23 January 1993 to 20 April 1995
- Captain Malcolm P. Branch, USN - 20 April 1995 to 7 May 1997
- Captain Lindell Gene ("Bo") Rutherford, USN - 7 May 1997 to 16 November 1999
- Captain William John McCarthy, USN - 16 November 1999 to 8 April 2002
- Captain Martin J. Erdossy III, USN - 8 April 2002 to 30 September 2004
- Captain Garry Ronald White, USN - 30 September 2004 to 4 December 2006
- Captain David Craig Dykhoff, USN - 14 December 2006 to 30 July 2008
- Captain J.R. (John R.) Haley, USN - 30 July 2008 to 10 April 2009
- Captain David Alan Lausman, USN - 10 April 2009 – present
See also
.jpg/){kind=link}
