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USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69)
Encyclopedia
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) ("Ike") is an aircraft carrier
currently in service with the United States Navy
. Commissioned in 1977, the ship is the second of the ten Nimitz-class supercarrier
s currently in service, and is the first ship named after the thirty-fourth President of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower
. The vessel was initially named simply as USS Eisenhower, much like the lead ship of the class Nimitz, but the name was changed to its present form on 25 May 1970. The carrier, like all others of her class, was constructed at Newport News Shipbuilding Company in Virginia
, with the same design as the lead ship, although the ship has been overhauled twice to bring her up to the standards of those constructed more recently.
Since commissioning, Eisenhower has participated in deployments including Operation Eagle Claw
during the Iran hostage crisis
in 1980, as well as the Gulf war
in the 1990s, and more recently in support of US military operations in Iraq
and Afghanistan
.
of Newport News, Virginia
was awarded the contract for construction. On 30 June 1975, her designation was changed from CVAN-69 to CVN-69.
She was laid down as hull number 599 on 15 August 1970 at Newport News shipyard at a cost of $679 million ($4.5 billion in 2007 dollars), launched 11 October 1975 after christening by Mamie Doud-Eisenhower
, and commissioned 18 October 1977, Captain William E. Ramsey in command. Since her commissioning, Eisenhower has had 13 Commanding Officers.
On commissioning, she replaced the aging World War II-era carrier in the fleet.
, and after receiving over a year of training, in Spring of 1978 the ship was visited by President Jimmy Carter
who hit a golf ball off the flight deck into the Atlantic Ocean. In January 1979 she sailed for her first deployment to the Mediterranean Sea
. During this deployment, while off the coast of Israel
, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin
visited Eisenhower. The carrier returned to Norfolk Naval Station in July of the same year. Under the command of her second Commanding Officer, Captain James H. Mauldin, her second deployment occurred in 1980, when she was dispatched by President Carter to the Indian Ocean, in response to the Iran hostage crisis
. She relieved the USS Nimitz 3 days after the Iranian hostage rescue attempt.
As a result of the tensions in the area, Eisenhower stayed on station off the coast of Iran
for over 8 months, and was at sea for a total of 254 days. During that period, Sailors and Marines enjoyed 2 beers (1 time) after 45 days without a port call. As a result of being at sea for 154 days, they subsequently enjoyed this on two more occasions. After the first six months at sea, Ike had one three-day port visit to Singapore.
She was relieved by the USS Independence
. She returned home to Norfolk on 22 December 1980, just in time for her airwing and crew to celebrate Christmas with their families.
For over 20 years, she held the record for the longest peacetime deployment for an aircraft carrier in history. Prior to this, her sister ship, the USS Nimitz, was the previous record holder. Eisenhowers record was broken by another of her "sister ships," the USS Theodore Roosevelt
.
On her third deployment in 1982, she returned to the Mediterranean Sea, and spent a number of days at sea once again. Her new Commanding Officer was Captain E.W. Clexton, who was formerly her Executive Officer several years earlier under Captain W.E. Ramsey.
Missile System
, Naval Tactical Data System
, anti-submarine warfare
module, communications upgrades and rehabilitation of 1,831 berths in 25 compartments. She re-entered the fleet in April 1987.
On 29 February 1988, the ship started her sixth deployment to the Mediterranean. While returning to Norfolk, on 29 August 1988, she collided with an anchored Spanish coal ship while entering the harbor to dock at Norfolk Naval Station when wind and currents pushed the carrier off course, although damage was minor to both ships.
Eisenhower entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard (Portsmouth, VA) in September 1988, she returned to the fleet in April 1989.
, President Eisenhower's son John Eisenhower
and D-Day veterans embarked in the ship, while Carrier Air Wing Seven
conducted a memorial flyover of the American cemetery at Omaha Beach
.
's invasion
of Kuwait
, Eisenhower became the first carrier to conduct sustained operations in the Red Sea
, and only the second nuclear-powered aircraft carrier ever to transit the Suez Canal
. Ike served as a ready striking force in the event Iraq invaded Saudi Arabia
, and participated in maritime interception operations in support of a United Nations embargo against Iraq.
After completion of an extensive shipyard period and work ups, the carrier deployed 26 September 1991 to the Persian Gulf
to continue multi-national operations with coalition forces in support of Operation Desert Storm. Ike returned to Norfolk
2 April 1992, and on 12 January 1993, entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard
for overhaul and conversion, returning to the fleet 12 November 1993.
to lead Operation Uphold Democracy
, the U.S.-led effort to restore the elected government of Haiti
.
One month later, in October 1994, Eisenhower departed for a six-month deployment which included flying missions in support of Operation Southern Watch
and Operation Deny Flight
. This deployment marked the first time that women had deployed as crew members of a U.S. Navy combatant. Eisenhower, Carrier Air Wing Three, and the Commander, Cruiser-Destroyer Group Eight staff team included more than 400 women. The integration of women caused some negative headlines for the Navy. During the deployment, 15 women serving aboard had to be reassigned ashore due to pregnancy, earning the ship the nickname The Love Boat. There was also a case of a sailor who filmed himself having sex with a female.
In April 1995, the game show Wheel of Fortune taped two weeks of episodes on the ship's hangar deck.
Eisenhower returned to Newport News Shipbuilding on 17 July 1995 for an 18-month complex overhaul which was completed on 27 January 1997. The ship departed on her 10th deployment on 10 June 1998 and returned in December. In February 1999, she returned to the Norfolk Navy Shipyard for a six-month refitting and returned to the fleet in June. Upon completion in June 1999, she returned to full duty in the fleet.
's No-Fly Zone
over Iraq.
On 21 May 2001, the ship returned to Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company (NNS&DDC) to begin a 4 year, $2.5 billion refueling and complex overhaul. In addition to replacing the cores in the two nuclear reactors, Eisenhower underwent complex renovations and major technological upgrades during this scheduled half-life overhaul. On 25 January 2005, Ike left NNS&DDC under tow, and returned to Norfolk Naval Station, and the fleet. The modernizations are expected to extend the ship's service life well beyond 2025.
On 3 October 2006 with Carrier Air Wing 7 (CVW-7), Eisenhower returned to sea as the flagship of Rear Admiral Allen G. Myers, commanding Carrier Strike Group 8. CSG-8 also includes the guided-missile cruiser USS Anzio (CG-68)
, guided-missile destroyers Ramage (DDG-61)
and Mason (DDG-87)
, and the fast-attack submarine Newport News (SSN-750)
. She visited Naples, Italy and then Limassol
, Cyprus
for three days in October 2006 before departing to the east. She entered the Persian Gulf
in December 2006.
On 8 January 2007, a US AC-130
gunship based out of Djibouti
was dispatched to target Al-Qaeda
operatives located in Somalia
. Eisenhower "was deployed in the Indian Ocean to provide air cover for the operation and, if needed, to evacuate downed airmen and other casualties." It joined other US and allied vessels from Bahrain
-based Combined Task Force 150 The US spokesperson did not say what particular ships comprised the cordon, but the task force includes vessels from Canada, France, Germany, Pakistan, the UK and the US. US ships of Combined Task Force 150 include the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Ramage (DDG-61)
and the Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG-52)
. The aim of the patrols is to "... stop SICC leaders or foreign militant supporters escaping" Somalia.
In March 2007, following the Iranian seizure of Royal Navy personnel
, Eisenhower began battle group exercises
off the Iranian coastline.
In April 2007, the ship was relieved by the USS Nimitz.
On 21 February 2009, Eisenhower deployed for the Arabian Sea and environs rotating into the forward-deployed forces there. She served as the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 8 commanded by Rear Admiral Kurt W. Tidd
. Also embarked were Carrier Air Wing 7 and the staff of Commander, Destroyer Squadron 28. Other ships of Strike Group 8 were , , , , and . In addition to supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, the strike group conducted maritime security operations including anti-piracy operations. On 16 May, Eisenhower became the first Nimitz-class carrier to dock pierside in Manama, Bahrain. The last carrier to moor pierside in Bahrain was USS Rendova (CVE-114)
in 1948. On 30 July 2009, the Eisenhower returned to Naval Station Norfolk after almost a six month deployment.
. On 28 July 2010, the "Ike" returned to her homeport in Norfolk.
The ship was placed in a planned incremental availability at Norfolk Naval Shipyard through June 2011. During that time, the ship's executive officer, Captain Robert Gamberg, was relieved and removed after an investigation concluded that he had engaged in an "improper relationship".
in 1979, 1980, 1981, 1985, 1990, 1998, 1999 and 2006 as the most battle efficient carrier in the Atlantic Fleet. In 1999, she won the Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award
for the Atlantic Fleet. In addition, she was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation
with service star (1980, 1983); the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
with three service stars (1990, 1992, 1995, 2001); the Navy Expeditionary Medal
(1980), the National Defense Service Medal
with service star; the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
with three service stars (1983, 1994, 1998, 2000); and Southwest Asia Service Medal
with two campaign stars. The ship also won the Atlantic Fleet Retention Excellence Award (aka the Golden Anchor Award) in 1999; as well as the Battenberg Cup in 2006.
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
currently in service with the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. Commissioned in 1977, the ship is the second of the ten Nimitz-class supercarrier
Nimitz class aircraft carrier
The Nimitz-class supercarriers are a class of ten nuclear-powered aircraft carriers in service with the United States Navy. With an overall length of and full-load displacements of over 100,000 long tons, they are the largest capital ships in the world...
s currently in service, and is the first ship named after the thirty-fourth President of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
. The vessel was initially named simply as USS Eisenhower, much like the lead ship of the class Nimitz, but the name was changed to its present form on 25 May 1970. The carrier, like all others of her class, was constructed at Newport News Shipbuilding Company in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, with the same design as the lead ship, although the ship has been overhauled twice to bring her up to the standards of those constructed more recently.
Since commissioning, Eisenhower has participated in deployments including Operation Eagle Claw
Operation Eagle Claw
Operation Eagle Claw was an American military operation ordered by President Jimmy Carter to attempt to put an end to the Iran hostage crisis by rescuing 52 Americans held captive at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran on 24 April 1980...
during the Iran hostage crisis
Iran hostage crisis
The Iran hostage crisis was a diplomatic crisis between Iran and the United States where 52 Americans were held hostage for 444 days from November 4, 1979 to January 20, 1981, after a group of Islamist students and militants took over the American Embassy in Tehran in support of the Iranian...
in 1980, as well as the Gulf war
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
in the 1990s, and more recently in support of US military operations in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
.
Design and construction
On 29 June 1970, Newport News ShipbuildingNorthrop Grumman Newport News
Newport News Shipbuilding , originally Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company , was the largest privately-owned shipyard in the United States prior to being purchased by Northrop Grumman in 2001...
of Newport News, Virginia
Newport News, Virginia
Newport News is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia. It is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River extending southeast from Skiffe's Creek along many miles of waterfront to the river's mouth at Newport News...
was awarded the contract for construction. On 30 June 1975, her designation was changed from CVAN-69 to CVN-69.
She was laid down as hull number 599 on 15 August 1970 at Newport News shipyard at a cost of $679 million ($4.5 billion in 2007 dollars), launched 11 October 1975 after christening by Mamie Doud-Eisenhower
Mamie Eisenhower
Mamie Geneva Doud Eisenhower was the wife of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, and First Lady of the United States from 1953 to 1961.-Early life:...
, and commissioned 18 October 1977, Captain William E. Ramsey in command. Since her commissioning, Eisenhower has had 13 Commanding Officers.
On commissioning, she replaced the aging World War II-era carrier in the fleet.
Early deployments
Eisenhower was initially assigned to the U.S. Atlantic FleetUnited States Fleet Forces Command
The United States Fleet Forces Command is an Atlantic Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the operational control of the United States Northern Command...
, and after receiving over a year of training, in Spring of 1978 the ship was visited by President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
who hit a golf ball off the flight deck into the Atlantic Ocean. In January 1979 she sailed for her first deployment to the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
. During this deployment, while off the coast of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin
Menachem Begin
' was a politician, founder of Likud and the sixth Prime Minister of the State of Israel. Before independence, he was the leader of the Zionist militant group Irgun, the Revisionist breakaway from the larger Jewish paramilitary organization Haganah. He proclaimed a revolt, on 1 February 1944,...
visited Eisenhower. The carrier returned to Norfolk Naval Station in July of the same year. Under the command of her second Commanding Officer, Captain James H. Mauldin, her second deployment occurred in 1980, when she was dispatched by President Carter to the Indian Ocean, in response to the Iran hostage crisis
Iran hostage crisis
The Iran hostage crisis was a diplomatic crisis between Iran and the United States where 52 Americans were held hostage for 444 days from November 4, 1979 to January 20, 1981, after a group of Islamist students and militants took over the American Embassy in Tehran in support of the Iranian...
. She relieved the USS Nimitz 3 days after the Iranian hostage rescue attempt.
As a result of the tensions in the area, Eisenhower stayed on station off the coast of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
for over 8 months, and was at sea for a total of 254 days. During that period, Sailors and Marines enjoyed 2 beers (1 time) after 45 days without a port call. As a result of being at sea for 154 days, they subsequently enjoyed this on two more occasions. After the first six months at sea, Ike had one three-day port visit to Singapore.
She was relieved by the USS Independence
USS Independence (CV-62)
The fifth USS Independence is a of the United States Navy. It was the fourth and final member of the Forrestal-class conventional-powered Supercarrier...
. She returned home to Norfolk on 22 December 1980, just in time for her airwing and crew to celebrate Christmas with their families.
For over 20 years, she held the record for the longest peacetime deployment for an aircraft carrier in history. Prior to this, her sister ship, the USS Nimitz, was the previous record holder. Eisenhowers record was broken by another of her "sister ships," the USS Theodore Roosevelt
USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71)
USS Theodore Roosevelt is the fourth Nimitz-class supercarrier. Her radio call sign is Rough Rider, the name of President Theodore Roosevelt's volunteer cavalry unit during the Spanish-American War...
.
On her third deployment in 1982, she returned to the Mediterranean Sea, and spent a number of days at sea once again. Her new Commanding Officer was Captain E.W. Clexton, who was formerly her Executive Officer several years earlier under Captain W.E. Ramsey.
Overhaul and subsequent deployments
After her fifth deployment Eisenhower went into Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock in October 1985 for a major overhaul. The 18-month yard period included the addition of the Close-in Weapons System, NATO Sea SparrowAIM-7 Sparrow
The AIM-7 Sparrow is an American, medium-range semi-active radar homing air-to-air missile operated by the United States Air Force, United States Navy and United States Marine Corps, as well as various allied air forces and navies. Sparrow and its derivatives were the West's principal beyond visual...
Missile System
Semi-active radar homing
Semi-active radar homing, or SARH, is a common type of missile guidance system, perhaps the most common type for longer-range air-to-air and surface-to-air missile systems. The name refers to the fact that the missile itself is only a passive detector of a radar signal – provided by an external ...
, Naval Tactical Data System
Naval Tactical Data System
Naval Tactical Data System, commonly NTDS, refers to a computerized information processing system developed by the United States Navy in the 1950s and first deployed in the early 1960s for use in combat ships.- Reason for development :...
, anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
module, communications upgrades and rehabilitation of 1,831 berths in 25 compartments. She re-entered the fleet in April 1987.
On 29 February 1988, the ship started her sixth deployment to the Mediterranean. While returning to Norfolk, on 29 August 1988, she collided with an anchored Spanish coal ship while entering the harbor to dock at Norfolk Naval Station when wind and currents pushed the carrier off course, although damage was minor to both ships.
Eisenhower entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard (Portsmouth, VA) in September 1988, she returned to the fleet in April 1989.
1990s
In 1990, Eisenhower completed her seventh Mediterranean deployment. The deployment became a commemorative event in the worldwide 'Dwight D. Eisenhower Centennial,' celebrating the 100th anniversary of the late president's birth. During D-Day anniversary ceremonies off the coast of NormandyNormandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, President Eisenhower's son John Eisenhower
John Eisenhower
John Sheldon Doud Eisenhower is the son of President Dwight D. Eisenhower and his wife Mamie. He is a retired United States Army officer and the author of several books of military history. He served as the U.S...
and D-Day veterans embarked in the ship, while Carrier Air Wing Seven
Carrier Air Wing Seven
Carrier Air Wing Seven , is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier .-Mission:...
conducted a memorial flyover of the American cemetery at Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach is the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II...
.
Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm
In response to IraqIraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
's invasion
Invasion of Kuwait
The Invasion of Kuwait, also known as the Iraq-Kuwait War, was a major conflict between the Republic of Iraq and the State of Kuwait, which resulted in the seven-month long Iraqi occupation of Kuwait, which subsequently led to direct military intervention by United States-led forces in the Gulf...
of Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
, Eisenhower became the first carrier to conduct sustained operations in the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
, and only the second nuclear-powered aircraft carrier ever to transit the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
. Ike served as a ready striking force in the event Iraq invaded Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, and participated in maritime interception operations in support of a United Nations embargo against Iraq.
After completion of an extensive shipyard period and work ups, the carrier deployed 26 September 1991 to the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
to continue multi-national operations with coalition forces in support of Operation Desert Storm. Ike returned to Norfolk
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
2 April 1992, and on 12 January 1993, entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard
Norfolk Naval Shipyard
The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard and abbreviated as NNSY, is a U.S. Navy facility in Portsmouth, Virginia, for building, remodeling, and repairing the Navy's ships. It's the oldest and largest industrial facility that belongs to the U.S. Navy as well as the most...
for overhaul and conversion, returning to the fleet 12 November 1993.
Post-Gulf War
In September 1994, Eisenhower and elements of the U.S. 10th Mountain Division first tested the concept of adaptive force packaging. The division's soldiers and equipment were loaded on board, and the ship's Army/Navy team headed for Port-au-PrincePort-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The city's population was 704,776 as of the 2003 census, and was officially estimated to have reached 897,859 in 2009....
to lead Operation Uphold Democracy
Operation Uphold Democracy
Operation Uphold Democracy was an intervention designed to remove the military regime installed by the 1991 Haitian coup d'état that overthrew the elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide...
, the U.S.-led effort to restore the elected government of Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
.
One month later, in October 1994, Eisenhower departed for a six-month deployment which included flying missions in support of Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an operation conducted by Joint Task Force Southwest Asia with the mission of monitoring and controlling airspace south of the 32nd Parallel in Iraq, following the 1991 Gulf War until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Summary:Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992...
and Operation Deny Flight
Operation Deny Flight
Operation Deny Flight was a North Atlantic Treaty Organization operation that began on April 12, 1993 as the enforcement of a United Nations no-fly zone over Bosnia and Herzegovina...
. This deployment marked the first time that women had deployed as crew members of a U.S. Navy combatant. Eisenhower, Carrier Air Wing Three, and the Commander, Cruiser-Destroyer Group Eight staff team included more than 400 women. The integration of women caused some negative headlines for the Navy. During the deployment, 15 women serving aboard had to be reassigned ashore due to pregnancy, earning the ship the nickname The Love Boat. There was also a case of a sailor who filmed himself having sex with a female.
In April 1995, the game show Wheel of Fortune taped two weeks of episodes on the ship's hangar deck.
Eisenhower returned to Newport News Shipbuilding on 17 July 1995 for an 18-month complex overhaul which was completed on 27 January 1997. The ship departed on her 10th deployment on 10 June 1998 and returned in December. In February 1999, she returned to the Norfolk Navy Shipyard for a six-month refitting and returned to the fleet in June. Upon completion in June 1999, she returned to full duty in the fleet.
2000s
Deploying in February 2000 and returning that August on the "Millennium Cruise," for the first time Ike's embarked aircraft dropped ordnance in combat while supporting Operation Southern WatchOperation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an operation conducted by Joint Task Force Southwest Asia with the mission of monitoring and controlling airspace south of the 32nd Parallel in Iraq, following the 1991 Gulf War until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Summary:Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992...
's No-Fly Zone
Iraqi no-fly zones
The Iraqi no-fly zones were a set of two separate no-fly zones , and were proclaimed by the United States, United Kingdom and France after the Gulf War of 1991 to protect the Kurdish people in northern Iraq and Shiite Muslims in the south. Iraqi aircraft were forbidden from flying inside the zones...
over Iraq.
On 21 May 2001, the ship returned to Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company (NNS&DDC) to begin a 4 year, $2.5 billion refueling and complex overhaul. In addition to replacing the cores in the two nuclear reactors, Eisenhower underwent complex renovations and major technological upgrades during this scheduled half-life overhaul. On 25 January 2005, Ike left NNS&DDC under tow, and returned to Norfolk Naval Station, and the fleet. The modernizations are expected to extend the ship's service life well beyond 2025.
Persian Gulf / Indian Ocean Deployment
USS Anzio (CG-68)
USS Anzio is a guided missile cruiser of the United States Navy, named for the site of a beachhead invasion of Italy by Allied troops from 22 January to 23 May 1944. It was laid down by the Litton-Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporation at Pascagoula, Mississippi on 21 August 1989, launched on 2...
, guided-missile destroyers Ramage (DDG-61)
USS Ramage (DDG-61)
USS Ramage is an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer of the United States Navy. The ship is named for Vice Admiral Lawson P...
and Mason (DDG-87)
USS Mason (DDG-87)
USS Mason is an in the United States Navy.Homeported in Norfolk, Virginia, the USS Mason is the 37th Arleigh Burke class destroyer and the ninth of the Flight IIA variant. She was commissioned in Cape Canaveral, Florida, in April 2003. Her first captain was Commander David Gale.This is the third...
, and the fast-attack submarine Newport News (SSN-750)
USS Newport News (SSN-750)
USS Newport News , a , was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for Newport News, Virginia.-Construction:The contract to build her was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia on 19 April 1982 and her keel was laid down on 3 March 1984. ...
. She visited Naples, Italy and then Limassol
Limassol
Limassol is the second-largest city in Cyprus, with a population of 228,000 . It is the largest city in geographical size, and the biggest municipality on the island. The city is located on Akrotiri Bay, on the island's southern coast and it is the capital of Limassol District.Limassol is the...
, Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
for three days in October 2006 before departing to the east. She entered the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
in December 2006.
On 8 January 2007, a US AC-130
Lockheed AC-130
The Lockheed AC-130 gunship is a heavily-armed ground-attack aircraft variant of the C-130 Hercules transport plane. The basic airframe is manufactured by Lockheed, while Boeing is responsible for the conversion into a gunship and for aircraft support...
gunship based out of Djibouti
Djibouti
Djibouti , officially the Republic of Djibouti , is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the southeast. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at the east...
was dispatched to target Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
operatives located in Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
. Eisenhower "was deployed in the Indian Ocean to provide air cover for the operation and, if needed, to evacuate downed airmen and other casualties." It joined other US and allied vessels from Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
-based Combined Task Force 150 The US spokesperson did not say what particular ships comprised the cordon, but the task force includes vessels from Canada, France, Germany, Pakistan, the UK and the US. US ships of Combined Task Force 150 include the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Ramage (DDG-61)
USS Ramage (DDG-61)
USS Ramage is an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer of the United States Navy. The ship is named for Vice Admiral Lawson P...
and the Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG-52)
USS Bunker Hill (CG-52)
USS Bunker Hill is a Ticonderoga class guided missile cruiser laid down by Litton-Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporation at Pascagoula, Mississippi on 11 January 1984, launched on 11 March 1985 and commissioned on 20 September 1986...
. The aim of the patrols is to "... stop SICC leaders or foreign militant supporters escaping" Somalia.
In March 2007, following the Iranian seizure of Royal Navy personnel
2007 Iranian seizure of Royal Navy personnel
Iranian military personnel seized 15 Royal Navy personnel during 2007 and held them for 13 days. On 23 March 2007, 15 British Royal Navy personnel, from HMS Cornwall, searching a merchant vessel were surrounded by the Navy of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and subsequently detained off the...
, Eisenhower began battle group exercises
Wargaming
A wargame is a strategy game that deals with military operations of various types, real or fictional. Wargaming is the hobby dedicated to the play of such games, which can also be called conflict simulations, or consims for short. When used professionally to study warfare, it is generally known as...
off the Iranian coastline.
In April 2007, the ship was relieved by the USS Nimitz.
2008–2009
On 4 October 2008 Eisenhower sailor Robert Lemar Robinson was killed on the ship during training exercises off the coast of North Carolina. The sailor was killed after being struck by an airplane at 8:15 p.m. on the carrier's flight deck.On 21 February 2009, Eisenhower deployed for the Arabian Sea and environs rotating into the forward-deployed forces there. She served as the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 8 commanded by Rear Admiral Kurt W. Tidd
Kurt W. Tidd
Kurt W. Tidd is a United States Navy officer. He currently holds the rank of rear admiral.Tidd is the son of now-retired Navy Vice Admiral Emmett H. Tidd and is a second-general surface warfare officer. He grew up in various cities on the East and West coasts before graduating in 1974 from the...
. Also embarked were Carrier Air Wing 7 and the staff of Commander, Destroyer Squadron 28. Other ships of Strike Group 8 were , , , , and . In addition to supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, the strike group conducted maritime security operations including anti-piracy operations. On 16 May, Eisenhower became the first Nimitz-class carrier to dock pierside in Manama, Bahrain. The last carrier to moor pierside in Bahrain was USS Rendova (CVE-114)
USS Rendova (CVE-114)
USS Rendova was a Commencement Bay class escort carrier of the United States Navy.She was originally assigned the name Mosser Bay and completed as the Willamette, she was laid down by Todd-Pacific Shipyards, Inc., Tacoma, Washington, 15 June 1944; launched 29 December 1944; sponsored by Mrs....
in 1948. On 30 July 2009, the Eisenhower returned to Naval Station Norfolk after almost a six month deployment.
2010-2011
On 2 January 2010, Eisenhower again deployed to the Middle East, the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operations. She served as the flagship of Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group commanded by Rear Admiral Philip S. Davidson. While in theater, the strike group provided security cooperation, forward naval presence, maritime security, and crisis response. In addition to the "Ike," the strike group was made up of Carrier Air Wing 7; Commander, Destroyer Squadron 28; the guided-missile cruiser USS Hue City; and guided-missile destroyers USS McFaul, USS Carney, and USS Farragut (DDG-99)USS Farragut (DDG-99)
USS Farragut is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She is the fifth Navy ship named for Admiral David Farragut , and the 49th ship of the Arleigh Burke class....
. On 28 July 2010, the "Ike" returned to her homeport in Norfolk.
The ship was placed in a planned incremental availability at Norfolk Naval Shipyard through June 2011. During that time, the ship's executive officer, Captain Robert Gamberg, was relieved and removed after an investigation concluded that he had engaged in an "improper relationship".
Awards
Eisenhower has earned a number of awards, including the Battle "E"Battle Efficiency Award
The Battle Effectiveness Award , commonly known as the Battle "E", is awarded annually to the small number of U.S...
in 1979, 1980, 1981, 1985, 1990, 1998, 1999 and 2006 as the most battle efficient carrier in the Atlantic Fleet. In 1999, she won the Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award
Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award
The Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award is presented annually by the U.S. Navy's Chief of Naval Operations to one ship in the U.S. Atlantic Fleet and one in the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
for the Atlantic Fleet. In addition, she was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation
Navy Unit Commendation
The Navy Unit Commendation of the United States Navy is an award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944...
with service star (1980, 1983); the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
Meritorious Unit Commendation
The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions....
with three service stars (1990, 1992, 1995, 2001); the Navy Expeditionary Medal
Navy Expeditionary Medal
The Navy Expeditionary Medal is an award of the United States Navy which was first created in August 1936 by General Orders of the Department of the Navy...
(1980), the National Defense Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal
The National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...
with service star; the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal is a military award of the United States military, which was first created in 1961 by Executive Order of President John Kennedy...
with three service stars (1983, 1994, 1998, 2000); and Southwest Asia Service Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal
The Southwest Asia Service Medal is a military award of the United States armed forces which was created by order of President George H.W. Bush on March 12, 1991. The award is intended to recognize those military service members who performed duty during the years of the Persian Gulf War...
with two campaign stars. The ship also won the Atlantic Fleet Retention Excellence Award (aka the Golden Anchor Award) in 1999; as well as the Battenberg Cup in 2006.
See also
- Nimitz-class aircraft carrierNimitz class aircraft carrierThe Nimitz-class supercarriers are a class of ten nuclear-powered aircraft carriers in service with the United States Navy. With an overall length of and full-load displacements of over 100,000 long tons, they are the largest capital ships in the world...
- List of aircraft carriers
- List of aircraft carriers of the United States Navy
External links
- USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Official Site
- Eisenhower bolsters US security presence off Somalia Jane's Navy International, January 2007
- Dwight D. Eisenhower Sea Stories home page
- Dwight D. Eisenhower Reunion −2008 home page
- USS Dwight D. Eisenhower webpage
- Maritimequest USS Dwight D. Eisenhower CVN-69 Photo Gallery
- USS Dwight D. Eisenhower history at U.S. Carriers
- USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) command histories – Naval History & Heritage Command