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USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74)
Encyclopedia
USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) is the seventh Nimitz-class
nuclear-powered
supercarrier
in the United States Navy
, named for Senator
John C. Stennis
of Mississippi. She was commissioned on 9 December 1995. Her home port
is Bremerton
, Washington.
) is to conduct sustained combat air operations while forward deployed in the global arena. The embarked Air Wing consists of eight to nine squadrons. Attached aircraft are Navy and Marine F/A-18 Hornet
, EA-6B Prowler
, MH-60R, MH-60S, and E-2C Hawkeye
.
The Air Wing can engage enemy aircraft, submarines, and land targets, or lay mines hundreds of miles from the ship. Stennis' s aircraft are used to conduct strikes, support land battles, protect the Battle Group or other friendly shipping, and implement a sea or air blockade. The Air Wing provides a visible presence to demonstrate American power and resolve in a crisis. The ship normally operates as the centerpiece of a Carrier Battle Group
commanded by a flag officer
embarked upon Stennis and consisting of four to six other ships.
Stennis' s two nuclear reactors
give her virtually unlimited range and endurance and a top speed in excess of 30 knots (56 km/h, 34.5 mph). The ship's four catapults and four arresting gear
engines enable her to launch and recover aircraft rapidly and simultaneously. The ship carries approximately 3 million USgals (11,356.2 m³) of fuel for her aircraft and escorts, and enough weapons and stores for extended operations without replenishment. Stennis also has extensive repair capabilities, including a fully equipped Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department, a micro-miniature electronics repair shop, and numerous ship repair shops.
For defense, in addition to her Air Wing and accompanying vessels, Stennis has NATO RIM-7 Sea Sparrow
and Rolling Air Missile (RAM) surface-to-air missile
systems, the Phalanx
Close-in Weapons System
for cruise missile
defense, and the AN/SLQ-32 Electronic Warfare
System.
The ship was christened on 11 November 1993, in honor of Senator John Cornelius Stennis (D-Mississippi) of who served in the Senate from 1947 to 1989. The daughter of the ship’s namesake, Mrs. Margaret Stennis-Womble was the ship’s sponsor. Stennis was commissioned on 9 December 1995 at Naval Station Norfolk
, Va, and she conducted flight deck
certification in January 1996. The first arrested landing was by a VX-23
F-14B. The ship conducted numerous Carrier Qualifications and Independent Steaming Exercises off the East Coast throughout the next two years. Included among these events was the first carrier landing of an F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
on 18 January 1997.
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On 26 February 1998 with Carrier Air Wing Seven
embarked, Stennis left Norfolk for her maiden deployment
, transiting the Suez Canal
on 7 March and arriving in the Persian Gulf
on 11 March 1998. The ship traveled 8020 nm in 274 hours, an average speed of 29.4 knots (57.6 km/h) to relieve USS George Washington
in conducting Operation Southern Watch
missions.
Stennis departed the Persian Gulf on 19 July 1998 for her new home port of Naval Air Station North Island
in San Diego, California, arriving on 26 August 1998.
In October 1998, Stennis entered a 6-month Phased Incremental Availability for maintenance and upgrades at North Island, returning to sea in April 1999. During the maintenance period, a jet blast deflector
collapsed, severely injuring two sailors.
On 30 November 1999, Stennis ran aground in a shallow area adjacent to the turning basin near North Island. Silt clogged the intake pipes to the steam condensing systems for the nuclear reactor plants, causing the carrier’s two nuclear reactors to be shut down (one reactor by crew, the other automatically) for a period of 45 minutes. Stennis was towed back to her pier for maintenance and observation for the next two days. The cleanup cost was about $2 million.
in Operation Southern Watch. During the deployment, the ship made port visits to South Korea, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Australia, before returning to San Diego on 3 July 2000.
Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, Stennis conducted Noble Eagle missions off the U.S. West Coast.
On 20 January 2007, Stennis set sail for the Persian Gulf as part of an increase in US military presence within the Middle East. Stennis arrived in the area on 19 February 2007, joining in the United States Fifth Fleet area of operations.
This marked the first time since 2003 that there were two aircraft carrier
battle groups in the region simultaneously.
On 23 May 2007 Stennis, along with eight other warships including the aircraft carrier and amphibious assault ship , passed through the Strait of Hormuz
. US Navy officials said it was the largest such move since 2003.
On 31 August 2007 Stennis returned to Bremerton.
. That same day, one of the ship's sailors was crushed and killed while working from a small harbor boat to secure a drain that discharges oily water from Stennis’ aircraft catapults.
On 29 April, the ship's executive officer, Commander David L. Burnham, was relieved by Rear Admiral Mark A. Vance over unspecified personal conduct. Burnham was reassigned to a base in San Diego, pending an investigation.
After participating in operations in the Persian Gulf, exercises with Japan Maritime Self Defense Force and the Republic of Korea, as well as joint exercise Northern Edge 2009, USS Stennis returned from deployment in early July 2009. Carrier Air Wing 9 debarked on 6 July at NAS North Island,
prior to the ship's arrival at her homeport of Bremerton, Wash., on 10 July.
The JCS battlegroup (or Carrier Strike Group 3, CSG-3) is equipped and trained to work as a forward deployed force providing a deterrent force as well as serving to protect U.S. interests abroad.
The Stennis is the flagship of the battlegroup, and commands the group's air wing Carrier Air Wing 9. The Stennis is also home to the commander of Destroyer Squadron
21 (DESRON 21).
John C. Stennis' s Seal was produced from the combined efforts of several crew members with historical help from Stennis Center for Public Service, John C. Stennis Space Center
and United States Senate Historian. The Seal implies peace through strength, just as Senator John C. Stennis
was referred to as an "unwavering advocate of peace through strength" by President Ronald Reagan
, when the ship's name was announced in June 1988.
The circular shape signifies the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier's unique capability to circle the world without refueling while providing a forward presence from the sea. The predominant colors are red, white, blue and gold, the same as those of the United States and the Navy. The outer border, taken from one version of a U.S. Senate
crest, represents the strength through unity of the ship's crew. The four gold bands and eight ties denote John C. Stennis' four decades (41 years) in the Senate and the eight presidents he served with, from President Truman
to President Reagan. The seven stars in the blue border represent his seven terms in the Senate and characterize John C. Stennis as the seventh Nimitz-class aircraft carrier. The red and white stripes inside the blue border represent the American flag and the American people John C. Stennis serves. They also honor the courage and sacrifice of the United States' armed forces.
The eagle and shield is a representation of the gilt eagle and shield overlooking the Old Senate Chamber. The shield represents the United States of America. The twenty stars represent the US's twentieth state, Mississippi
, the home of John C. Stennis. The three arrows in the eagle's talons symbolize the Ship and Air Wing's ability to project power. The burst of light emanating from the shield, representative of the emergence of a new nation in the United States Senate Seal, portrays the birth of over 25 major Naval Aviation
programs under Senator Stennis' leadership, including all aircraft carriers from Forrestal to Harry S. Truman
, and aircraft from the F-4 Phantom to the F/A-18 Hornet
. The eagle is representative of John C. Stennis' stature in the Senate, where he was respected and admired as a "soaring eagle" by some of his colleagues.
The ship herself is pictured in the seal. On the edges of the flight deck are the words "Honor, Courage, Commitment" which are the United States Navy's Core Values.
The Seal, after selection by the ship's crew, was submitted to Mrs. Margaret Stennis Womble, the ship's Sponsor and daughter of Senator Stennis, and to Mrs. John Hampton Stennis, the Matron of Honor and wife of Senator Stennis' son, for their approval. In February 1995 they approved the design.
, the USS John C. Stennis was seen during the film's final battle in Egypt. This constitutes a major continuity error, since earlier in the film the carrier is seen suffering catastrophic impact damage and then sinking (the ship's pennant number being clearly visible on the island in the scene). However, in news broadcasts related to the sinking, the ship is referred to as the USS Theodore Roosevelt
(CVN-71). This is the second time the Stennis has been attacked on screen: in 2002's The Sum of all Fears
she is crippled by Russian bombers equipped with anti-ship missiles. In Revenge of the Fallen, the Stennis is contacted as the leader of a battlegroup in the Gulf of Aquaba to authorize a railgun strike that destroys a massive Decepticon named Devestator. In the 2011 game Homefront
, the carrier is seen half sunk just outside of Modesto, California
. A flyby of the Stennis while stationed at Naval Air Station North Island
is also featured in a segment of the Soarin' Over California
ride at Disney California Adventure. In the Tom Clancy
novel Debt of Honor
, the carrier is crippled by a Japanese Torpedo, though it is repaired.
The Stennis did not host the first ever college basketball game on an aircraft carrier, the USS Carl Vinson did.
Ditto!
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...
nuclear-powered
Nuclear reactor
A nuclear reactor is a device to initiate and control a sustained nuclear chain reaction. Most commonly they are used for generating electricity and for the propulsion of ships. Usually heat from nuclear fission is passed to a working fluid , which runs through turbines that power either ship's...
supercarrier
Supercarrier
Supercarrier is an unofficial descriptive term for the largest type of aircraft carrier, usually displacing over 70,000 long tons.Supercarrier is an unofficial descriptive term for the largest type of aircraft carrier, usually displacing over 70,000 long tons.Supercarrier is an unofficial...
in 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...
, named for Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
John C. Stennis
John C. Stennis
John Cornelius Stennis was a U.S. Senator from the state of Mississippi. He was a Democrat who served in the Senate for over 41 years, becoming its most senior member by his retirement.- Early life :...
of Mississippi. She was commissioned on 9 December 1995. Her home port
Home port
A vessel's home port is the port at which it is based, which may not be the same as its port of registry shown on its registration documents and lettered on the stern of the ship's hull...
is Bremerton
Bremerton, Washington
Bremerton is a city in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. The population was 38,790 at the 2011 State Estimate, making it the largest city on the Olympic Peninsula. Bremerton is home to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and the Bremerton Annex of Naval Base Kitsap...
, Washington.
Mission and capabilities
The mission of Stennis and her embarked Air Wing (CVW-9CVW-9
Carrier Air Wing Nine is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Lemoore. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier USS John C Stennis...
) is to conduct sustained combat air operations while forward deployed in the global arena. The embarked Air Wing consists of eight to nine squadrons. Attached aircraft are Navy and Marine F/A-18 Hornet
F/A-18 Hornet
The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is a supersonic, all-weather carrier-capable multirole fighter jet, designed to dogfight and attack ground targets . Designed by McDonnell Douglas and Northrop, the F/A-18 was derived from the latter's YF-17 in the 1970s for use by the United States Navy and...
, EA-6B Prowler
EA-6 Prowler
The Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler is a twin-engine, mid-wing electronic warfare aircraft modified from the basic A-6 Intruder airframe. The EA-6B has been in service with the U.S...
, MH-60R, MH-60S, and E-2C Hawkeye
E-2 Hawkeye
The Grumman E-2 Hawkeye is an American all-weather, aircraft carrier-capable tactical airborne early warning aircraft. This twin-turboprop aircraft was designed and developed during the late 1950s and early 1960s by the Grumman Aircraft Company for the United States Navy as a replacement for the...
.
The Air Wing can engage enemy aircraft, submarines, and land targets, or lay mines hundreds of miles from the ship. Stennis
Carrier battle group
A carrier battle group consists of an aircraft carrier and its escorts, together composing the group. The first naval task forces built around carriers appeared just prior to and during World War II. The Imperial Japanese Navy was the first to assemble a large number of carriers into a single...
commanded by a flag officer
Flag Officer
A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark where the officer exercises command. The term usually refers to the senior officers in an English-speaking nation's navy, specifically those who hold any of the admiral ranks; in...
embarked upon Stennis and consisting of four to six other ships.
Stennis
A4W reactor
The A4W reactor is a naval reactor used by the United States Navy to propel warships and generate onboard electricity.The A4W designation stands for:* A = Aircraft carrier platform* 4 = Fourth-generation core designed by the contractor...
give her virtually unlimited range and endurance and a top speed in excess of 30 knots (56 km/h, 34.5 mph). The ship's four catapults and four arresting gear
Arresting gear
Arresting gear, or arrestor gear, is the name used for mechanical systems designed to rapidly decelerate an aircraft as it lands. Arresting gear on aircraft carriers is an essential component of naval aviation, and it is most commonly used on CATOBAR and STOBAR aircraft carriers. Similar systems...
engines enable her to launch and recover aircraft rapidly and simultaneously. The ship carries approximately 3 million USgals (11,356.2 m³) of fuel for her aircraft and escorts, and enough weapons and stores for extended operations without replenishment. Stennis also has extensive repair capabilities, including a fully equipped Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department, a micro-miniature electronics repair shop, and numerous ship repair shops.
For defense, in addition to her Air Wing and accompanying vessels, Stennis has NATO RIM-7 Sea Sparrow
AIM-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...
and Rolling Air Missile (RAM) surface-to-air missile
Surface-to-air missile
A surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
systems, the Phalanx
Phalanx CIWS
The Phalanx CIWS is an anti-ship missile defense system. It is a close-in weapon system and was designed and manufactured by the General Dynamics Corporation, Pomona Division...
Close-in Weapons System
Close-in weapon system
A close-in weapon system , often pronounced sea-whiz, is a naval shipboard point-defense weapon for detecting and destroying at short range incoming anti-ship missiles and enemy aircraft which have penetrated the outer defenses....
for cruise missile
Cruise missile
A cruise missile is a guided missile that carries an explosive payload and is propelled, usually by a jet engine, towards a land-based or sea-based target. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large warhead over long distances with high accuracy...
defense, and the AN/SLQ-32 Electronic Warfare
Electronic warfare
Electronic warfare refers to any action involving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum or directed energy to control the spectrum, attack an enemy, or impede enemy assaults via the spectrum. The purpose of electronic warfare is to deny the opponent the advantage of, and ensure friendly...
System.
History
The nuclear-powered USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) was contracted on 29 March 1988, and the keel was laid on 13 March 1991 at Newport News Shipbuilding Co., Newport News, Va.The ship was christened on 11 November 1993, in honor of Senator John Cornelius Stennis (D-Mississippi) of who served in the Senate from 1947 to 1989. The daughter of the ship’s namesake, Mrs. Margaret Stennis-Womble was the ship’s sponsor. Stennis was commissioned on 9 December 1995 at Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk, in Norfolk, Virginia, is a base of the United States Navy, supporting naval forces in the United States Fleet Forces Command, those operating in the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Indian Ocean...
, Va, and she conducted flight deck
Flight deck
The flight deck of an aircraft carrier is the surface from which its aircraft take off and land, essentially a miniature airfield at sea. On smaller naval ships which do not have aviation as a primary mission, the landing area for helicopters and other VTOL aircraft is also referred to as the...
certification in January 1996. The first arrested landing was by a VX-23
VX-23
Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23 is a United States Navy air test and evaluation squadron based at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland...
F-14B. The ship conducted numerous Carrier Qualifications and Independent Steaming Exercises off the East Coast throughout the next two years. Included among these events was the first carrier landing of an F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
The Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a twin-engine carrier-based multirole fighter aircraft. The F/A-18E single-seat variant and F/A-18F tandem-seat variant are larger and more advanced derivatives of the F/A-18C and D Hornet. The Super Hornet has an internal 20 mm gun and can carry air-to-air...
on 18 January 1997.
1998 - World Cruise
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:...
embarked, Stennis left Norfolk for her maiden deployment
Maiden voyage
The maiden voyage of a ship, aircraft or other craft is the first journey made by the craft after shakedown. A number of traditions and superstitions are associated with it....
, transiting 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...
on 7 March and arriving in 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...
on 11 March 1998. The ship traveled 8020 nm in 274 hours, an average speed of 29.4 knots (57.6 km/h) to relieve USS George Washington
USS George Washington (CVN-73)
USS George Washington is an American nuclear-powered supercarrier, the sixth ship in the Nimitz class and the fourth United States Navy ship to be named after George Washington, the first President of the United States...
in conducting 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...
missions.
Stennis departed the Persian Gulf on 19 July 1998 for her new home port of Naval Air Station North Island
Naval Air Station North Island
Naval Air Station North Island or NAS North Island is located at the north end of the Coronado peninsula on San Diego Bay and is the home port of several aircraft carriers of the United States Navy...
in San Diego, California, arriving on 26 August 1998.
In October 1998, Stennis entered a 6-month Phased Incremental Availability for maintenance and upgrades at North Island, returning to sea in April 1999. During the maintenance period, a jet blast deflector
Jet blast deflector
A jet blast deflector or blast fence is a safety device that redirects the high energy exhaust from a jet engine to prevent damage and injury. The structure must be strong enough to withstand heat and high speed air streams as well as dust and debris carried by the turbulent air...
collapsed, severely injuring two sailors.
On 30 November 1999, Stennis ran aground in a shallow area adjacent to the turning basin near North Island. Silt clogged the intake pipes to the steam condensing systems for the nuclear reactor plants, causing the carrier’s two nuclear reactors to be shut down (one reactor by crew, the other automatically) for a period of 45 minutes. Stennis was towed back to her pier for maintenance and observation for the next two days. The cleanup cost was about $2 million.
2000 - Persian Gulf/Pacific Ocean
On 7 January 2000, Stennis deployed to the Persian Gulf to relieve USS John F. KennedyUSS John F. Kennedy (CV-67)
USS John F. Kennedy is a John F. Kennedy class aircraft carrier, the last conventionally powered carrier built for the United States Navy. The ship is named after the 35th President of the United States, John F...
in Operation Southern Watch. During the deployment, the ship made port visits to South Korea, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Australia, before returning to San Diego on 3 July 2000.
Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, Stennis conducted Noble Eagle missions off the U.S. West Coast.
2001 - Persian Gulf
On 12 November 2001, two months earlier than scheduled, the ship left on her third deployment to the U.S. Fifth Fleet area of responsibility in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, returning to San Diego on 28 May 2002. From June 2002 to January 2003, JCS underwent a seven-month Planned Incremental Availability (PIA).2004 - Pacific Ocean
From 24 May to 1 November 2004, Stennis conducted her fourth major overseas deployment, participating in Exercise Northern Edge 2004 in the Gulf of Alaska, Rim of the Pacific (RimPac) Exercise off Hawaii, exercises with Kitty Hawk off Japan and goodwill visits to Japan, Malaysia and Western Australia. Shortly after returning from deployment to San Diego, JCS changed her home port to Naval Station Bremerton, Washington on19 January 2005. Once at Bremerton, Stennis underwent an 11 month Docking Planned Incremental Availability (DPIA), the first time she had been dry-docked since commissioning. Upgrades included a new mast installation The new mast’s structure is the first of its kind. A new type of steel alloy was used, making the mast stiffer and thicker than before. The new mast is also heavier and taller, allowing it to support new antennas the old mast would not have been able to support. Other upgrades included the installation of a new Integrated Bridge System in the pilothouse that will save manpower and provide state-of-the-art displays, as well as other and combat systems upgrades.2007 - Persian Gulf
This marked the first time since 2003 that there were two aircraft carrier
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...
battle groups in the region simultaneously.
On 23 May 2007 Stennis, along with eight other warships including the aircraft carrier and amphibious assault ship , passed through the Strait of Hormuz
Strait of Hormuz
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow, strategically important waterway between the Gulf of Oman in the southeast and the Persian Gulf. On the north coast is Iran and on the south coast is the United Arab Emirates and Musandam, an exclave of Oman....
. US Navy officials said it was the largest such move since 2003.
On 31 August 2007 Stennis returned to Bremerton.
2009 - Western Pacific
Stennis departed Bremerton for a 6-month deployment to the Western Pacific on 13 January 2009. On 24 April, the ship arrived in SingaporeSingapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. That same day, one of the ship's sailors was crushed and killed while working from a small harbor boat to secure a drain that discharges oily water from Stennis’ aircraft catapults.
On 29 April, the ship's executive officer, Commander David L. Burnham, was relieved by Rear Admiral Mark A. Vance over unspecified personal conduct. Burnham was reassigned to a base in San Diego, pending an investigation.
After participating in operations in the Persian Gulf, exercises with Japan Maritime Self Defense Force and the Republic of Korea, as well as joint exercise Northern Edge 2009, USS Stennis returned from deployment in early July 2009. Carrier Air Wing 9 debarked on 6 July at NAS North Island,
prior to the ship's arrival at her homeport of Bremerton, Wash., on 10 July.
2010 - 2011
On March 30, 2011 a VMFAT-101 F/A-18C Hornet suffered an uncontained catastrophic engine failure, exploded and caught fire just before launch from Stennis about 100 miles (160.9 km) off the coast of San Diego during launch and recovery training operations. The aircraft was at full power, in tension on the catapult when the accident occurred. Eleven flight deck crewman were injured and the pilot was unhurt. There was no major damage to the carrier but the aircraft was a total loss.John C. Stennis Carrier Battle Group
The JCS battlegroup (or Carrier Strike Group 3, CSG-3) is equipped and trained to work as a forward deployed force providing a deterrent force as well as serving to protect U.S. interests abroad.
The Stennis is the flagship of the battlegroup, and commands the group's air wing Carrier Air Wing 9. The Stennis is also home to the commander of Destroyer Squadron
DESRON
A destroyer squadron is a naval squadron or flotilla usually consisting of destroyers rather than other types of vessel. In some navies other vessels, such as frigates, may be included. In English the word "squadron" tends to be used for larger and "flotilla" for smaller vessels, both may be used...
21 (DESRON 21).
Squadrons of CVW-9
- Strike Fighter Squadron 192 (VFA-192VFA-192Strike Fighter Squadron 192 , also known as the "World Famous Golden Dragons", are a United States Navy F/A-18C Hornet fighter squadron stationed at NAS Lemoore...
) "Golden Dragons" - Strike Fighter Squadron 97 (VFA-97VFA-97Strike Fighter Squadron 97 , also known as the "Warhawks", are a United States Navy F/A-18C fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Lemoore. The first Navy F/A-18 squadron to be expeditionary land-based, the "Warhawks" deployed to MCAS Iwakuni, Japan as part of USN/USMC TACAIR Integration...
) "Warhawks" - Strike Fighter Squadron 41 (VFA-41VFA-41Strike Fighter Squadron 41 also known as the "Black Aces", is a United States Navy strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California ....
) "Black Aces" - Strike Fighter Squadron 14 (VFA-14VFA-14The Strike Fighter Squadron 14 "Tophatters" are a United States Navy fighter attack squadron based at Naval Air Station Lemoore. They fly the F/A-18E Super Hornet, and are the Navy's oldest active squadron, having formed in 1919...
) "Tophatters" - Electronic Attack Squadron 133 (VAQ-133VAQ-133Electronic Attack Squadron 133 , also known as the "Wizards", is an EA-6B Prowler squadron of the United States Navy based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington. VAQ-133 is one of only three expeditionary EA-6B Prowler squadrons in the U.S. Navy...
) "Wizards" - Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 112 (VAW-112VAW-112Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron One One Two is a United States Navy airborne early warning squadron. Nicknamed Golden Hawks, they fly the E-2 Hawkeye...
) "Golden Hawks" - Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 8 (HSC-8HSC-8Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron Eight "Eightballers" is a United States Navy helicopter squadron based at Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego, California. HSC-8 is attached to Carrier Air Wing Nine and deploys aboard...
) "Eight-Ballers" - Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 71 (HSM-71HSM-71Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron Seven One is a United States Navy helicopter squadron based at Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego, California. Nicknamed the ‘’Raptors’’, they are attached to Carrier Air Wing Nine and deploy aboard the USS John C. Stennis strike group...
) "Raptors" - Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 30 Detachment 4 (VRC-30VRC-30Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 30 , also known as the "Providers", is a United States Navy Fleet Logistics Support squadron based at Naval Air Station North Island consisting of 5 detachments.-History:...
) "Providers"
Ship's seal
John C. Stennis Space Center
The John C. Stennis Space Center , located in Hancock County, Mississippi, at the Mississippi-Louisiana border, is NASA's largest rocket engine test facility.- History :...
and United States Senate Historian. The Seal implies peace through strength, just as Senator John C. Stennis
John C. Stennis
John Cornelius Stennis was a U.S. Senator from the state of Mississippi. He was a Democrat who served in the Senate for over 41 years, becoming its most senior member by his retirement.- Early life :...
was referred to as an "unwavering advocate of peace through strength" by President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
, when the ship's name was announced in June 1988.
The circular shape signifies the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier's unique capability to circle the world without refueling while providing a forward presence from the sea. The predominant colors are red, white, blue and gold, the same as those of the United States and the Navy. The outer border, taken from one version of a U.S. Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
crest, represents the strength through unity of the ship's crew. The four gold bands and eight ties denote John C. Stennis' four decades (41 years) in the Senate and the eight presidents he served with, from President Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
to President Reagan. The seven stars in the blue border represent his seven terms in the Senate and characterize John C. Stennis as the seventh Nimitz-class aircraft carrier. The red and white stripes inside the blue border represent the American flag and the American people John C. Stennis serves. They also honor the courage and sacrifice of the United States' armed forces.
The eagle and shield is a representation of the gilt eagle and shield overlooking the Old Senate Chamber. The shield represents the United States of America. The twenty stars represent the US's twentieth state, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, the home of John C. Stennis. The three arrows in the eagle's talons symbolize the Ship and Air Wing's ability to project power. The burst of light emanating from the shield, representative of the emergence of a new nation in the United States Senate Seal, portrays the birth of over 25 major Naval Aviation
Naval aviation
Naval aviation is the application of manned military air power by navies, including ships that embark fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters. In contrast, maritime aviation is the operation of aircraft in a maritime role under the command of non-naval forces such as the former RAF Coastal Command or a...
programs under Senator Stennis' leadership, including all aircraft carriers from Forrestal to Harry S. Truman
USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75)
USS Harry S. Truman is the eighth Nimitz-class supercarrier of the United States Navy, named after the 33rd President of the United States, Harry S. Truman. HSTs callsign is Lone Warrior and is currently homeported at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia.Harry S...
, and aircraft from the F-4 Phantom to the F/A-18 Hornet
F/A-18 Hornet
The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is a supersonic, all-weather carrier-capable multirole fighter jet, designed to dogfight and attack ground targets . Designed by McDonnell Douglas and Northrop, the F/A-18 was derived from the latter's YF-17 in the 1970s for use by the United States Navy and...
. The eagle is representative of John C. Stennis' stature in the Senate, where he was respected and admired as a "soaring eagle" by some of his colleagues.
The ship herself is pictured in the seal. On the edges of the flight deck are the words "Honor, Courage, Commitment" which are the United States Navy's Core Values.
The Seal, after selection by the ship's crew, was submitted to Mrs. Margaret Stennis Womble, the ship's Sponsor and daughter of Senator Stennis, and to Mrs. John Hampton Stennis, the Matron of Honor and wife of Senator Stennis' son, for their approval. In February 1995 they approved the design.
In popular culture
In 1996, it was used in scenes from the movie Executive Decision featuring the VF-84 Jolly Rogers F-14 aircraft launching from its deck. In September 2008, this carrier was used during an episode of the TV show NCIS. The carrier's number, 74, was clearly seen during the scenes on the carrier deck, but during characters' dialog, they did not name the carrier, using a fake name instead. In the 2009 science fiction movie Transformers: Revenge of the FallenTransformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is a 2009 American science fiction-action film directed by Michael Bay and produced by Steven Spielberg. It is the sequel to the 2007 film Transformers and the second installment in the live-action Transformers series...
, the USS John C. Stennis was seen during the film's final battle in Egypt. This constitutes a major continuity error, since earlier in the film the carrier is seen suffering catastrophic impact damage and then sinking (the ship's pennant number being clearly visible on the island in the scene). However, in news broadcasts related to the sinking, the ship is referred to as the USS Theodore Roosevelt
USS Theodore Roosevelt
USS Theodore Roosevelt has been the name of more than one United States Navy ship, and may refer to:, troop transport in commission from 1918 to 1919, ballistic missile submarine in commission from 1961 to 1982, aircraft carrier in commission since 1986...
(CVN-71). This is the second time the Stennis has been attacked on screen: in 2002's The Sum of all Fears
The Sum of All Fears
The Sum of All Fears is the best-selling thriller novel by Dan Fogelman and Tom Clancy, and part of the Jack Ryan series. It was the fourth book of the series to be turned into a film. An interesting historical note is that this book was released just days before the Moscow uprising in 1991, which...
she is crippled by Russian bombers equipped with anti-ship missiles. In Revenge of the Fallen, the Stennis is contacted as the leader of a battlegroup in the Gulf of Aquaba to authorize a railgun strike that destroys a massive Decepticon named Devestator. In the 2011 game Homefront
Homefront
A home front is the civilian populace of the nation at war as an active support system of its military. The term can refer to:* Home front during World War II* United States home front during World War I* United States home front during World War II...
, the carrier is seen half sunk just outside of Modesto, California
Modesto, California
Modesto is a city in, and is the county seat of, Stanislaus County, California. With a population of approximately 201,165 at the 2010 census, Modesto ranks as the 18th largest city in the state of California....
. A flyby of the Stennis while stationed at Naval Air Station North Island
Naval Air Station North Island
Naval Air Station North Island or NAS North Island is located at the north end of the Coronado peninsula on San Diego Bay and is the home port of several aircraft carriers of the United States Navy...
is also featured in a segment of the Soarin' Over California
Soarin' Over California
Soarin' Over California is a simulator attraction at Disney California Adventure . It debuted with the park on February 8, 2001...
ride at Disney California Adventure. In the Tom Clancy
Tom Clancy
Thomas Leo "Tom" Clancy, Jr. is an American author, best known for his technically detailed espionage, military science, and techno thriller storylines set during and in the aftermath of the Cold War, along with video games on which he did not work, but which bear his name for licensing and...
novel Debt of Honor
Debt of Honor
Debt of Honor is a novel by Tom Clancy. It is a continuation of the series featuring his character Jack Ryan. In this installment, Ryan has become the National Security Advisor when the Japanese government goes to war with the United States...
, the carrier is crippled by a Japanese Torpedo, though it is repaired.
See also
The Stennis did not host the first ever college basketball game on an aircraft carrier, the USS Carl Vinson did.
Ditto!
External links
- Official John C. Stennis web site
- Story Archive - U.S. Navy - USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74)
- John C. Stennis at globalsecurity.org
- An unofficial USS John C. Stennis webpage
- USS John C. Stennis history at U.S. Carriers
- NPR story
- USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) command histories – Naval History & Heritage Command