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The 1,092-foot USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) is a United States Navy Nimitz class supercarrier named for the Congressman from Georgia. She was commissioned in 1982 and carries F/A-18 Hornets and F-14 Tomcats as well as surveillance and other aircraft. Carl Vinson can carry 85 planes and 5,500 personnel. Very few ships of the United States Navy have been named for a person who was alive at the time of the christening; the list includes Carl Vinson (CVN-70), Hyman G. Rickover (SSN-709), Arleigh Burke (DDG-51), John C. Stennis (CVN-74), Bob Hope (T-AKR-300), Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), Nitze (DDG-94), Jimmy Carter (SSN-23), and George H. W. Bush (CVN-77). A member of the United States House of Representatives for fifty years, Carl Vinson was, for twenty-nine years, the Chairman of the House Naval Affairs and Armed Services Committee. Ship historyAfter commissioning on 13 March 1982, USS Carl Vinson was put to sea for a post-commissioning shakedown. Vinson departed on 1 March 1983 for its new homeport at the Naval Air Station in Alemeda, California. Carl Vinson participated in RIMPAC '84 before departing 14 October 1984 for its first overseas deployment in the Western Pacific. From January until April of 1985 Carl Vinson was in the Indian Ocean for 107 consecutive days. In May and June of 1986 the ship was involved in several exercises, including a RIMPAC '86 exercise. On 12 August 1986 the ship departed on its second deployment, in the process becoming the first aircraft carrier to operate in the Bering Sea. In January of 1987, after operating extensively in the Indian Ocean and North Arabian Sea, Carl Vinson returned to Naval Air Station Alemeda, in the process transiting the Bering Sea once more. The carrier departed for its fourth deployment in 1988, its intended destination being the Persian Gulf. While on station the carrier escorted U.S. flagged tankers in the Persian Gulf. The carrier returned 16 December 1988. On 18 September 1989 carrier departed Naval Air Station Alemeda to participate in PACEX '89, the largest peacetime naval exercise since the Second World War. During the exercise Vinson operated in the Bering Sea and the Aleutian Islands, eventually leading a three carrier battle group force in conducting operations in the Sea of Japan and Pacific Ocean. The carrier departed on its fifth deployment 1 February 1990, returning on 31 July 1990 without incident. On 17 February 1994 the carrier departed for the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch. On 5 August 1994 Carl Vinson host the change of command ceremonies for the Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet. The carrier returned to Alemeda on 17 August 1994. From 26 August until 3 September 1995, Vinson participated in Exercise Ke Koa, as well as ceremonies to commemorate the end of World War II in the Pacific. During these ceremonies, President Clinton visited the ship in Hawaii. As part of the commemoration ceremonies, Vinson launched and retrived 12 WWII era planes. The ship departed for its seventh deployment 14 May 1996, heading for the Persian Gulf in support for Operation Southern Watch and Operation Desert Strike. The ship also participated in Exercise Rugged Nautalis before returning to Alemada on 14 November 1996. The ship was transferred to Bremerton, Washington, in late 1996 or early 1997, either way it arrived at its new homeport 17 January 1997, where it played host to the last carrier launch and recovery operations for the A6-E Intruder. In 1998 the ship Participated in RIMPAC '98 before departing for the Persian Gulf, launching airstrikes on 19 December 1998 in support of Operation Desert Fox and Operation Southern Watch. These strike continued into March of 1999. In July of 1999, Vinson was drydocked in the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for 11 months as the Navy spent more than $230 million dollars to upgrade the ship. Post refit shakedowns continued into 2000. From January until June 2001 the carrier began rigorous training for its twelfth deployment overseas. On 23 July 2001 Carl Vinson steamed from Bremerton, Washington, bound for the Persian Gulf to support Operation Southern Watch. This changed abruptly on 11 September 2001, as the ship was rounding the tip of India. In response to the terror attacks on U.S. soil, Vinson changed course and sped toward the North Arabian Sea, where on 7 October 2001, Vinson launched the first airstrikes in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. For 72 days, Vinson, along with Carrier Wing 11, launched over 4,000 combat sorties in the War on Terror. In mid December, Vinson began the return trip home, stopping over at Singapore for Christmas before reaching the U.S. on 23 January 2002. In April, the ship was overhauled, setting sail in September for a post-refit shakedown. As of 2003, the Carrier remains on active duty and has assisted U.S. ground forces overseas as part of the War on Terror. It is unknown at this time whether the ship participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
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