USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76)
Encyclopedia
USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) is a Nimitz-class
nuclear-powered supercarrier
in the service of the United States Navy
. The ninth ship of her class, she is named in honor of former President Ronald Reagan
, President of the United States from 1981 to 1989. Upon her christening
in 2001, she was the first ship to be named for a former president still living at the time.
foundation. The red border that rings the ship's seal is similar to the distinctive red rim that defines the White House china designed for the Reagans during their White House years. Four gold stars represent President Reagan's 40th presidency and his four pillars of freedom: individual liberty; economic opportunity; global democracy; and national pride. "Peace through Strength" was a recurring theme of the President's life in public service. The aircraft carrier is positioned by the West Coast, representing President Reagan's two terms as Governor of California
and the ship's homeport in the Pacific Fleet. The three aircraft with their patriotic contrails symbolize the three major military operations the President directed during his tenure: Operation Urgent Fury (Grenada/1983); Operation El Dorado Canyon
(Libya/1986); and Operation Praying Mantis
(Iran/1988). The view of the globe signifies the President's vision of global democracy, and the center is the United States representing the country's national pride. Colors of red, white and blue dominate the seal reflecting the American flag.
program.
and Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia
on 8 December 1994, and her keel was laid down on 12 February 1998. The budget for the ship had to be increased several times and ultimately $4.5 billion was spent on her construction. This included a redesigned ship island. Reagan was christened by Reagan's wife Nancy
on 4 March 2001 at Newport News Shipbuilding, the crew moved aboard on 30 October 2002, and the ship was commissioned
on 12 July 2003 at Naval Station Norfolk
, with Captain J. W. Goodwin in command. Vice President
Dick Cheney
and Lynne Cheney
were both present at the ceremony, as well as Nancy Reagan, who gave the ship's crew the traditional first order as an active unit of the Navy: "Man the ship and bring her to life." Ronald Reagan made her maiden voyage on 21 July 2003. President Reagan, who did not attend either the launch or the commissioning due to Alzheimer's disease
, died eleven months later. At the end of the graveside services
, the ship's commanding officer at that time, Captain James Symonds
, presented the flag that draped the former president's casket to Mrs. Reagan at her request. This was also the flag that had flown over Capitol Hill on 20 January 1981, when the president was inaugurated. At a later date, Captain Symonds also presented Mrs. Reagan the flag that had been flying over Ronald Reagan when the former president died.
Ronald Reagan conducted her maiden port visit in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
, from 11–14 November 2003.
, South America, to her new homeport of Naval Air Station North Island
, San Diego, California
. However, the official home port will be changed to Bremerton, Washington
for a period of approximately 12 months to begin Jan. 10, 2012 while the ship undergoes repairs.
Carrier Air Wing Eleven
, which is normally assigned to , embarked only 25 percent of its total strength for the transit. The squadrons making the transit were VFA-14
and VFA-41
flying the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
, VAW-117
flying the E-2C Hawkeye 2000, HS-6
flying the SH-60F Seahawk and VRC-30
flying the C-2A Greyhound. The ship transited the Strait of Magellan
on 20–21 June and made port visits to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Valparaíso, Chile, and Callao, Peru before arriving in San Diego on 23 July 2004.
to conduct naval operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, as well as to conduct maritime security operations (MSO) in the Persian Gulf
. The ship entered the Gulf on 22 February 2006, and returned from deployment on 6 July 2006.
(CSG) departed North Island, Coronado in San Diego on 27 January 2007 on an unscheduled surge deployment to the Western Pacific, fulfilling the role of the forward deployed carrier Kitty Hawk
while it underwent maintenance in Japan. On 20 April 2007, Ronald Reagan and her CSG returned to Coronado. The "surge deployment" was part of the Navy's Fleet Response Plan (FRP), which provides the U.S. with the ability to respond to any global commitment with flexible and sustainable forces and the ability to rapidly respond to a range of situations on short notice.
In January 2007, it was announced that Ronald Reagan had earned the 2006 Commander Naval Air Force, Pacific Carrier Battle Efficiency
"E" award for the West Coast, the first Battle "E" ever for the carrier. On 28 January 2006, an F/A-18 Hornet
strike fighter attempting a night landing aboard Reagan crashed into the ship's flight deck
about 200 km (120 miles) southeast of Brisbane
, Queensland
. The aircraft struck the ramp at a low angle, caught fire and skidded overboard. The pilot ejected safely, but the aircraft was lost.
Reagan returned to Naval Air Station North Island on 20 April 2007, following the three-month deployment in support of operations in the Western Pacific.
On 15 December 2007, the carrier answered a distress call from a cruise ship off the coast of Baja California
. An Illinois
teenager whose appendix
had ruptured while on a Mexican cruise was airlifted by an SH-60 helicopter to Ronald Reagan, where an emergency appendectomy was performed by the ship's surgeon.
and 5th Fleet deployment.
The Reagan Carrier Strike Group performed humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations in the Philippines
on 24 June 2008 after that country was devastated by Typhoon Fengshen
, killing hundreds from the central island regions and the main island of Luzon
. The typhoon also capsized the passenger ferry . Working in support of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Reagan and her escorts of Carrier Strike Group 7 focused their efforts on the island of Panay
in the Central Visayas
. For eight days, SH-60 Seahawk
helicopters and C-2A Greyhound aircraft of the Ronald Reagan Strike Group helped deliver more than 519,000 lbs. of rice, fresh water and other supplies to areas of Panay, which were not reachable via truck due to flooded roads. The mission in Panay would earn the entire strike group the Navy's Humanitarian Service Medal
.
The Strike Group arrived in the U.S. Fifth Fleet area on 28 August 2008, where she launched more than 1,150 sorties into Afghanistan
in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Reagan returned to San Diego on 25 November 2008.
USS Ronald Reagan received word in February 2009 that the ship had won its second Battle Effectiveness Award
.
The "Reagan" participated in the RIMPAC during the summer of 2010
In November 2010, Reagan provided emergency supplies and assistance to passengers stranded aboard the Carnival Splendor
, which was rendered inoperable in the Pacific Ocean by an engine fire.
, but was redirected towards Japan to provide support
after the massive 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
. The ship, stationed off Sendai, was used as a floating refueling station for Japanese military and coast guard helicopters flying relief missions in the area. US Navy helicopters also flew relief missions from the carrier. On 14 March 2011, the ship was forced to relocate to avoid a radioactive plume from the Fukushima I nuclear accidents which had contaminated 17 crewmembers of three helicopter crews. On March 23, the Reagan's crew conducted a radiation decontamination operation to remove any further radiation hazards from the ship, which included scrubbing down any surface that could have been contaminated, including the flight deck and aircraft.
On 4 April 2011, Japan's minister of defense, Toshimi Kitazawa
, accompanied by US ambassador to Japan John Roos
, visited the ship to thank its crew for its assistance as part of Operation Tomodachi. Said Kitazawa, "I have never been more encouraged by and proud of the fact that the United States is our ally."
The ship returned to San Diego on 9 September 2011.
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 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 service of 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...
. The ninth ship of her class, she is named in honor of former 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....
, President of the United States from 1981 to 1989. Upon her christening
Ship naming and launching
The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old.-Methods of launch:There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching." The oldest, most familiar, and most widely...
in 2001, she was the first ship to be named for a former president still living at the time.
Ship's seal
The design of Ronald Reagans seal was created entirely by her plankowner crew with historical assistance provided by staff members at the Ronald Reagan Presidential LibraryRonald Reagan Presidential Library
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Center for Public Affairs is the presidential library and final resting place of Ronald Wilson Reagan, the 40th President of the United States. Designed by Hugh Stubbins and Associates, the library is located in Simi Valley, California, about northwest of...
foundation. The red border that rings the ship's seal is similar to the distinctive red rim that defines the White House china designed for the Reagans during their White House years. Four gold stars represent President Reagan's 40th presidency and his four pillars of freedom: individual liberty; economic opportunity; global democracy; and national pride. "Peace through Strength" was a recurring theme of the President's life in public service. The aircraft carrier is positioned by the West Coast, representing President Reagan's two terms as Governor of California
Governor of California
The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...
and the ship's homeport in the Pacific Fleet. The three aircraft with their patriotic contrails symbolize the three major military operations the President directed during his tenure: Operation Urgent Fury (Grenada/1983); Operation El Dorado Canyon
Operation El Dorado Canyon
The 1986 United States bombing of Libya, code-named Operation El Dorado Canyon, comprised the joint United States Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps air-strikes against Libya on April 15, 1986. The attack was carried out in response to the 1986 Berlin discotheque bombing.-Origins:Shortly after his...
(Libya/1986); and Operation Praying Mantis
Operation Praying Mantis
Operation Praying Mantis was an attack on April 18, 1988, by U.S. naval forces within Iranian territorial waters in retaliation for the Iranian mining of the Persian Gulf during the Iran Iraq war and the subsequent damage to an American warship....
(Iran/1988). The view of the globe signifies the President's vision of global democracy, and the center is the United States representing the country's national pride. Colors of red, white and blue dominate the seal reflecting the American flag.
Naming
Ronald Reagan was the first nuclear powered warship of any kind to be named in honor of a living former president. Unlike most of the other men honored by inclusion in this group, Reagan was not associated with the United States Navy, apart from his term as Commander-in-Chief, though one of his key initiatives in office was the 600-ship Navy600-ship Navy
The 600 Ship Navy was a strategic plan of the United States Navy during the 1980s to rebuild its fleet after cutbacks that followed the end of the Vietnam War...
program.
Design and construction
The contract to build Reagan was awarded to Northrop Grumman Newport NewsNorthrop 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...
and Dry Dock Company in 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...
on 8 December 1994, and her keel was laid down on 12 February 1998. The budget for the ship had to be increased several times and ultimately $4.5 billion was spent on her construction. This included a redesigned ship island. Reagan was christened by Reagan's wife Nancy
Nancy Reagan
Nancy Davis Reagan is the widow of former United States President Ronald Reagan and was First Lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989....
on 4 March 2001 at Newport News Shipbuilding, the crew moved aboard on 30 October 2002, and the ship was commissioned
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
on 12 July 2003 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...
, with Captain J. W. Goodwin in command. Vice President
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
Dick Cheney
Dick Cheney
Richard Bruce "Dick" Cheney served as the 46th Vice President of the United States , under George W. Bush....
and Lynne Cheney
Lynne Cheney
Lynne Ann Cheney is the wife of former United States Vice President Dick Cheney and served as the Second Lady of the United States from 2001 to 2009...
were both present at the ceremony, as well as Nancy Reagan, who gave the ship's crew the traditional first order as an active unit of the Navy: "Man the ship and bring her to life." Ronald Reagan made her maiden voyage on 21 July 2003. President Reagan, who did not attend either the launch or the commissioning due to Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
, died eleven months later. At the end of the graveside services
Death and state funeral of Ronald Reagan
On June 5, 2004, Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States, died after having suffered from Alzheimer's disease for nearly a decade. His seven-day state funeral followed, spanning June 5–11...
, the ship's commanding officer at that time, Captain James Symonds
James Symonds
Rear Admiral James A. Symonds is a member of the United States Navy and former Commanding Officer of the USS Ronald Reagan . He had a prominent, symbolic role in the state funeral of former United States President Ronald Reagan in 2004....
, presented the flag that draped the former president's casket to Mrs. Reagan at her request. This was also the flag that had flown over Capitol Hill on 20 January 1981, when the president was inaugurated. At a later date, Captain Symonds also presented Mrs. Reagan the flag that had been flying over Ronald Reagan when the former president died.
Ronald Reagan conducted her maiden port visit in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010...
, from 11–14 November 2003.
Service history
After a five-month post shakedown availability (PSA), Reagan received flight deck certification on 8 May 2004, and then began her transit from Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, around Cape HornCape Horn
Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island...
, South America, to her new homeport 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...
, San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
. However, the official home port will be changed to Bremerton, Washington
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...
for a period of approximately 12 months to begin Jan. 10, 2012 while the ship undergoes repairs.
Carrier Air Wing Eleven
Carrier Air Wing Eleven
Carrier Air Wing Eleven is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz.-Mission:...
, which is normally assigned to , embarked only 25 percent of its total strength for the transit. The squadrons making the transit were VFA-14
VFA-14
The 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...
and VFA-41
VFA-41
Strike Fighter Squadron 41 also known as the "Black Aces", is a United States Navy strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California ....
flying the 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...
, VAW-117
VAW-117
Carrier Airborne Command and Control Squadron One One Seven is a United States Navy airborne early warning squadron. Nicknamed The Wallbangers , it flies the Grumman E-2 Hawkeye, the USN’s only carrier-based command and control platform...
flying the E-2C Hawkeye 2000, HS-6
HS-6
Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron Six Indians is a helicopter squadron of the United States Navy established in 1956. The squadron was comissioned as Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Six and completed transition to Helicopter Sea Combat on 8 July, 2011...
flying the SH-60F Seahawk and VRC-30
VRC-30
Fleet 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:...
flying the C-2A Greyhound. The ship transited the Strait of Magellan
Strait of Magellan
The Strait of Magellan comprises a navigable sea route immediately south of mainland South America and north of Tierra del Fuego...
on 20–21 June and made port visits to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Valparaíso, Chile, and Callao, Peru before arriving in San Diego on 23 July 2004.
2006 maiden deployment
USS Ronald Reagan departed San Diego on 4 January 2006, on her maiden deploymentMaiden 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....
to conduct naval operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, as well as to conduct maritime security operations (MSO) 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...
. The ship entered the Gulf on 22 February 2006, and returned from deployment on 6 July 2006.
2007 surge deployment
USS Ronald Reagan and the Reagan Carrier Strike GroupCarrier Strike Group
A carrier strike group is an operational formation of the United States Navy. It is composed of roughly 7,500 personnel, an aircraft carrier, at least one cruiser, a destroyer squadron of at least two destroyers and/or frigates, and a carrier air wing of 65 to 70 aircraft...
(CSG) departed North Island, Coronado in San Diego on 27 January 2007 on an unscheduled surge deployment to the Western Pacific, fulfilling the role of the forward deployed carrier Kitty Hawk
USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63)
The supercarrier USS Kitty Hawk , formerly CVA-63, was the second naval ship named after Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the site of the Wright brothers' first powered airplane flight...
while it underwent maintenance in Japan. On 20 April 2007, Ronald Reagan and her CSG returned to Coronado. The "surge deployment" was part of the Navy's Fleet Response Plan (FRP), which provides the U.S. with the ability to respond to any global commitment with flexible and sustainable forces and the ability to rapidly respond to a range of situations on short notice.
In January 2007, it was announced that Ronald Reagan had earned the 2006 Commander Naval Air Force, Pacific Carrier Battle Efficiency
Navy E Ribbon
The Battle Efficiency Ribbon, Navy "E" Ribbon, or the Battle "E" ribbon was established in July 1976 by Secretary of the Navy J. William Middendorf. The Navy "E" Ribbon denotes permanent duty on U.S. Navy ships, squadrons, or units that have won a battle efficiency competition after July 1, 1974...
"E" award for the West Coast, the first Battle "E" ever for the carrier. On 28 January 2006, an 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...
strike fighter attempting a night landing aboard Reagan crashed into the ship's 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...
about 200 km (120 miles) southeast of Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
. The aircraft struck the ramp at a low angle, caught fire and skidded overboard. The pilot ejected safely, but the aircraft was lost.
Reagan returned to Naval Air Station North Island on 20 April 2007, following the three-month deployment in support of operations in the Western Pacific.
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
. An Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
teenager whose appendix
Vermiform appendix
The appendix is a blind-ended tube connected to the cecum , from which it develops embryologically. The cecum is a pouchlike structure of the colon...
had ruptured while on a Mexican cruise was airlifted by an SH-60 helicopter to Ronald Reagan, where an emergency appendectomy was performed by the ship's surgeon.
2008 deployment
USS Ronald Reagan, with CVW-14 embarked, departed San Diego on 19 May 2008, for a scheduled 7th FleetUnited States Seventh Fleet
The Seventh Fleet is the United States Navy's permanent forward projection force based in Yokosuka, Japan, with units positioned near Japan and South Korea. It is a component fleet force under the United States Pacific Fleet. At present, it is the largest of the forward-deployed U.S. fleets, with...
and 5th Fleet deployment.
The Reagan Carrier Strike Group performed humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
on 24 June 2008 after that country was devastated by Typhoon Fengshen
Typhoon Fengshen (2008)
Typhoon Fengshen was the sixth named storm and the fourth typhoon recognised by the Japan Meteorological Agency...
, killing hundreds from the central island regions and the main island of Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
. The typhoon also capsized the passenger ferry . Working in support of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Reagan and her escorts of Carrier Strike Group 7 focused their efforts on the island of Panay
Panay
Panay may refer to*Panay Island*Panay *Panay, Capiz*Panay River*Panay Gulf* USS Panay *Panay incident...
in the Central Visayas
Central Visayas
Central Visayas, designated as Region VII, is a region of the Philippines located in the central part of the Visayas island group. It consists of four provinces—Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor— and the highly urbanized cities of Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, and Mandaue City....
. For eight days, SH-60 Seahawk
SH-60 Seahawk
The Sikorsky SH-60/MH-60 Seahawk is a twin turboshaft engine, multi-mission United States Navy helicopter based on the United States Army UH-60 Black Hawk and a member of the Sikorsky S-70 family. The most significant airframe modification is a hinged tail to reduce its footprint aboard ships.The...
helicopters and C-2A Greyhound aircraft of the Ronald Reagan Strike Group helped deliver more than 519,000 lbs. of rice, fresh water and other supplies to areas of Panay, which were not reachable via truck due to flooded roads. The mission in Panay would earn the entire strike group the Navy's Humanitarian Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
The Humanitarian Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States armed forces which was created on January 19, 1977 by President Gerald Ford under...
.
The Strike Group arrived in the U.S. Fifth Fleet area on 28 August 2008, where she launched more than 1,150 sorties into 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...
in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Reagan returned to San Diego on 25 November 2008.
USS Ronald Reagan received word in February 2009 that the ship had won its second Battle Effectiveness Award
Battle Effectiveness Award
The Battle Effectiveness Award , commonly known as the Battle "E", is awarded annually to the small number of U.S...
.
2009 deployment
On May 28, 2009, Reagan deployed with Carrier Air Wing 14 to the 7th and 5th Fleet Areas of Responsibility. Reagan relieved the CSG and launched its first sorties in support of OEF on 6 July. Reagan returned to homeport on 21 October after a five-month deployment.2010
In early 2010, Reagan was awarded the 2009 Chief of Naval Operations Afloat Safety "S" Award. and the 2009 Pacific Fleet Battle "E" for combat efficiency. The Battle "E" award was Reagans second consecutive and third in four years.The "Reagan" participated in the RIMPAC during the summer of 2010
In November 2010, Reagan provided emergency supplies and assistance to passengers stranded aboard the Carnival Splendor
Carnival Splendor
Carnival Splendor is the sole ship of the Splendor class cruise ship, a smaller, modified version of the Concordia class cruise ship, operated by Costa, and is one of the latest of the Carnival Cruise ships to enter the fleet. She entered service on July 2, 2008. At , she was the largest ship in...
, which was rendered inoperable in the Pacific Ocean by an engine fire.
2011
The ship departed for an Asian deployment on 2 February 2011. On 11 March 2011, Reagan was in the Korean peninsula region for a long-planned exercise off KoreaKorea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, but was redirected towards Japan to provide support
Operation Tomodachi
is a United States Armed Forces assistance operation to support Japan in disaster relief following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. As of March 22, 2011, twenty U.S. naval ships, 140 aircraft, and 19,703 Marines and Sailors were involved in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief...
after the massive 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
. The ship, stationed off Sendai, was used as a floating refueling station for Japanese military and coast guard helicopters flying relief missions in the area. US Navy helicopters also flew relief missions from the carrier. On 14 March 2011, the ship was forced to relocate to avoid a radioactive plume from the Fukushima I nuclear accidents which had contaminated 17 crewmembers of three helicopter crews. On March 23, the Reagan's crew conducted a radiation decontamination operation to remove any further radiation hazards from the ship, which included scrubbing down any surface that could have been contaminated, including the flight deck and aircraft.
On 4 April 2011, Japan's minister of defense, Toshimi Kitazawa
Toshimi Kitazawa
is the current Japanese defence minister. He is a politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet . A native of Nagano, Nagano and graduate of Waseda University, he was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 1992 after serving in the...
, accompanied by US ambassador to Japan John Roos
John Roos
John Victor Roos is the United States Ambassador to Japan. Before accepting the ambassadorship from President Barack Obama, Roos was the CEO of Silicon Valley-based law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati....
, visited the ship to thank its crew for its assistance as part of Operation Tomodachi. Said Kitazawa, "I have never been more encouraged by and proud of the fact that the United States is our ally."
The ship returned to San Diego on 9 September 2011.
Commanding officers
- John William "Bill" Goodwin — November 2000 – 28 August 2003
- James A. SymondsJames SymondsRear Admiral James A. Symonds is a member of the United States Navy and former Commanding Officer of the USS Ronald Reagan . He had a prominent, symbolic role in the state funeral of former United States President Ronald Reagan in 2004....
— 28 August 2003 – 17 November 2005 - Terry B. KraftTerry KraftTerry B. Kraft is a Rear Admiral of the United States Navy. As of 2011, he is commander of Carrier Strike Group 12. He was commanding officer of the USS Ronald Reagan .- References :...
— 17 November 2005 – 2 May 2008 - Kenneth Joseph "KJ" Norton – 2 May 2008 – August 2010
- Thom W. Burke – August 2010 – present
See also
- Carrier-based aircraftCarrier-based aircraftCarrier-based aircraft are military aircraft designed specifically for operations from aircraft carriers. The term is generally applied only to fixed-wing aircraft, as naval helicopters are able to operate from a wider variety of aviation-capable ships. Carrier-based aircraft must be relatively...
- Carrier Strike Group FifteenCarrier Strike Group FifteenCarrier Strike Group Fifteen, abbreviated CSG-15 or CARSTRKGRU 15, was one of fourteen U.S. Navy carrier strike groups established on 1 October 2004. U.S...
- List of aircraft carriers of the United States Navy
- List of military aircraft of the United States (naval) / List of US Naval aircraft
- Modern United States Navy carrier air operations
- United States Naval AviatorUnited States Naval AviatorA United States Naval Aviator is a qualified pilot in the United States Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard.-Naming Conventions:Most Naval Aviators are Unrestricted Line Officers; however, a small number of Limited Duty Officers and Chief Warrant Officers are also trained as Naval Aviators.Until 1981...