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USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71)
Encyclopedia
USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) (also known by crewmembers as "the Big Stick" or within the navy simply as TR) 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
. She was launched in 1984, saw her first action during Operation Desert Storm in 1991, and is currently homeported at Newport News Shipyard, Virginia.
.
TR's history began on 30 September 1980, when a contract was awarded for "Hull 624D" to Newport News Shipbuilding
.
Her keel was laid down on 31 October 1981, with Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger
initiating the first weld. On 3 November 1981, Secretary of the Navy John F. Lehman announced that the carrier would be named for the 26th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt.
TR was the first aircraft carrier to be assembled using modular construction, wherein large modules are independently constructed in "lay-down" areas, prior to being hoisted into place and welded together. Modular construction, made possible through the use of a huge gantry crane capable of lifting 900 tons, cut 16 months off TR's construction time, and the technique has been used on every aircraft carrier since.
The Navy's Pre Commissioning Unit (PCU) was formed in February 1984, with Captain Paul W. Parcells named the Commanding Officer.
On 27 October 1984 the ship was officially christened
by Mrs. Barbara Lehman, wife of Secretary Lehman. On 25 October 1986, Theodore Roosevelt was commissioned
to active service at Newport News.
on 30 December 1988 with Carrier Air Wing Eight
embarked. The ship patrolled the Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, and Persian Gulf prior to returning on 30 June 1989.
Theodore Roosevelt was awarded the 1989 Battle "E" from Commander, Naval Air Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet
on 20 March 1990.
on 16 January 1991. With the commencement of Operation Desert Storm on 15 January 1991, Theodore Roosevelt began combat operations; eventually flying over 4,200 sorties (more than any other carrier) and dropping more than 4,800,000 pounds of ordnance before the cease-fire on 28 February.
When Iraq
i forces turned on the Kurd
s, Theodore Roosevelt and CVW-8 were among the first coalition forces in Operation Provide Comfort
, flying patrols over northern Iraq. After a 189-day deployment, with 169 days at sea, Theodore Roosevelt returned to Norfolk on 28 June 1991. On 14 February 1992, the ship won her second Battle "E". This was followed by the award of the Battenberg Cup
for 1991 as the Atlantic Fleet's premier ship.
While the ship was still in the Virginia Capes
operating area, President Bill Clinton
flew aboard for several hours for his first visit to a U.S. Navy ship.
TR operated in the Adriatic
as CVW-8 planes enforced Operation Deny Flight
in the U.S. no-fly zone over Bosnia
. In June, on the way to only her second port visit, Theodore Roosevelt was ordered instead to transit the Suez Canal
en-route to the Red Sea
to participate in Operation Southern Watch
, enforcing the no-fly zone over Iraq.
Deployed for 184 days, Theodore Roosevelt spent 169 days under way prior to return in September 1993. For the accomplishments of her crew, the ship received her second Meritorious Unit Commendation
.
From November 1993 to April 1994, Theodore Roosevelt conducted a Selected Restricted Availability (SRA) at Norfolk Naval Shipyard
(NNSY), completing ahead of schedule.
On 10 March 1994, Theodore Roosevelt received its third Battle "E". Then on 3 June, Theodore Roosevelt was awarded her second Battenberg Cup
as the best ship in the Atlantic Fleet.
Theodore Roosevelt and CVW-8 began their fourth deployment in March 1995, operating in the Red Sea
in support of Operation Southern Watch over Iraq, and Operations Deny Flight
and Sharp Guard
over the skies of Bosnia and in the Adriatic operating areas. Deny Flight evolved into Operation Deliberate Force, as CVW-8 aircraft led NATO strikes against strategic Bosnian Serb targets in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The Theodore Roosevelt Battle Group returned to Norfolk, Virginia in September 1995 and was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation
for its Bosnia operations.
Theodore Roosevelt deployed for her fifth deployment on 25 November 1996, with CVW-3 embarked, in support of Operation Southern Watch in the Mediterranean and Persian Gulf
. The ship returned from deployment in May 1997.
On 8 July 1997, Theodore Roosevelt entered the Newport News Shipbuilding yard for a one-year Extended Drydock and Selected Restricted Availability (EDSRA) , her first major overhaul since commissioning. Theodore Roosevelt returned to her homeport of Norfolk Naval Station
on 2 July 1998.
From 1 February to 4 March 1999 Theodore Roosevelt participated in a large navy exercise called JTFEX / TMDI99 along with the Brazilian navy and several NATO navies. During the exercise Theodore Roosevelt was 'sunk' by a Dutch submarine called the Walrus (2) along with 8 other US ships, many of which were part of Theodore Roosevelts escorts.
Theodore Roosevelt began her sixth deployment on 26 March 1999 with CVW-8 embarked. They were immediately called to duty in the Ionian Sea
to support NATO's Operation Allied Force
. Theodore Roosevelt and CVW-8 aircraft conducted air strikes for two months over the skies of Kosovo
against the Serbians. TR and CVW-8 were then dispatched to support Operation Southern Watch, enforcing the "no-fly" zone over Southern Iraq
. Theodore Roosevelt returned to her homeport of Norfolk, Va., on 24 September 1999.
On 10 January 2000, Theodore Roosevelt entered a Planned Incremental Availability (PIA) at the Norfolk Naval Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Virginia
for a six month maintenance period.
. On the night of 4 October 2001, Theodore Roosevelt and CVW-1 launched the initial strikes of Operation Enduring Freedom against al-Qaeda
in Afghanistan
from the North Arabian Sea. Theodore Roosevelt spent 159 consecutive days at sea, breaking the record longest period underway since WWII. Theodore Roosevelt returned to her homeport 27 March 2002, and was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation
, 2001 Battenberg Cup
, and 2001 Battle E.
From April to October 2002, TR conducted a Planned Incremental Availability maintenance period at Norfolk Naval Ship Yard.
Theodore Roosevelt got underway on 6 January for a scheduled month-long training period in the Puerto Rican Operating Area. Near the end of January, TR received orders to proceed across the Atlantic to the Mediterranean Sea. Strike Fighter Squadron 201
, based at Naval Air Station Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth
, Texas, was ordered to active duty as a unit of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8, the first Naval Reserve
squadron to deploy aboard an aircraft carrier since the Korean War
. TR arrived on station in the Eastern Mediterranean in February. On 22 March 2003 Theodore Roosevelt, along with USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75)
, began launching air strikes into Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. TR returned home on 26 May, and was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation
, the Navy Unit Citation, and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
.
On 19 February 2004, TR entered a ten-month Docked Planned Incremental Availability (DPIA) at NNSY in Portsmouth. Major systems overhauled included AC systems, Steam and CHT (sewage) systems, 1MC (announcing) systems, communication, navigation, and detection suites, weapons elevator overhauls, propeller replacement, hull cleaning and painting, and sea valve replacement, to name a few. TR came out of dry-dock in August and completed the maintenance availability on 17 December 2004.
On 1 September 2005, TR deployed with Carrier Air Wing Eight
embarked for a routine six-month mission to the Persian Gulf in support of OIF., transiting the Suez Canal
on 27 September and launching OIF missions beginning 6 October. This deployment was the last cruise for the F-14 Tomcat
before its retirement in 2006. The TR carried two Tomcat squadrons, VF-31
(Tomcatters) and VF-213 (Black Lions). Theodore Roosevelt returned to home port on 11 March 2006.
Shortly after this cruise, the TR earned the "Jig Dog" Ramage Carrier and Carrier Air Wing Operational Excellence Award, which is a Navy-wide award that is selected jointly by Type Commanders (TYCOM) and is presented to the Carrier/Air Wing team with the best performance as an integrated unit.
On 7 March 2007 Teddy Roosevelt began a nine month Planned Incremental Availability (PIA) in Norfolk, which saw the addition of RAM missiles among other upgrades. The ship returned to Naval Station Norfolk on 28 November 2007.
CVW-8 and Theodore Roosevelt participated in Joint Task Force Exercise 08-4 Operation Brimstone off the coast of North Carolina
between 21 July and 31 July 2008. The British carrier , the amphibious assault ship with associated units and the Brazilian Navy
frigate Greenhalgh (F-46)
and the French submarine Améthyste also participated in the event.
Roosevelt left Norfolk on 8 September 2008 for a scheduled deployment to the Middle East with Carrier Air Wing Eight
embarked. On 4 October 2008 the ship stopped at Cape Town
, South Africa. This was the first visit to Cape Town by a nuclear-powered vessel since the German cargo ship Otto Hahn
in the 1970s. Due to poor weather, approximately half of the ship's crew was unable to go ashore on liberty
. The ship made four subsequent port stops in Jebel Ali
, UAE, including one during the Christmas holiday. CVW-8 and CVN-71 supported Operation Enduring Freedom and flew more than 3,100 sorties and dropped more than 59,500 pounds of ordnance while providing Close Air Support
for ISAF
-forces in Afghanistan.
On 21 March 2009 Theodore Roosevelt was relieved by USS Dwight D. Eisenhower
. The carrier arrived at Norfolk on 18 April.
On 26 August 2009 defense contractor Northrop Grumman
was awarded a 2.4 billion dollar contract for Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH) of Theodore Roosevelt which is expected to completed by February 2013.
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...
. Her radio call sign
Call sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...
is Rough Rider, the name of President Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
's volunteer cavalry unit
Rough Riders
The Rough Riders is the name bestowed on the 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry, one of three such regiments raised in 1898 for the Spanish-American War and the only one of the three to see action. The United States Army was weakened and left with little manpower after the American Civil War...
during the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
. She was launched in 1984, saw her first action during Operation Desert Storm in 1991, and is currently homeported at Newport News Shipyard, Virginia.
Design and construction
Roosevelt and those Nimitz-class vessels completed after her have slight structural differences from the earlier carriers (Nimitz and Eisenhower), and improved protection for ordnance storage in her magazinesMagazine (artillery)
Magazine is the name for an item or place within which ammunition is stored. It is taken from the Arabic word "makahazin" meaning "warehouse".-Ammunition storage areas:...
.
TR's history began on 30 September 1980, when a contract was awarded for "Hull 624D" to Newport News Shipbuilding
Northrop 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...
.
Her keel was laid down on 31 October 1981, with Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger
Caspar Weinberger
Caspar Willard "Cap" Weinberger , was an American politician, vice president and general counsel of Bechtel Corporation, and Secretary of Defense under President Ronald Reagan from January 21, 1981, until November 23, 1987, making him the third longest-serving defense secretary to date, after...
initiating the first weld. On 3 November 1981, Secretary of the Navy John F. Lehman announced that the carrier would be named for the 26th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt.
TR was the first aircraft carrier to be assembled using modular construction, wherein large modules are independently constructed in "lay-down" areas, prior to being hoisted into place and welded together. Modular construction, made possible through the use of a huge gantry crane capable of lifting 900 tons, cut 16 months off TR's construction time, and the technique has been used on every aircraft carrier since.
The Navy's Pre Commissioning Unit (PCU) was formed in February 1984, with Captain Paul W. Parcells named the Commanding Officer.
On 27 October 1984 the ship was officially christened
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...
by Mrs. Barbara Lehman, wife of Secretary Lehman. On 25 October 1986, Theodore Roosevelt 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...
to active service at Newport News.
Maiden Deployment
After sea trials and pre-deployment work ups, Theodore Roosevelt started 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....
on 30 December 1988 with Carrier Air Wing Eight
Carrier Air Wing Eight
Carrier Air Wing Eight , 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 USS George H.W...
embarked. The ship patrolled the Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, and Persian Gulf prior to returning on 30 June 1989.
Theodore Roosevelt was awarded the 1989 Battle "E" from Commander, Naval Air Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet
Commander, Naval Air Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet
Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet is the aviation Type Commander for the United States Atlantic Fleet naval aviation units...
on 20 March 1990.
Gulf war
On 28 December 1990, Theodore Roosevelt and CVW-8 deployed for Operation Desert Shield, arriving in the Persian GulfPersian 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 16 January 1991. With the commencement of Operation Desert Storm on 15 January 1991, Theodore Roosevelt began combat operations; eventually flying over 4,200 sorties (more than any other carrier) and dropping more than 4,800,000 pounds of ordnance before the cease-fire on 28 February.
When 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....
i forces turned on the Kurd
Kürd
Kürd or Kyurd or Kyurt may refer to:*Kürd Eldarbəyli, Azerbaijan*Kürd Mahrızlı, Azerbaijan*Kürd, Goychay, Azerbaijan*Kürd, Jalilabad, Azerbaijan*Kürd, Qabala, Azerbaijan*Qurdbayram, Azerbaijan...
s, Theodore Roosevelt and CVW-8 were among the first coalition forces in Operation Provide Comfort
Operation Provide Comfort
Operation Provide Comfort and Provide Comfort II were military operations by the United States and some of its Gulf War allies, starting in April 1991, to defend Kurds fleeing their homes in northern Iraq in the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War and deliver humanitarian aid to them.-Operation...
, flying patrols over northern Iraq. After a 189-day deployment, with 169 days at sea, Theodore Roosevelt returned to Norfolk on 28 June 1991. On 14 February 1992, the ship won her second Battle "E". This was followed by the award of the Battenberg Cup
Battenberg Cup
The Battenberg Cup is an award given annually as a symbol of operational excellence to the best ship or submarine in the United States Navy Atlantic Fleet. The cup was originally awarded as a trophy to the winner of cutter or longboat rowing competitions between crews of American and British naval...
for 1991 as the Atlantic Fleet's premier ship.
1993-1999
Theodore Roosevelt began her third deployment on 11 March 1993, again with CVW-8 embarked. Also embarked was a Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force (SPMAGTF), in a test the concept of embarking a multi-purpose Marine force in a carrier.While the ship was still in the Virginia Capes
Virginia Capes
The Virginia Capes are the two capes, Cape Charles to the north and Cape Henry to the south, that define the entrance to Chesapeake Bay on the eastern coast of North America....
operating area, President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
flew aboard for several hours for his first visit to a U.S. Navy ship.
TR operated in the Adriatic
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
as CVW-8 planes enforced 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...
in the U.S. no-fly zone over Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
. In June, on the way to only her second port visit, Theodore Roosevelt was ordered instead 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...
en-route to 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...
to participate in 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...
, enforcing the no-fly zone over Iraq.
Deployed for 184 days, Theodore Roosevelt spent 169 days under way prior to return in September 1993. For the accomplishments of her crew, the ship received her second 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....
.
From November 1993 to April 1994, Theodore Roosevelt conducted a Selected Restricted Availability (SRA) at 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...
(NNSY), completing ahead of schedule.
On 10 March 1994, Theodore Roosevelt received its third Battle "E". Then on 3 June, Theodore Roosevelt was awarded her second Battenberg Cup
Battenberg Cup
The Battenberg Cup is an award given annually as a symbol of operational excellence to the best ship or submarine in the United States Navy Atlantic Fleet. The cup was originally awarded as a trophy to the winner of cutter or longboat rowing competitions between crews of American and British naval...
as the best ship in the Atlantic Fleet.
Theodore Roosevelt and CVW-8 began their fourth deployment in March 1995, operating 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...
in support of Operation Southern Watch over Iraq, and Operations 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...
and Sharp Guard
Operation Sharp Guard
Operation Sharp Guard was a multi-year joint naval blockade in the Adriatic Sea by NATO and the Western European Union on shipments to the former Yugoslavia. Warships and maritime patrol aircraft from 14 countries were involved in searching for and stopping blockade runners.The operation began on...
over the skies of Bosnia and in the Adriatic operating areas. Deny Flight evolved into Operation Deliberate Force, as CVW-8 aircraft led NATO strikes against strategic Bosnian Serb targets in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The Theodore Roosevelt Battle Group returned to Norfolk, Virginia in September 1995 and 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...
for its Bosnia operations.
Theodore Roosevelt deployed for her fifth deployment on 25 November 1996, with CVW-3 embarked, in support of Operation Southern Watch in the Mediterranean and 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 returned from deployment in May 1997.
On 8 July 1997, Theodore Roosevelt entered the Newport News Shipbuilding yard for a one-year Extended Drydock and Selected Restricted Availability (EDSRA) , her first major overhaul since commissioning. Theodore Roosevelt returned to her homeport of Norfolk Naval Station
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...
on 2 July 1998.
From 1 February to 4 March 1999 Theodore Roosevelt participated in a large navy exercise called JTFEX / TMDI99 along with the Brazilian navy and several NATO navies. During the exercise Theodore Roosevelt was 'sunk' by a Dutch submarine called the Walrus (2) along with 8 other US ships, many of which were part of Theodore Roosevelts escorts.
Theodore Roosevelt began her sixth deployment on 26 March 1999 with CVW-8 embarked. They were immediately called to duty in the Ionian Sea
Ionian Sea
The Ionian Sea , is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. It is bounded by southern Italy including Calabria, Sicily and the Salento peninsula to the west, southern Albania to the north, and a large number of Greek islands, including Corfu, Zante, Kephalonia, Ithaka, and...
to support NATO's Operation Allied Force
Operation Allied Force
The NATO bombing of Yugoslavia was NATO's military operation against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The strikes lasted from March 24, 1999 to June 10, 1999...
. Theodore Roosevelt and CVW-8 aircraft conducted air strikes for two months over the skies of Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
against the Serbians. TR and CVW-8 were then dispatched to support Operation Southern Watch, enforcing the "no-fly" zone over Southern 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....
. Theodore Roosevelt returned to her homeport of Norfolk, Va., on 24 September 1999.
On 10 January 2000, Theodore Roosevelt entered a Planned Incremental Availability (PIA) at the Norfolk Naval Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the city had a total population of 95,535.The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard, is a historic and active U.S...
for a six month maintenance period.
2000s
After the 11 September attacks, Theodore Roosevelt began her seventh deployment earlier than planned on 19 September 2001 with Carrier Air Wing OneCarrier Air Wing One
Carrier Air Wing One 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:...
. On the night of 4 October 2001, Theodore Roosevelt and CVW-1 launched the initial strikes of Operation Enduring Freedom against 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...
in 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...
from the North Arabian Sea. Theodore Roosevelt spent 159 consecutive days at sea, breaking the record longest period underway since WWII. Theodore Roosevelt returned to her homeport 27 March 2002, and 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...
, 2001 Battenberg Cup
Battenberg Cup
The Battenberg Cup is an award given annually as a symbol of operational excellence to the best ship or submarine in the United States Navy Atlantic Fleet. The cup was originally awarded as a trophy to the winner of cutter or longboat rowing competitions between crews of American and British naval...
, and 2001 Battle E.
From April to October 2002, TR conducted a Planned Incremental Availability maintenance period at Norfolk Naval Ship Yard.
Theodore Roosevelt got underway on 6 January for a scheduled month-long training period in the Puerto Rican Operating Area. Near the end of January, TR received orders to proceed across the Atlantic to the Mediterranean Sea. Strike Fighter Squadron 201
VFA-201
The VFA-201, Strike Fighter Squadron was an aviation unit of the United States Naval Reserve based at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas . It was established in 1970 as part of Reserve Carrier Air Wing 20 and disestablished in 2007...
, based at Naval Air Station Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth
Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth
Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base or NAS Fort Worth JRB includes Carswell Field, a military airfield located west of the central business district of Fort Worth, in Tarrant County, Texas, United States. This military airfield is operated by United States Navy...
, Texas, was ordered to active duty as a unit of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8, the first Naval Reserve
United States Navy Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve, until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the Reserve Component of the United States Navy...
squadron to deploy aboard an aircraft carrier since the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. TR arrived on station in the Eastern Mediterranean in February. On 22 March 2003 Theodore Roosevelt, along with USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75)
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...
, began launching air strikes into Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. TR returned home on 26 May, and was awarded the 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....
, the Navy Unit Citation, and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
The Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal is a United States armed forces military award created by George W. Bush on March 12, 2003 by Executive Order 13289. It recognizes those military service members who have deployed overseas in direct service to the War on Terror from September 11,...
.
On 1 September 2005, TR deployed with Carrier Air Wing Eight
Carrier Air Wing Eight
Carrier Air Wing Eight , 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 USS George H.W...
embarked for a routine six-month mission to the Persian Gulf in support of OIF., 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 27 September and launching OIF missions beginning 6 October. This deployment was the last cruise for the F-14 Tomcat
F-14 Tomcat
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental program following the collapse of the F-111B project...
before its retirement in 2006. The TR carried two Tomcat squadrons, VF-31
VF-31
VFA-31 or Strike Fighter Squadron 31 is known as the Tomcatters, callsign "Felix", a United States Navy strike fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana flying the F/A-18E Super Hornet.-Squadron insignia and nickname:...
(Tomcatters) and VF-213 (Black Lions). Theodore Roosevelt returned to home port on 11 March 2006.
Shortly after this cruise, the TR earned the "Jig Dog" Ramage Carrier and Carrier Air Wing Operational Excellence Award, which is a Navy-wide award that is selected jointly by Type Commanders (TYCOM) and is presented to the Carrier/Air Wing team with the best performance as an integrated unit.
On 7 March 2007 Teddy Roosevelt began a nine month Planned Incremental Availability (PIA) in Norfolk, which saw the addition of RAM missiles among other upgrades. The ship returned to Naval Station Norfolk on 28 November 2007.
CVW-8 and Theodore Roosevelt participated in Joint Task Force Exercise 08-4 Operation Brimstone off the coast of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
between 21 July and 31 July 2008. The British carrier , the amphibious assault ship with associated units and the Brazilian Navy
Brazilian Navy
The Brazilian Navy is a branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces responsible for conducting naval operations. It is the largest navy in Latin America...
frigate Greenhalgh (F-46)
HMS Broadsword (F88)
HMS Broadsword was the lead ship and first Batch 1 unit of the Type 22 frigates of the Royal Navy.-Service:While on sea trials, Broadsword was called into service as the command ship during the large rescue operation required after storms struck the 1979 Fastnet race.Broadsword took part in the...
and the French submarine Améthyste also participated in the event.
Roosevelt left Norfolk on 8 September 2008 for a scheduled deployment to the Middle East with Carrier Air Wing Eight
Carrier Air Wing Eight
Carrier Air Wing Eight , 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 USS George H.W...
embarked. On 4 October 2008 the ship stopped at Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, South Africa. This was the first visit to Cape Town by a nuclear-powered vessel since the German cargo ship Otto Hahn
Otto Hahn (ship)
Otto Hahn was one of only four nuclear-powered cargo vessels so far built. Planning of a German-built trade and research vessel to test the feasibility of nuclear power in civil service began in 1960, and Otto Hahns keel was laid down in 1963 by Howaldtswerke Deutsche Werft AG of Kiel...
in the 1970s. Due to poor weather, approximately half of the ship's crew was unable to go ashore on liberty
Liberty
Liberty is a moral and political principle, or Right, that identifies the condition in which human beings are able to govern themselves, to behave according to their own free will, and take responsibility for their actions...
. The ship made four subsequent port stops in Jebel Ali
Jebel Ali
Jebel Ali is a port town, located 35 kilometres southwest of the city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates . The village has a thriving expatriate community with over 300 residents. The area is also home to "5,500 companies from 120 countries"....
, UAE, including one during the Christmas holiday. CVW-8 and CVN-71 supported Operation Enduring Freedom and flew more than 3,100 sorties and dropped more than 59,500 pounds of ordnance while providing Close Air Support
Close air support
In military tactics, close air support is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are close to friendly forces, and which requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement of these forces.The determining factor for CAS is...
for ISAF
International Security Assistance Force
The International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
-forces in Afghanistan.
On 21 March 2009 Theodore Roosevelt was relieved by USS Dwight D. Eisenhower
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69)
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower 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 supercarriers currently in service, and is the first ship named after the thirty-fourth President of the United States, Dwight D....
. The carrier arrived at Norfolk on 18 April.
On 26 August 2009 defense contractor Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American global aerospace and defense technology company formed by the 1994 purchase of Grumman by Northrop. The company was the fourth-largest defense contractor in the world as of 2010, and the largest builder of naval vessels. Northrop Grumman employs over...
was awarded a 2.4 billion dollar contract for Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH) of Theodore Roosevelt which is expected to completed by February 2013.
Ship awards
- Joint Meritorious Unit AwardJoint Meritorious Unit AwardThe Joint Meritorious Unit Award is a military award that was established on June 4, 1981 by Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger and was implemented by Department of Defense Directive 1348.27 dated July 22, 1982...
- Navy Unit CommendationNavy Unit CommendationThe 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...
(3 awards) – 1991, 1995, 2001 - Meritorious Unit CommendationMeritorious Unit CommendationThe 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....
– 1993 - Battle Efficiency AwardBattle Efficiency AwardThe Battle Effectiveness Award , commonly known as the Battle "E", is awarded annually to the small number of U.S...
(4 awards) – 1989, 1991, 1993, 2000 - National Defense Service MedalNational Defense Service MedalThe National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...
- Armed Forces Expeditionary MedalArmed Forces Expeditionary MedalThe 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...
- Southwest Asia Service MedalSouthwest Asia Service MedalThe 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...
(3 campaigns) - Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary MedalGlobal War on Terrorism Expeditionary MedalThe Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal is a United States armed forces military award created by George W. Bush on March 12, 2003 by Executive Order 13289. It recognizes those military service members who have deployed overseas in direct service to the War on Terror from September 11,...
- Armed Forces Service MedalArmed Forces Service MedalThe Armed Forces Service Medal is a military award of the United States military which was created on January 11, 1996 by President Bill Clinton under...
(2 campaigns) - Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (9 campaigns)
- NATO MedalNATO MedalThe NATO Medal is an international military decoration which is awarded to various militaries of the world under the authority of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization . It is manufactured by Eekelers - Centini, International, of Hemiksem, Belgium...
- Kuwaiti Liberation MedalKuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)The Naut Tahrir al-Kuwait was instituted by King Fahd ibn Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia for service during the Liberation of Kuwait campaign.- Background :...
(Saudi Arabia) - Kuwait Liberation MedalKuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)The Wisam Al-Tahrir was issued by the government of Kuwait for service during the Liberation of Kuwait campaign.-Description:The Kuwait Liberation Medal was approved by the Kuwait Council of Ministers for award in five classes, generally according to the rank of the recipient...
(Kuwait) - Battenberg CupBattenberg CupThe Battenberg Cup is an award given annually as a symbol of operational excellence to the best ship or submarine in the United States Navy Atlantic Fleet. The cup was originally awarded as a trophy to the winner of cutter or longboat rowing competitions between crews of American and British naval...
(3 awards) - 1991, 1993, 2001 - Golden Anchor / Retention Excellence Award (5 awards) - 1988, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997
- Security Excellence Award (2 awards) - 1996, 2009
- Capt Edward F. Ney Memorial Award for Outstanding Food Service (2 awards) - 2001, 2002
External links
- Official Theodore Roosevelt web site
- An unofficial USS Theodore Roosevelt webpage
- USS Theodore Roosevelt history at U.S. Carriers
- USS Theodore Roosevelt on Google Maps
- USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) Story Archive - U.S. Navy
- USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) News - U.S. Navy
- USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) command histories – Naval History & Heritage Command