Posted on 11/04/2012 2:24:57 PM PST by Sub-Driver
USS Enterprise ends last voyage By: Associated Press November 4, 2012 03:20 PM EST
The worlds first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier ended its remarkable career at sea on Sunday when it pulled into its home port for the final time after participating in every major conflict since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.
The USS Enterprise began shutting down its eight nuclear reactors almost as soon as it arrived at its pier at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia, where thousands of cheering family members and friends welcomed the ship home from its 25th and final deployment after nearly eight months at sea. The ship will never move on its own power again and will eventually be scrapped in Washington state, making its final voyage a sentimental one for those who have sailed aboard The Big E.
Copies of the ships daily newspaper, The Shuttle, were in short supply as sailors looked for memorabilia to take with them. Countless personal photos were taken by sailors throughout the ship as it approached shore.
Its exceptionally emotional and exceptionally satisfying, Rear Adm. Ted Carter, commander of the Enterprise Strike Group, said as Naval Station Norfolk came into view and his sailors manned the rails.
However, Carter is the first to say that the Enterprises final deployment was anything but a sentimental victory lap. The ships fighter planes flew more than 2,200 combat sorties and dropped 56 bombs in Afghanistan while supporting U.S. and international ground troops. In a show of force to Iran, the ship also passed through the strategic Strait of Hormuz 10 times, a figure that Carter said is more than double the typical amount.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
Can’t it be given a new mission and kept afloat?
Maybe as a designated Disaster Relief ship?
That’s MY ship...
I signed on the dotted line to serve my country on that ship at the end of a dependents’ cruise out of Alameda, CA...
Did you know that Enterprise had to wait until low tide to make it under the Golden Gate Bridge out of San Fran Bay?
Really neat to see...
That’s MY ship...
I signed on the dotted line to serve my country on that ship at the end of a dependents’ cruise out of Alameda, CA...
Did you know that Enterprise had to wait until low tide to make it under the Golden Gate Bridge out of San Fran Bay?
Really neat to see...
Ooooops...double post...sorry...
Again, hope FR is faster Tues night.
So losing this ship and it’s battle group will reduce our Navy even further?
With this C in C you almost expect to hear they’re retiring the U. S. S. Ronald Reagan.
Thank you for your service.
I am sure the next generation of massive craft will be the latest big E.
But all true Americans are in some sort of mourning now. Or should be.
After that, we always got strange looks from E guys while on liberty.
'Course, it didn't hurt that our CO was the senior Capt in entire Navy, and we carried WAY more brass than Big E.
So we don’t have the CVN Enterprise nor the Shuttle Enterprise.
It’s just not the same USA without an active duty Enterprise somewhere
Thanks for the post SD...
Sure, but why?
She is so big, expensive to operate, burdened with equipment and spaces that would never be used, and on and on.
The Navy deployed 3 LPH's to the NY-NJ area after the storm, and the only purpose they served was as alternate landing areas for helos from gov't agencies operating in the area.
What a waste.
The next several CVN’s are going to be dead Presidents. There is a petition drive on to name CVN-80 the “Enterprise”.
But then again, we now live in a time when navy vessels are named for liberal Congresscritters and Socialist “agents of change”.
I expect there to be a USS Whitney Houston soon - the new class of self-destroyer...
The Navy deployed 3 LPH’s to the NY-NJ area after the storm, and the only purpose they served was as alternate landing areas for helos from gov’t agencies operating in the area.
What a waste.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
If that was the ONLY purpose of the 3 LPH’s, you are correct it is/was a waste.
The ships could (and should) have been utilized as -
Refuge for quite a few people.
3 fully equipped Hospitals with operating rooms.
Able to provide power to the shore.
When USN ships were deployed to overseas ‘disaster’ areas, other than evacuation, you must remember each ship - especially when you get to carriers - etc - is a full grown self supporting city, capable of extending services to others.
So, if underutilized, just another flaming arrow to pitch at the supposed ‘people in charge’.
I remember being in school during March/April 1974 when I looked out over the top of the buildings to see a huge 65 on the super structure of the Big E heading out to sea. I was 17, and had never seen anything so tall in my life.
RIP Enterprise.
'Nuff said.
They won't retire it, but they do plan to rechristen it the U.S.S. Maya Angelou. :-P
I have to ask as an utterly bewildered 75 year-old American who remembers WWII and it's heroes, what on God's earth has happened to America and it's electorate that has brought us to this shameful point in our history as the greatest nation that has ever existed on earth? We are now at the place where anything goes in both the realms of legality and morality whether it is destructive to our liberties and even our very existence. Any perverted lifestyle or degree of moral depravity is now perfectly acceptable as long as it feels good and is "fair" to even the most depraved freakazoids and hate filled leftists among us.
How much longer will the God of Heaven who gave this nation to our sainted forefathers to hold in trust for us their progeny tolerate what is going on in our nation both politically and morally? Not much longer I'm afraid.
Sorry to bring my frustrations to this thread. I know I'm an old curmugeon(sp?) who is way out of today's political/social/moral mainstream, but I seem to be unable to cope with my frustration in silence.
I must be the first human to cough up a fur-ball thanks to you.
;^)
good points
The Enterprise is an old ship - 51 hard years in service. In recent years it has increasingly become hard to maintain. Vessels like this begin to eat naval budgets alive late in their service lives, at least if they’re to be kept seaworthy, and not just harbor queens. The reactors are nearing the end of their operational lifespans. As sad as it may be, better to decommission her and spend naval funds on constructing newer Ford-class carriers.
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