Carl Vinson (CVN 70) - Naval Cruise Book

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n ' .1 ' : t : USS CARL VINSON, the third in a series of Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, was constructed at the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company in Virginia and officially commissioned on March 13, 1982. Construction began in October 1975, and with two-thirds of the ship completed, it was christened on March 15, 1980. In attendance that day was CVN-70 ' s namesake, Congressman Carl Vinson, the first man to witness the launching of a U.S. warship named in his honor. The stong willed Georgian spent more than 50 years in the house of Representatives, and served a record 29 years as Chairman of the House Naval Affairs and Armed Services Committee, becoming a powerful champion of military preparedness. Through nine administrations, he fostered the notion that a strong defense was the best way to ensure peace. His leadership and legislative skill helped introduce measures that created the two-ocean Navy, expanded the naval aviation forces, and tremendously increased the number of ships in the Navy. He also guided the establishment of the Air Force Academy and the introduction of nuclear power to the Navy. Senator Sam Nunn (D-Ga), Vinson ' s grandnephew and the principal speaker at the launching, called the 1,092-foot ship the mightiest ever constructed and added that his 96-year-old great uncle was too. Carl Vinson died in 1981 at the age of 98. The crew of the GOLD EAGLE continues to proudly serve in the same diligent and committed fashion as a living legacy of Congressman Vinson. 11

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- Coa e man Cad Vwoh V -.

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Nickname GOLD EAGLE Builder NEWPORT News shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newport News, Virginia Keel Laid October 11, 1975 Launched March 15, 1980 Commissioned March 13, 1982 Cost a98(n Approximately 1.3 billion dollars Propulsion Nuclear, with enough fuel for 15 years of normal operation Speed 30+ knots Number of reactors Two Length over flight deck 1,092 feet Breadth at flight deck 252 feet Area of flight deck 4.5 acres Number of aircraft elevators Four Height. Keel to Mast 244 feet (equal to a 24 story building) Anchors Two at 30 tons each Combat Load Displacement 95,000 tons Propellers Four, at 21 feet high and 66,200 pounds each Number of telephones Over 2,000 Weight of Rudders 65.5 tons each Capacity of Air Conditioning Plants 3,240 (enough to serve over 10,000 homes Daily Capacity of Distilling Plants 400,000 gallons of fresh water (enough for the daily needs of 20,000 homes)