Dwight Eisenhower (CVN 69) - Naval Cruise Book

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After a four month inport period for stand down and repairs, workups began again in November 1979. November also brought the news that IKE had won the COMNAVAIRLANT Battle Efficiency Award for best overall carrier in the Atlantic Fleet, along with six departmental awards. A month later, IKE received the Admiral Flatley Aviation Safety Award. January 1980 brought another trip to GITMO and February and March saw the continuation of Type Training in the Roosevelt Roads operating area and the announcement that IKE would deploy in April to relieve USS NIMITZ on Gonzo Station in the Arabian Sea. This book commemorates the history of IKE from November 1979 to December 22, 1980, the date IKE returned home from a record setting Indian Ocean deployment with her second consecutive COMNAVAIRLANT Battle Ef- ficiency Award for best overall carrier in the Atlantic Fleet, along with another six depart- mental awards.

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IKE ' S HISTORY Construction of USS CWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (CVN-69), the third nuclear carrier ever built, was author- ized by Congress in Fiscal Year 1970. Construction continued for the next five years, and on October 11, 1975, IKE was christened and launched by the ship ' s sponsor, the late Mrs. Mamie Eisenhower. Work continued, and in mid-April 1977 the precommissioning crew moved aboard ship. On July 15, 1977, IKE was officially placed in Service and was recognized as a sea-duty command, and later that month went on Builder ' s Sea Trials. After a three month post shakedown availability, IKE went back to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and Roosevelt Roads operating area for more training. In January 1979 IKE departed Norfolk for her first extended cruise, to the Mediterranean. The six month cruise saw port visits to Naples, Athens, Haifa, Venice, Livorno, and Lisbon, before returning in July 1979. On October 18, 1977, all the work of the precommissioning crew culminat- ed in IKE ' S commissioning, where-by DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER officially became a United States Ship and achieved special status in internation- al law by her placement into active service in the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. In the following month IKE departed Norfolk for training at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and after the Christmas holidays, traveled to the Roosevelt Roads operating area. On March 17, 1978, IKE proclaimed United States, arriving , and Pre- sident Jimmy Carter emerged from an SH-3 helicopter for a tour of the ship and to view a Combined Weapons Training Exercise.

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Captain James H. Mauldin U.S. Navy Commanding Officer James H. Mauldin, a native of Brewster, Florida, enrolled in Georgia Institute of Technology where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physics in 1953. He then taught Engineering Physics and did research work in Radio Frequency and Microwave Spectroscopy and earned his Master of Science Degree at Georgia Tech in 1955. Following of graduation, Captain Mauldin was commissioned an Ensign and underwent Navy flight training at Pensacola, Florida, and at Corpus Christi, Texas. From September 1956 to August 1959, he served as a pilot and administrative officer with Attack Squadron Thirty-five at the Naval Air Station, Jacksonville, Florida. From September 1959 to June 1963, he attended California Institute of Technology where he earned a Master of Science Degree and the Degree of Aeronautical Engineer. Following tours of duty with Attack Squadrons Forty-four and Thirty-four, Captain Mauldin reported to USS SARATOGA (CV60) in March 1966 where he served as aircraft handling officer. From April 1968 to June 1969, he served with the Operations Study Group in Washing- ton, D.C., followed by a tour with Attack Squadron One Twenty-two from July through October 1969. From November 1969 to June 1971, he served first as Executive Officer, then as Commanding Officer, of Attack Squadron One Fifty-five. In July 1971, he began Nuclear Power Training at the Nuclear Power School in Vallejo, California. in December 1972, he reported to the NIMITZ Precommissioning Unit at Newport News, Virginia, as Executive Officer, and was Executive Officer of USS NIMITZ (CVN 68) from the time of the ship ' s commissioning in May 1975 until April 1976. Prior to assum- ing command of USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER in February 1979, Cap- tain Mauldin served as Commanding Officer of USS SEATTLE (AOE 3). Captain Mauldin has been awarded the Navy Commendation medal, the Air Medal, the Bronze Star, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. He is married to the former Mary Inman Bell of Atlanta, Georgia. The couple have two daughters, Marise and Lori Ann.