Dwight Eisenhower (CVN 69) - Naval Cruise Book

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United States Ship | Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) ' 9 H : -V i i. - -J f Mission: ' V To provide sea-based tactical air power for th efense of America ' s right to freedom of the seas as well as the protection of United States ' sovereignty. To perform this mission, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) is capable of projecting tactical air power over the sea and inland, as well as providing sea-based air defense, anti-submarine and anti-surface capabilities. . .v- E -.i ' «s. A-

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T¥y¥T Two decades of XJ!vE « comTnitment to freedom FY 1970 Constru ction of the U.S. Navy ' s third nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and second Nimitz-class carrier authorized by Congress Aug. 15. 1970 IKE ' S keel laid at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. Oct. 11, 1975 Mrs. Mamie Doud Eisenhower christens Aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) Feb. 9. 1977 Nuclear heart of IKE begins, as Reactor no. 2 goes critical Sept. 15, 1977 First arrested landing aboard IKE Oct. 18. 1977 USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) is commissioned into the fleet Oct. 21, 1977 First jet catapult launch Jan. 16 - July 13, 1979 First Mediterranean Sea deployment April 15 - Dec. 22, 1980 IKE deployed to Indian Ocean Included operations during Iranian hostage crisis Aug. 20 - Oct. 7, 1981 North Atlantic NATO operations Jan. 5 - July 13, 1982 Mediterranean Sea deployment Included participation in Lebanon evacuation April 27 - Dec. 2, 1983 Mediterranean Se a deployment May 19 - June 19, 1984 North Atlantic operations Oct. 10, 1984 - May 8, 1985 Mediterranean Sea deployment Sept. 9 - 19, 1985 Reserve operations with CVWR-20, Western Atlantic Oct. 26, 1985 - April 25, 1987 Complex overhaul Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. Aug 20, 1987 100,000th arrested landing on IKE Feb. 29 - Aug. 29. 1988 Mediterranean Sea deployment July 24 - Aug. 3, 1989 Reserve operations with CVWR-20, Western Atlantic March 8 - Sept. 12, 1990 Mediterranean Sea Red Sea deployment Included responding to Iraq invasion of Kuwait and celebration of the Eisenhower Centennial IGi i i iiciic

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Building Construction of the third nuclear-powered and second Nlmitz-class aircraft carrier, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), was authorized by Congress in fiscal year 1970. The carrier, named after the 34th president, was christened at 11:11 a.m., Oct. 11, 1975, by Mrs. Mamie Doud Eisenhower, the ship ' s sponsor and widow of the late president. IKE was commissioned on Oct. 18, 1977, and assigned to the Atlantic Fleet. After 14 months of fleet training, IKE set sail on her first Mediterranean Photos, clockwise JTom top left: President Dwight D. Eis- enhower: Mrs. Mamie Doud Eisenhower, widow of the president and the ship ' s spon- sor christens IKE with a bottle of champagne, on Oct. 1 1 . The heritage, the const