George Washington (CVN 73) - Naval Cruise Book

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Practice, practice, practice GW’s Crash and Salvage team, as well as the entire GW CVW-7flight deck crew, adopted a practice-makes-perfect philosophy. This led directly to a feeling of safety first for their shipmates and their equipment. Flight deck fire fighting drills were run again and again, building a teamwork bond between all hands through stamina, toughness and precision. Transit across the Atlantic 31

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The hard work George Washington’s crew put forth in hosting the D-Day commemoration activities on June 5 and 6 was one of the many efforts that helped honor the sacrifices our predecessors made in support of the Normandy invasion. The significance of that day, the greatest amphibious assault in modern warfare, was as evident on the faces of Normandy’s veterans June 6 as it must have been for them when they waded into the frigid waters of the English Channel and stormed into history 50 years ago. Whether the mission was to take out heavily fortified German pillboxes, provide off-shore gun support or bomb advancing tank battalions, there was a singular purpose: defend freedom against a tyrant bent on world domination. Nearly 10,000 Americans made the supreme sacrifice during the days leading up to and after D-Day. Fifty-years later, George Washington paused for a moment, along with much of the world, to recognize the gravity of those events. Over a period of about one week the crew helped relive the significance of D-Day. Port visits to Portsmouth, England, and Brest, France, with the Presidential embark in between, brought home the idea that success is a team effort. 50th ANNIVERSARY 1944-1994 Days I 7,18,19 1944 - 1994 33