Nimitz (CVN 68) - Naval Cruise Book

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THE IVIEDITEFIRAN EAN DEPLOYM ENT NIMITZ departed Pier 12, Norfolk, Virginia, on 7 July 1976, on its maiden voyage to the Mediterranean. Leaving the warm summer breezes of the Chesapeake Bay, the ship moved steadily eastward after rendezvousing off the Virginia Capes with USS CALIFOR- NIA QCGN 369, USS SOUTH CAROLINA CCON'37J, and USS BILLFISI-I QSSN 6763. With the CVW-8 team already aboard, Nuclear Task Force 76 departed for Tangier, Morocco. The transit time was occupied with readiness exercises and daily flight operations. Tangier came into view on 16 July and became the site for turnover the next day with the USS SARATOOA QCV 601 as NIMITZ officially became a key member of the Sixth Fleet. Passing eastward through the Pillars of Hercules , with Gibraltar's Rock to port, CVN- 68 sailed into the blue waters of the Mediterranean to commence a seven month deploy- ment. Not long after arriving, NIMITZ was honored by a visit from Spain's King Juan Carlos and Oueen Sophia. This highly successful' endeavor at entertaining royalty proved to be only the first in a series of important visits to the ship. Many foreign Gover- nors and Mayors, Parliamentarians, military dignitaries, and members of the U. S. Con- gress had an opportunity to experience NIMITZ hospitality firsthand. After early port visits to Taranto and Naples, CVN-68 held its first Change of Com- mand Ceremony on 21 August in Augusta Bay, Sicily. Captain Richard T. GASKILI. relieved Captain Bryan W. COMPTON as Commanding Officer of USS NIMITZ with the new Sixth Fleet Commander, Vice Admiral Harry TRAIN providing the official remarks and promoting Captain COMPTON. Rear Admiral COMPTON then bid farewell as the ship turned to preparations for National Week XXI. This and subsequent exercises, such as Display Determination - a full NATO exercise - repeatedly proved the outstanding readiness of the NIMlTZ!Air Wing team. September and October brought greater familiarity with Naples as well as the hospitality of Gibraltar and the uniqueness of Tunis. November included a two week standdown g loved ones came to visit Italy, and many members of the crew journeyed home. Shortly afterwards, NIMITZ received notification of winning the COMNAVAIRLANT Battle Readiness Award - the coveted The Weapons Department was awarded the Black signifying top honors inthe Atlantic Fleet. The Air Wing was similarly honored with the awarding of the E to Attack Squadron 82, which had previously been recognized as the best in the Fleet by the presentation of the McClusky Award. Fighter Squadron 74 also earned top honors by receiving the Clifton Award for fighter squadron superiority. Deputy Secretary of Defense William Clements and Secretary of the Navy, J. William Middendorf Il were aboard in October to take part in these separate presentations. I While NIMITZ was riding at anchor in Naples Bay, the spectacle of a Neapolitan Fireworks Display ushered in 1977 for the carrier crew. January 1977 was spent holding Flex Deck exercises and participating in other multinational operational commitments. A final visit to Naples was also made. On 26 January 1977, NIMITZ completed Sixth Fleet operations and passed on its responsibilities to the USS JOI-IN F. KENNEDY QCV 675 in Rota Spain. During the Atlan- tic transit and those seemingly long days of returning state-side, minds became avenues of anticipation and the sea became the road home, bodies began to relax a bit from the challenges ofthe previous seven months, memories began to retrace the fuzzy details of places visited and people metg and spirits glowed with the gratification that can only be realized after a job well done.

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' - - 1' 0 'NJ' 'l Q'-'ff-vs-'-'-v-' :-r-'f-w.T-..n.- Wm-,vfw ,.,,,,., , J The last days of June savv the Nation's 200th birthday fast approaching and the Air Wing hack aboard for yet another cruise . . . ff? NIMITZ returned to Norfolk for the Fourth of July festivities and last minute preparations for deployrnent. On the seventh day of July 1976, farewells were said to family and friends as NIMITZ departed on its first deployment.

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Rear Admiral Eugene J. Carroll, Jr., USN Commander Attack Carrier Striking Force US. Sixth Fleet an S 1 S. Je d