Nimitz (CVN 68) - Naval Cruise Book

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EARLY HISTORY OF USS NIMITZ USS Nimitz QCVN-685 is named for Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, the Navy's last five star Admiral. Funds for the construction of the ship were appropriated by Congress in fiscal year 1967, with the keel being laid on June 22, 1968 at Newport News, Virginia. Catherine Nimitz Lay, daughter of the late Admiral Nimitz, christened the U.S. Navy's largest warship on May 3, 1975. President Gerald Ft. Ford was the principal speaker at the commissioning ceremony. During the first year of commissioned service, the Nimitz crew began the arduous task of building the ship's readiness for duty with the United States Navy. The highlights of the ship's first year were the completion of two intense training periods in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and a month-long cruise to Northern Europe as the lead ship of Nuclear Task Force '75. As the most capable unit of the United States forward deployable forces, Nimitz has played major roles in a wide variety of NATO, Sixth and Seventh Fleet exercises in the Mediterranean, Atlantic, Caribbean, Northern European and Indian Ocean areas. Nimitz has demonstrated the highest standards of combat V readiness, endurance and the ability to rapidly deploy to troubled areas of the globe. These standards of excellence characterize the Nimitz motto Teamwork, A Tradition.

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HISTORY OF CARRIER AVIATION 6. Ei. ,Es- W- ' .f .aw -1-.' f.,hi,, .U-x. .l,,m,, , ,a-,m, fr-my ' 'Hg 1 ' ee?

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SHIPS STATISTICS Type Vessel Nuclear Powered Aircraft Carrier Keel Laying ...... Iune 22, 1968 Launching ...... May 13, 1972 Commissioning ....... May 3, 1975 Builder Newport News Shipbuilding Company Two Nuclear Reactors Pour More than 30 Knots ..............Pour Pipe 1,092 Feet 333 Meters . . . . About 4.5 Acres . . About 95,000 Tons .............Pour ...........Four ........Pour Two . . . . . 60,000 Pounds 365Pounds About 6,100 Persons 7