USS Enterprise (CVN 65) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 3 text:

Q Neff' N Af ' ' M M 6 a frm ew Q Q . ,Q v . , x ,bs , f X Q, ' ' X , rv - ' K I I I , 4 i J-tx S 5 S I I' S' 'Q X I 1 r' 4 4 If 1 I , XV I 4 I ny IV fn . Nt ff VV 6 .1 v '41 f' X 1 A ' A ' V ' :7 1 a ws 1 ,f' 1 ' V I . 4 5 s N .SV z: II V7 ti.. ..,, ..,, ,, ,,,,. ,.,...,,. . ,.,. .X,.,,,, .... , ,,..,. ., ,,..,, ..., f T...,' .,,7V.Q ,,, ,, ,.V,,T ..-., . ,,,. , X., ,1., ,NVQ .,.- ,.v. Vid, VV V1 - VV VV: 1 x , ,J Q V --,-- 1 -XX af, V , 1. J . V V V 5 VV' V V 2 is :VtWVV:V.V.,V:V,V,VVVVT.,- , V : ll. MV -,, V V4 V of 3 V V VV V V V VV . ,V V : V VV, fu: X-Ldfftl V2 . VV VV, .X V V 'f 1 qi ' qs f ,sw X ff, V 11' '21 ,, 3' ' . ' fi fGT,ff'?x ,' Q 5 - ' , -Af M vu 'W' .fg.-7 AAA' 1 A I - ' -1. ' uv . ' ff -fa. f 2 N 1 , p 1, A -W4 QQ 6 1 NV V ' V Vx ' V 4 if 014: -. . V -. VV VV ,z-4 Q, 1 V,VV W V x -, V' V VV ,Qfq V-V VV ,V I vi V1-if , , . A . A L 1 , . f 5 '21 .V - 1 , 1 .-.. in , . A ,, V ,VV , V. VV gny VV V V, YV V3 ,V.V, V-, . KV A, , VV V I V M-.J V VV 3:-X ,V Q VVVIV, V ,V 1 ff, V V 'V , V . f ' -Q s Hgt,'V VV shy: ,V' ,iVV0S .xxx , ,X , AA- VV 1 4 Z ,- W N Q I - if- A5 VV . :V,',f,.X V ,dfx +941 . , f' W - Wv 1 x '. 1,5 A if W ,, azE::- b I ri Z! V , V V , XX VV X Pk .lie-,S V, w QVVVV '5Si2f:5i,.VV'4E'::..?:':.:g L31-:fnj 2- V ,V V f , -W 'M ' 4 5' - x 9 gn-, - -, , -'vu ' V V 1, Hfff- , Y TV PV , v 6 W' 1 - X ' K' f iw , V AQ, 'Wvii F- , 5 V i f ii, f N' X X A f 'fxg,vf'ftf H, , X 'W W -'Mr-WA' e 1 f PW. iff' X ' 1-b 1 if ,A ,. - ' V fx 1 , , , V ft, ' X . , nj XA 1 ' V ' 9 'Sw ,Af Vg, V. Q f A , - Vu'V ' VV . 'Q ' ,1l 'f .M v M .1 5' g Q 1 V. ,, .. ' Q, , i -.. .- ..V Q - -. - ... .. n an .- -. .. VV my H ai! ., V. V i .VV .,., , Vat' V VV V VV V V M ' ' 'V ' ' , W, ...... -,.-..,- ,,.... ',..i.--.-.,-'..f.L4,L,.Q.i:1i ..---,.LL-.4- ........,. ,....,.Q:1QL'.5.,Q.4fL.4..:L:.fL , Q ,.g.v' ,,,, . V- 7 V C..- Q, f Q,,L,.M4f C liff

Page 2 text:

C ,1-5. 'Sf f . 1' 1 fu, 4-,QQ I 'W K fi, J 1 if jd!

Page 4 text:

W. ...v-.V-. .1 11-rw-t -:Uar-'--ffvvfw-- A- JQ' ' Af' ' f 'Us' 2' - - - ff J' I ' rig 4 . ' ' . '. I ' . . V ' ' .' USS Enterprise, with Commander, Cruiser Destroyer Group TWELVE N and Carrier Air Wing EIGHT embarked, departed Naval Station Norfolk X515 on April 25, 2001 for Big E's 17th deployment. While somber, rainy - x td. skies reflected the mood of the crew and the families left behind, we all knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that we had a job to do-protecting America's vital interests and those of our allies. Enterprise and Air Wing EIGHT had trained hard for their mission. For nearly a year, Enterprise conducted carrier qualiications, an Operational Reactor Safeguards Examination, an INSURV Underway Material Inspection and numerous Basic Phase workup periods. Meanwhile, Air Wing EIGHT pursued a similar path, including one of the most successful detachments to NAS Fallon in recorded memory. In addition to other underway time together, Enterprise and Air Wing EIGHT teamed up for highly successful Composite Training Unit Exercises I and II and Joint Task Force Exercise 01, which shaped 5000 Sailors into an unbeatable team that was ready, if called upon, to put their training to the test. Enterprise visited six ports during the first half of the deployment, including Palma de Mallorca, Spain, Cannes, France, Naples, Italy, Portsmouth, England, Lisbon, Portugal, and Rhodes, Greece. In early August, Enterprise transited through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea into the Arabian Gulf Region in support of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH, during which Carrier Air Wing EIGHT launched a number of strikes. The air wing's iinal strike in the Arabian Gulf was an exceptional demonstration of the flexibility, teamwork, and striking power of Naval Aviation, and a harbinger of things to come. On September 10, 2001, we departed the Arabian Gulf headed toward more liberty, this time in South Africa. Tragically, the next day, terrorists changed the world as they hijacked four commer- cial jetliners, felled the World Trade Center towers, and damaged the Pentagon-killing thousands of people. Similar to the World War II Enterprise, which was on her way home during the last attack on our nation's soil at Pearl Harbor, the modern Enterprise reversed course and returned to the Arabian Sea-and was first on station, ready to iight. Thus, the Sailors of Cruiser Destroyer Group TWELVE, Enterprise and Air Wing EIGHT found themselves on the tip of the spear of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM-the Global War on Terror- ism-as our seasoned team launched strikes against Taliban and Al Qaida targets in Afghanistan commencing October 7, 2001. The training and preparation of the previous year paid off, as not a single aircraft was lost, damaged or diverted. A ship-air wing team whose average age barely broke twenty years old performed flawlessly during rigorous day and night operations. Following nearly three weeks of continuous flight operations, Enterprise was relieved by USS Theodore Roosevelt, and we began our long journey home, arriving at Naval Station Norfolk to a jubilant crowd of 20,000 loved ones on November 9, 2001-proud to have served our country. We proved that training, dedication and, above all, teamwork foster successful mission accomplish- ment. During the deployment, Big Ev steamed over 62,000 nautical miles. Over 10,000 Air Wing EIGHT sorties were launched and recovered safely, accurately dropping nearly a million pounds of ordnance. The engineers produced nearly 62,000,000 gallons of fresh water. About a half a million pounds of mail arrived on the decks and was sorted and distributed by the post office. Reenlistment bonuses peaked at nearly ten million dollars. Seven months of tax-free status saved the crew three-quarters of a million dollars. This is a small. glimpse into the teamwork that we saw on a day-to-day basis. We could not have gsked to serve with a better team. We thank each and every one of you-crew and family alike-for omg your best during one of the most remarkable deployments in our Navy's history. X ix