USS Roosevelt (CVN 71) - Naval Cruise Book

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USS Theodore is the fourth Nimitz- Class carrier. Her history began on Sept. 30, 1980, when a contract was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding. Construction began on Oct. 31, 1981, when Secre- tary of Defense Casper Weinberger authenticated the initiating the first weld. Capt. Paul W. Parcells was named Prospective Com- manding Officer in Feb. 1984 and, that October, the ship was officially christened. On Oct. 25, 1986, TR was placed in active service. Capt. Dayton W. Ritt became TR's second Commanding Officer on Oct. 3, 1987, and on Dec. 30, 1988, TR started her maiden deployment, which was also the maiden deployment of the first 10-squadron air wing, Carrier Air Wing Eight QCVW-85. TR was awarded the Battle Ev from Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, on Mar. 20, 1990. On Jun. 9, 1990, Capt. Charles S. Abbot became the ship's third Commanding Officer and on Dec. 28, TR and CVW-8 deployed for Operations Desert Shield. TR entered the war on Jan. 9, 1991, eventually flying over 4,200 sorties, more than any other carrier, and dropping over 4,800,000 pounds of ordnance before the cease-fire on Feb. 28. When Iraqi forces tumed on the Kurds, TR and CVW-8 were among the first coalition forces in Operation Provide Comfort, flying patrols over northern Iraq. After a 189-day deployment, with 169 days at sea, TR returned to Norfolk on Jun. 28, 1991. On Feb. 14, 1992, the ship won its second Battle E, This was followed by the award of the Battenburg Cup for 1991 as the Atlantic Fleetis premier ship. Capt. Stanley W. Bryant became TR's fourth Commanding Officer on Aug. 27, 1992. TR and CVW-8 began their third deployment on Mar. 11, 1993, teamed with the Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force CSPMAGTFJ to test the concept of embarking a multi-purpose Marine force in a carrier. TR hosted President Bill Clinton's first visit to a U.S. Navy ship, then sailed to the Roosevelt QCVN 715 keel laying of TR by Adriatic as CVW-8 planes enforced Operation Deny Flight in the U.S. no-fly zone over Bosnia. In June, on the way to only her second port visit, TR was ordered to tum around and transit the Suez Canal enroute to the Red Sea to participate in Operation Southern Watch, enforcing the no-fly zone over Iraq. Deployed for 184 days, TR spent 169 days underway. Her flight deck logged over 16,000 hours, and CVW-8 flew more sorties than during the Persian Gulf War. For its accomplish- ments, the ship received its second Meritorious Unit Com- mendation. In Nov. 1993, TR entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard QNNSYJ for a Selected Restricted Availability CSRAJ. Heading back to sea on Apr. 14, 1994, TR became the first nuclear carrier to complete an SRA ahead of schedule at NNSY. Awards for 1993 continued. TR received the CINCLANTFLT Golden Anchor Award for the best retention in an Atlantic Fleet carrier. On Mar. 10, 1994, TR received its third Battle E. Then on June 3, TR was awarded its second Battenburg Cup as the best ship in the Atlantic Fleet. On Jul. 8, 1994, Capt. Ronald L. Christenson became TR's fifth Commanding Officer. TR and CVW-8 began their fourth deployment on Mar. 1995, operating in the Red Sea in support of Operation Southern Watch.. TR also provided a Forward.from the Sea presence, conducting flight opera- tions in support of Operations Deny Flight and Sahrp Guard over the skies of Bosnia and in the Adriatic operating areas. Deny Flight evolved into Operation Deliberate Force, as CVW-8 aircraft led NATO strikes against strategic Bosnian Serb targets aboard Saraj evo-Hersegovina. During TR's transit home, Secretary of the Navy John Dalton came aboard and awarded the Theodore Roosevelt Battle Group the Navy Unit Commendation for its Bosnia operations. In 1996, TR received its third consecutive Golden Anchor Award and Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet's first Security Excellence Award. CVW-3 joined TR in May 1996 prior to her port visit to Halifax, Nova Scotia. On Nov. 1, 1996, Capt. David Architzel became TR's sixth Commanding Officer. TR deployed for her fifth deployment on Nov. 25, 1996, conducting operations in the Mediterranean and Arabian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch. On Jul. 8, 1997, TR entered NNSY for a one-year Ex- tended Drydock and Selected Restricted Availability QEDSRAJ, her first major overhaul since commissioning. In Feb. 1998, TR received her fifth Golden Anchor Award while in the shipyard. One year later, TR retumed to her homeport at the Norfolk Naval Station. In September 1998, Capt. David Bryant took command as TR,s seventh commanding officer. CVW-8 retumed to TR as the Battle Group prepared for its sixth deployment. Arriving in the Meditarranean on April 1, 1999, and preparing to relieve the USS Enterprise in the Persian Gulf, TR received the call - and was kept on station in the Medietrranean and diverted to the Adriatic in support of NATO-led airstrikes against Yugoslavia 7 in Operation Allied F oree. fy

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Type of Vessel: Nimitz-class nuclear powered aircraft carrier Keel laid: October 31, 1981 Christened: October 27, 1984 Commissioned: Octobr 25, 1986 Number of aircraft: 71 Number of catapults: Four Size of aircraft elevators: 4,000 square feet Catapult length: 309 feet , Catapult speed: Can send a 55,000-pound aircraft from 0-150 mph in two seconds Landing area: About 750 feet Ccompared to a commercial 10,000-foot runwayj Number of arresting wires: Four at 1.375 inches in diameter Arresting wire capability: Can stop a 55,000-pound aircraft from 150-0 mph in 2 seconds Length of flight deck: 1,092 feet Length of ship at the water line: 1,040 feet Widest point of the flight deck: 257 feet Area of flight deck: 4.5 acres Height from keel to mast: 244 feet Cequal to a 24-story buildingj Combat load displacement: 97,000 tons Number of anchors: 2 Weight of each anchor: 30 tons Propulsion: 2 nuclear reactors Speed: 30-plus knots Cexcess of 34 miles per hourl Height of Propellers: 21feet each 14 propellersj Number of crewmembers: More than 5,300 with embarked Airwing Meals served daily: More than 18,600 when the ship is underway Number of televisions on board: More than 3,000 Dining: 2 Enlisted Dining Facilities, 2 Wardrooms and l Chief Petty Officers' Mess Number of telephones: More than 2,700 Number of computers: 1,200 and rising Structural steel: 60,000 tons Weld Metal: Over 1 million pounds Electrical cable: Approximately 950 miles Did you know we also have 3 gymnasiums, A TR Mall and arcade room, 2 barber shops, bakery, ice cream stand and self-service laundry facilities: Automated teller machines, shipwide internet capability and Sailor Phone Home , Chapel, library, fully-equiped medical and dental facilities, and television and radio station, daily newspaper and live nightly newscast