USS Roosevelt (CVN 71) - Naval Cruise Book

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he keel of Hull 624D was laid at Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry dock Company on Octo- ber 31, 1981. On November 3, 1981, Secretary ofthe Navy John F. Lehman announced that the nation's newest nuclear-powered aircraft carrier would be named for the 26th President ofthe United States, Theodore Roosevelt. TR was christened and launched on October 27, 1984 by Mrs. Barbara Lehman, wife of Secretary Lehman. On October 25, 1986, TR was commissioned and became a part ofthe U.S. Atlantic Fleet, home ported inNorfolk, Va. Q USS Theodore Roosevelt CCVN 7 lj was the first aircraft canier to be assembled in large sections, or modules. The process started with the ship in pieces, much like a plastic model. The pieces were pre-staged in lay-downv areas, assembled into large modules, hoisted into place, and welded together. Many ofthe larger systems were installed in the modules while they were still in the lay-down areas. This reduced the need for cutting and re-welding access passages. Modular construction, made possible through the use ofa huge gantry crane capable of lifting 900 tons, cut 16 months offTR's constiuction time. The innovative construction techniques employed in Theodore Roosevelt have been used on every aircraft carrier since. irth f f ' llllllfg' 4' , . naldenuft J' 'I L. qtllmglgr fomtrr llar.2U,LLi sollllll tracrrg Qrplvytm l1H9,lS-91 T lllmt 'r Weill x fipllllhi 'En .99 M 'N llficm. 41 .993 E. slfoudtr' Y.. all Uihezag Qldlljmel. K . r .fp it Q. .N X

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TR the Man As an infant and a youth, Theodore Roosevelt was called Teedie by family and friends. In his teen years, he indiscriminately called himself Ted , Theodore , TR , and Teediel' To his first wife, the light of my life and to his mother, whom he adored, he was forever Teddyf' Tragically, both women died in his arms, hours apart, in the same house on Valentines Day when TR was just 24 years old. He was emotionally devastated. Thereafter, he adopted and maintained a strict sense of for- mality, even signing his full name in personal correspondence. The only nickname he acknowledged was TRf' He confided to a friend, No one who truly knows me calls me Teddy1' and he considered those who did, vulgar and guilty of outrageous imperti- nencel' Regarding his family name, Theodore Roosevelt explained, As for my name, it is pronounced as if it was spelled 'Rosaveltl' That is in three syllables. The first syllable as if it was 'Rosef Those privileged to serve in the national treasure that is USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT QCVN 711 know of and respect his desires in ,regard to his name. He and the ship named in his honor are referred to either as THEODORE ROOSEVELT or TR. Nothing else will serve. TR 3 Fdmibf Pofftrazf and the injfzmous 'Wc- tory of San Juan Hill' trz'bute are both on dzsplczy in the shzp is TR Museum. 3 Qibeers Popular in Great Britain for centuries the practice of giving three cheers Chip hip hooray' J was not an uncommon tribute in 19th century America Theodore Roosevelt was so honored by his soldiers when the First U S Volunteer Cavalry fthe Rough Riders Jwas disbanded on Sep 13 1898 following victory in the Spanish American War TR was fond of proposing cheers for others whom he wanted to pub licly acknowledge The crew of USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT CCVN 711 first gave three cheers to honor the ships commis sion on Oct 25 1986 following a custom instituted by the first Commanding Officer Rear Admiral P W Parcells The TR traditional three cheers follow thus I propose three cheers TWICE' I propose three cheers for Theodore Roosevelt the man May his 1deals and precepts live and guide us in this ship always hip hip hooray' hip hip hooray' I propose three cheers for THEODORE ROOSEVELT the ship May she never be used in anger but if she IS may she be ready' hip hip hooray' hip hip hooray' hip hip hooray' After assuming command in 1994 Captain R L Christenson changed the second cheer to may she never again be used in anger to commemorate TRS participation in Operation Desert Storm 7 I O ' O O , . o n , . . . ' II . . - vu ' - ' 3 Q I I I U . . O ' 7 3 . . . H ll H ! I I U O O . D . 0 . . Il ' ' H hip, hip hooray! H ' ' N N ' ' H I! ! ' 7 ' H , . ll ' ' Il H ' ' U H ' ' ll ' ll I 0

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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