Virginia: The
USS Gerald R. Ford, America's largest and newest aircraft carrier, returned to
port in Virginia on Saturday after nearly a year at sea that included
participating in the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, the
Iran war, a shipboard fire, and repeated plumbing issues. The deployment is the
longest by a carrier since the end of the Vietnam War.
Defense
Secretary Pete Hegseth joined families in welcoming the sailors home, calling
their performance "exceptional, phenomenal." Admiral Daryl Caudle
acknowledged the difficulties of the longer-than-expected deployment, stressing
that he does not "want that to be a precedent." Aircraft carriers are
designed to deploy for up to seven months, but the Ford was at sea for 11
months. In a post on X, the Department of War claimed the day was marked by "extraordinary endurance and service, including the birth of 76 children" during the deployment.
A fire broke out in the Ford's laundry area in March, taking the crew roughly 30 hours to extinguish. Some 600 sailors lost access to their bunks due to the damage, and the ship couldn't do laundry for a stretch. The ship also experienced repeated issues with its toilet system. Despite these challenges, current and former military officials said the $13 billion ship was indispensable in US military operations in Iran and Venezuela, launching aircraft that participated in the Maduro capture mission and serving as a platform to send fighter jets into action during the Iran war.
