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USS George Washington (CVN 73)

USS GEORGE WASHINGTON is the sixth ship in the NIMITZ - class of aircraft carriers and the fourth ship in the Navy to bear the name. On April 7, 2008, the GEORGE WASHINGTON left Norfolk, Va. en route to Yokosuka, Japan, to relieve the USS KITTY HAWK (CV 63) making her the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to be forward deployed.

General Characteristics:Keel Laid: August 25, 1986
Launched: July 21, 1990
Commissioned: July 4, 1992
Builder: Newport News Shipbuilding Co., Newport News; Va.
Propulsion system: two nuclear reactors
Main Engines: four
Propellers: four
Blades on each Propeller: five
Aircraft elevators: four
Catapults: four
Arresting gear cables: four
Length, overall: 1,092 feet (332.85 meters)
Flight Deck Width: 257 feet (78.34 meters)
Area of flight deck: about 4,5 acres
Beam: 134 feet (40.84 meters)
Draft: 38,4 feet (11.7 meters)
Displacement: approx. 100,000 tons full load
Speed: 30+ knots
Planes: approx. 85
Crew: Ship: approx. 3,200      Air Wing: 2,480
Armament: two Mk-57 Mod 3 Sea Sparrow launchers, three 20mm Phalanx CIWS Mk 15, two Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Systems
Homeport: Norfolk, Va.


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Crew List:

This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS GEORGE WASHINGTON. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.


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USS GEORGE WASHINGTON Cruise Books:


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USS GEORGE WASHINGTON in the News:

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Notes of Interest:In an average year the Medical Department...
...sees 10,822 sick call patients
...does 256 flight physicals
...completes 1,599 physical exams
...performs 103 surgeries
...processes 3,097 x-rays
...does 38,276 lab procedures
...fills 16,811 prescriptions
...gives 11,385 immunizations
In an average month the dentist sees 500 patients requiring 200 exams, 150 cleanings, 53 tooth extractions, 10 crowns, and 75 fillings.

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History of USS GEORGE WASHINGTON:

DateEvent
December 27, 1982Ship was ordered
August 25, 1986Keel of GEORGE WASHINGTON was laid
July 21, 1990Launched
July 4, 1992Commissioning
May 20, 1994Left Norfolk, Va., on its maiden deployment to the Mediterranean and Arabian Gulf
November 17, 1994Returned home to Norfolk, Va.
January 26, 1996 - July 23, 1996Second deployment to the Mediterranean and Arabian Gulf
October 3, 1997 - April 3, 1998Third deployment to the Mediterranean and Arabian Gulf
May 11, 1998 - March 17, 1999Ten month overhaul at Norfolk Naval Shipyard
June 21, 2000 - December 19, 2000Fourth deployment to the Mediterranean and Arabian Gulf
January 22, 2001 - January 30, 2001Local operations off the east coast
February 2001 - July 26, 20016-month maintenance and upgrade program at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
August 14, 2001 - August 27, 2001Local operations off the east coast
September 12, 2001 - September 15, 2001Provided air defense for NYC following the terrorist attacks on September 11.
November 4, 2001 - November 15, 2001Carrier qualifications off the east coast
May 2002Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFEX) 02-2
June 20, 2002 - December 20, 2002Fifth deployment to the Mediterranean and Arabian Gulf, participated in Operation Enduring Freedom
January 24, 2003 - February 5, 2003Carrier qualifications in the WestLant
February 25, 2003 - August 15, 2003Six-month Planned Incremental Availability (PIA) at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard
January 20 - July 26, 2004Sixth deployment to the Mediterranean and Arabian Gulf.
January 25, 2005 - December 17, 2005Dry-Docked Planned Incremental Availability at Newport News, Va.
April 4, 2006 - May 24, 2006Caribbean Cruise
September 28, 2006 - August 27, 2007Drydock Planned Incremental Availability at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in preparation for the homeport change to Yokosuka, Japan.
April 7, 2008 - Left Norfolk en route to Yokosuka, Japan

Click here to get a view of the deployments of USS GEORGE WASHINGTON.

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USS GEORGE WASHINGTON Patch Gallery:

Shakedown Cruise 1992G4 DivisionMed '96Med'2000Med'2000
MED '97/98Shakedown '92Click here for more USS GEORGE WASHINGTON Patches.


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About the Carrier’s Name, about President George Washington:

George Washington was born 22 February 1732 in Westmoreland County, Va. He was commissioned in the Virginia Militia in 1753, rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel the next year, and fought brilliantly in the French and Indian War. Entering the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1759, Washington was an early advocate of independence. In 1775 he was appointed Commander in Chief of the Continental Army, and demonstrated a profound appreciation of sea power as well as great military genius. After years of hardship and arduous struggle, he finally won a decisive victory at Yorktown. In directing Allied movements during this campaign, one of the great strategic operations of our history, Washington brilliantly employed the French Navy to cut off Lord Cornwallis from help by sea. He had sought a decisive combined operation like this for years, for he wrote "In any operations, and under all circumstances a decisive Naval superiority is to be considered as a fundamental principle and the focus upon which every hope of success must ultimately depend."

The Treaty of Paris recognized American independence 20 January 1783. After attending the Annapolis Convention of 1786 and presiding over the Continental Convention of 1787, Washington was unanimously elected first President under the new Constitution and inaugurated 30 April 1789. His two terms in office laid the foundations for strong government under the Constitution. Returning to his home at Mount Vernon in 1797, Washington was recalled briefly to command the American army when war with France threatened in 1798. He died at Mount Vernon 14 December 1799.



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Accidents aboard USS GEORGE WASHINGTON:

DateWhereEvents
July 11, 1994Adriatic SeaWhile operating in support of Operation Deny Flight black smoke is reported in one of GW's laundries. Fire crews quickly find out that the smoke is pumped into the space through the ship's ventilation system. Because of the unknown location of the fire the crew is ordered to general quarters and all inbound aircraft are diverted to shore bases in Italy. Shortly thereafter, flames are sighted on the aft starboard sponson and a fuel fire is located nearby. It takes almost one hour to extinguish the fire causing damage that is repaired by the crew in the following weeks and during a port visit to Jebel Ali, U.A.E.
February 7, 1998Persian GulfTwo F/A-18's from the GEORGE WASHINGTON collide in the Persian Gulf while returning to the ship after a routine patrol over the no-fly zone. Both aviators were recovered by SAR and flown back to the GW. One of the aviators was killed.
The 2 F/A-18s were from VMFA-251, killed was Lt. Col. Henry G. VanWinkle, 41, of Kirkwood, N.Y. The other aviator, Maj. Cary D. Venden, of Conroe, Texas.
February 4, 2002off North CarolinaA two-day search for a missing crewmember was called-off February 6, 2002. The missing sailor, Seaman Apprentice David Wilse Parkhurst, 19, of Rogersville, Mo., was reported missing late February 4, and an extensive search involving GEORGE WASHINGTON's H-60 helicopters and units from the Coast Guard in Elizabeth City, N.C., began but failed to turn up anything.
November 3, 2002near Bari, Italy, Aegean SeaAn F/A-18C assigned to VFA-34 homeported in Oceana, Va., was lost during a training mission. The pilot, Lieutenant Commander Robert Clukey III, was killed.
September 11, 2003off VirginiaFive crew members are injured and later medically evacuated from the GEORGE WASHINGTON following a mishap during an arrested landing by an F/A-18 from VFA-106. The aircraft crashed into the water, and the pilot safely ejected and was immediately recovered.

The injured personnel included crew members from VAW-120, VFA-106 and from the crew of GEORGE WASHINGTON. The ship was conducting carrier qualifications operations off the coast of Virginia at the time of the incident. The ship got underway Sept. 9 for Fleet Replacement Squadron carrier qualifications.
November 21, 2003western AtlanticAirman David M. Wilson was killed at approximately 4 a.m. EST, when the aircraft tow tractor he was operating was involved in an accident in the ship's hangar bay, during which he sustained severe head injuries. No other personnel were injured.
May 22, 2008southeastern PacificAt approximately 7:50 a.m. local time, a fire was detected in the vicinity of the aft air conditioning and refrigeration space and auxiliary boiler room. The fire spread to several spaces via a cableway and caused extreme heat in some of the ship spaces, but it was contained and extinguished by the crew without any serious injuries to personnel. It took several hours to completely contain and extinguish the fire.

USS GEORGE WASHINGTON had been conducting a routine replenishment at sea with USS CROMMELIN (FFG 37) when smoke was observed and an emergency breakaway was initiated. Twenty-three sailors were treated for heat stress and one sailor was treated for first degree burns. The ship's crew was at general quarters for approximately 12 hours.
Undated A flight deck greenshirt is injured when he is hit by the wing of a T-45.
Click here to watch a clip of the accident. .mpg file, 5.5 MB


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Mediterranean; November 19, 1997Eastern Atlantic; December 9, 2003Atlantic; March 19, 1999
Arabian Sea; April 17, 1996Arabian Gulf, May 9, 1996Arabian Gulf; February 2, 1998
Atlantic; November 4, 2001Jebel Ali; August 1, 2000Click here to view more photos.


The photos below were taken by Ian Johnson and show the GEORGE WASHINGTON arriving at Fremantle, Australia, on her first visit to Australia, on July 2, 2009. The third photo shows the carrier during sunset on July 4, 2009.



The photos below were taken by Shiu On Yee and show the USS GEORGE WASHINGTON during her port visit to Hong Kong July 10-15, 2012. On July 14, while the ship was anchored in Victoria Harbour, AN Rafael Martinez assigned to VFA-102 died after falling overboard onto a service barge.



The photos below were taken by Shiu On Yee and show the USS GEORGE WASHINGTON during her port visit to Hong Kong November 8-12, 2013. The port visit was cut short when the GEORGE WASHINGTON and her strike group were ordered to proceed to the Philippines to provide disaster relief in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan.



The photos below were taken by Shiu On Yee and show the USS GEORGE WASHINGTON during her port visit to Hong Kong June 16-20, 2014.



The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the USS GEORGE WASHINGTON at Naval Base Norfolk, Va., on October 9, 2023.



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