The U.S. Navy’s forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73), hosted a “welcome” reception for local guests while anchored in Sasebo harbor, August 1.
During the reception, Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery, commander, Battle Force U.S. 7th Fleet, and Capt. Greg Fenton, George Washington’s commanding officer, welcomed Vice Adm. Ikeda Tokuhiro, commander-in-chief of Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), among other guests and highlighted the continuing partnership between the U.S. and Japan.
George Washington’s hangar bay set the stage for allied friendship and interoperability between the U.S. Navy and JMSDF. Gigantic draped flags from both nations served as backdrops along with two static F/A-18 Super Hornets to symbolize the U.S. longstanding commitment to providing security in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.
George Washington and its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing 5, provide a combat-ready force that protects and defends the collective maritime interest of the U.S. and its allies and partners in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.