USS Nimitz enters Washington homeport after six-month deployment

US Navy aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) and the rest of the Washington-based ships from its carrier strike group returned to Naval Station Everett concluding a six-month deployment.

Nimitz entered its homeport on December 10, accompanied by Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Shoup (DDG 86) and USS Kidd (DDG 100).

The strike group consists of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 9, and Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers USS Princeton (CG 59) and USS Lake Erie (CG 70).

The air wing and DESRON command staff disembarked in San Diego Dec. 5, along with Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Howard (DDG 83). Princeton returned to San Diego Dec. 6 and USS Pinckney (DDG 91), and Lake Erie returned to their homeport of San Diego Dec. 10.

The strike group sailed more than 78,000 miles during the deployment (equivalent to approximately five times around the world), flew over 1,000 combat sorties into Iraq and Syria, and dropped over 900 pieces of ordnance. The strike group conducted training and operations with the French Marine Nationale, Indian Navy, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, Republic of Korea Navy, Royal Australian Navy, the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy and Royal New Zealand Navy.

These included exercise Malabar 2017 in the Indian Ocean, Intrepid Sentinel in the Gulf of Oman and landmark Three-Carrier Strike Force Operations in the Western Pacific. In addition, the strike group conducted visit, board, search and seizure drills, close-in coordinated maneuvers, flag hoisting drills, sea surveillance, replenishments-at-sea, maritime patrol and reconnaissance, explosive ordnance disposal operations, and air, surface and anti-submarine warfare training.

“I am very proud of the entire Strike Group and all that our Sailors and Marines accomplished during this deployment,” said Rear Adm. Gregory Harris, commander, Nimitz Strike Group. “The team demonstrated the professionalism, strength, and resolve of the U.S. Navy around the world. They battled through the intense heat of the Arabian Gulf to conduct operations in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, and now it’s time for all of us to get back and enjoy some well-deserved family time.”

Over the six-month span, the strike group conducted port visits in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Colombo, Sri Lanka; Chennai, India; Manama, Bahrain; Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Hamad, Qatar; Duqm, Oman; Pattaya, Thailand; and Sasebo, Japan. Sailors participated in numerous volunteer events, including interacting with children at schools, visiting patients at hospitals, and socializing with animals at shelters.