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ABOARD THE USS ENTERPRISE – The world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier ended its remarkable career at sea on Sunday when it pulled into its home port for the final time after participating in every major conflict since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.
The USS Enterprise began shutting down its eight nuclear reactors almost as soon as it arrived at its pier at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia, where thousands of cheering family members and friends welcomed the ship home from its 25th and final deployment after nearly eight months at sea. The ship will never move on its own power again and will eventually be scrapped in Washington state, making its final voyage a sentimental one for those who have sailed aboard "The Big E."
Copies of the ship's daily newspaper, "The Shuttle," were in short supply as sailors looked for memorabilia to take with them. Countless personal photos were taken by sailors throughout the ship as it approached shore.
"It's exceptionally emotional and exceptionally satisfying," Rear Adm. Ted Carter, commander of the Enterprise Strike Group, said as Naval Station Norfolk came into view and his sailors manned the rails.
However, Carter is the first to say that the Enterprise's final deployment was anything but a sentimental victory lap. The ships' fighter planes flew more than 2,200 combat sorties and dropped 56 bombs in Afghanistan while supporting U.S. and international ground troops. In a show of force to Iran, the ship also passed through the strategic Strait of Hormuz 10 times, a figure that Carter said is more than double the typical amount.
The Enterprise has been a frequent traveler to the Middle East over its career. It was the first nuclear-powered carrier to transit through the Suez Canal in 1986, and it was the first carrier to respond following the Sept. 11 attacks, changing course overnight to head to the Arabian Sea.
An entire room on the ship serves as a museum to its history, which includes a large photo of the burning Twin Towers placed in a timeline that wraps around a wall.
The Navy will officially deactivate the Enterprise on Dec. 1, but it will take several more years for it to be decommissioned as its reactors are taken out. About 15,000 people are expected to attend the deactivation ceremony, which will be its last public ceremony after several days of tours for former crew members.
Those who have served on the ship have a unique camaraderie. It is the second-oldest ship in the Navy after the USS Constitution, and its age has frequently shown. Sailors who work on the Enterprise have a saying: "There's tough, then there's Enterprise tough."
Things frequently break down, and spare parts for a ship that's the only one in its class aren't made anymore.
"She's just old, so you got to work around her," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Danielle Almaraz, an electronic technician. "We have to make our own parts sometimes because it just doesn't exist."
Those deployed on the Enterprise knew life wouldn't be easy at sea, a fact highlighted last year when former commanding officer Capt. Owen Honors was fired for airing raunchy videos that he said were intended to boost morale. During a hearing in which Honors was trying to avoid being kicked out of the Navy, he and his lawyers frequently referenced the difficult conditions on board. Honors was found to have committed misconduct, but ultimately allowed to stay in the service. He is retiring in April.
Some of the ship's original crewmembers from 51 years ago -- known as plank owners -- were among the 1,500 civilians who joined the Enterprise for its last two days at sea, known as a Tiger Cruise.
"This is the end of an era that I helped start, so I was just honored that the captain invited me on board. There's no way I'd turn that down," said original crew member Ray Godfrey of Colorado Springs, Colo.
The aircraft carrier is the eighth U.S. ship to bear the name Enterprise, with the first one being confiscated from the British by Benedict Arnold in 1775. Current sailors and alumni like Godfrey are lobbying to have a future carrier also named Enterprise. The ship's crew created a time capsule to be passed along to each Navy secretary until a new ship carries its name.
Other memorabilia on the ship, such as a pair of black fuzzy dice that hang in the ship's tower that were donated by the film crew of the 1986 Hollywood blockbuster movie "Top Gun," will be stored by the Naval History and Heritage Command.
My dad captained her at one point in her long career, and I myself have spent more time than I'd have cared to stuffed into a rack on her.
Whichever Star Trek TV series that had Scott Bakula on it used to invite a pair of crew members to be extras on the show every season. I thought that was a pretty cool little gesture.
My dad served on the Eneterprise in the 60's. I recall him tellin gme about a famous incident where a missiel blew up onb board and killed several crewmen. He found out about the incident the next day after reading about it in the ship's paper.
Seaward wrote: My dad captained her at one point in her long career, and I myself have spent more time than I'd have cared to stuffed into a rack on her.
I'll bet you're way too young to be Honor's kid; but he would have to be the coolest dad ever.
Avatar 720 wrote: You see, to Auston, everyone is a Death Star; there's only one way you can take it and that's through a small gap at the back.
Powder Burns wrote:what they need to make is a fullsize leatherman, like 14" long folded, with a bone saw, notches for bowstring, signaling flare, electrical hand crank generator, bolt cutters..
Southampton, Hampshire, England, British Isles, Europe, Earth, Sol, Sector 001
She is going to be scraped!
She is quite possibly one of the most famous ships ever known, well with in the top 20. And they are just going to scrap her like a common little torpedo covet.... Tiss a sad day For the big E.
I can see the funding cuts already effecting the carrier...there are to much dead grass in front of the ship////and seriously...the grass is not "combed"...
Proud Member of the Infidels of OIF/OEF
No longer defending the US Military or US Gov't. Just going to ""**feed into your fears**"" with Duffel Blog Did not fight my way up on top the food chain to become a Vegan...
Warning: Stupid Allergy
Once you pull the pin, Mr. Grenade is no longer your friend
DE 6700
Harlequin 2500
RIP Muhammad Ali.
Jihadin, Scorched Earth 791. Leader of the Pork Eating Crusader. Alpha
RossDas wrote: Could they turn her into a floating nuclear power station, or is the reactor just too old for that?
You know... that's not actually a bad idea.
It's just this: Is the cost to operate that ship worth it in regards to having a mobile power station?
I don't think he meant mobile, just floating. Like I imagined Intrepid but self powered plus running lines ashore.
My best guess would be that Big E just doesn't have the power budget to be realistic as a powerstation in the first place. Factor in how old both her reactors and generators are and the cost of replacing even just the generators and you've got your answer: a resounding no.
Here's the deal with her ACTUALLY being scrapped. She will be defueled, probably at Norfolk, then dragged around to Bremerton to have her reactors cut out. At that point her "scrap metal" will be offered for sale. If a preservation group can pay the scrap cost she gets to be a museum. If not. /neck cut gesture. She actually gets cut up. It's not a short process; expect her to be a museum the Navy wants her to be. Scheduling her for scrap before even deactivating her drums up outrage.
Avatar 720 wrote: You see, to Auston, everyone is a Death Star; there's only one way you can take it and that's through a small gap at the back.
Powder Burns wrote:what they need to make is a fullsize leatherman, like 14" long folded, with a bone saw, notches for bowstring, signaling flare, electrical hand crank generator, bolt cutters..
Real shame they have to scrap her, but it's been a long time coming. I think they actually gave her a couple more tours than they had originally planned, out of dignity (or something).\
I know they were consistent on their minimum of eleven carriers. What's set to replace the Enterprise?
Samus_aran115 wrote: Real shame they have to scrap her, but it's been a long time coming. I think they actually gave her a couple more tours than they had originally planned, out of dignity (or something).\
I know they were consistent on their minimum of eleven carriers. What's set to replace the Enterprise?
Ford I think. Lead ship of the next class.
They eeked more than 25 extra years out of her; by necessity she was designed as a 25 year ship. The Navy hadn't really planned on retiring Kitty Hawk when they did (or JFK take your pick they expected to keep one for another 10 years), that kept the need for the E to remain on the active list as BOTH conventional carrier came out of service back to back and really nothing came online to replace them until the Bush commissioned in 09. Its just another of the naval procurement boondoggle, but has more to do with congress than SecNav like it usually does.
Avatar 720 wrote: You see, to Auston, everyone is a Death Star; there's only one way you can take it and that's through a small gap at the back.
Powder Burns wrote:what they need to make is a fullsize leatherman, like 14" long folded, with a bone saw, notches for bowstring, signaling flare, electrical hand crank generator, bolt cutters..
Well there's already three carriers sitting at remerton but their mothballed..Kitty Hawk...Intrepid..not sure on the third..I doubt they scrap her being that she probaly be the first carrier to be reactivated incase we NEED her.
Proud Member of the Infidels of OIF/OEF
No longer defending the US Military or US Gov't. Just going to ""**feed into your fears**"" with Duffel Blog Did not fight my way up on top the food chain to become a Vegan...
Warning: Stupid Allergy
Once you pull the pin, Mr. Grenade is no longer your friend
DE 6700
Harlequin 2500
RIP Muhammad Ali.
Jihadin, Scorched Earth 791. Leader of the Pork Eating Crusader. Alpha
Jihadin wrote: Well there's already three carriers sitting at remerton but their mothballed..Kitty Hawk...Intrepid..not sure on the third..I doubt they scrap her being that she probaly be the first carrier to be reactivated incase we NEED her.
You are thinking of Independence, Constellation, and Ranger (plus Kitty Hawk). Intrepid is a museum in New York. BTW every single one of those should be names in the Nimitz class instead of politicians with the possible exception of the Bush, since he was at least a naval aviator.
Avatar 720 wrote: You see, to Auston, everyone is a Death Star; there's only one way you can take it and that's through a small gap at the back.
Powder Burns wrote:what they need to make is a fullsize leatherman, like 14" long folded, with a bone saw, notches for bowstring, signaling flare, electrical hand crank generator, bolt cutters..
Jihadin wrote: Well there's already three carriers sitting at remerton but their mothballed..Kitty Hawk...Intrepid..not sure on the third..I doubt they scrap her being that she probaly be the first carrier to be reactivated incase we NEED her.
You are thinking of Independence, Constellation, and Ranger (plus Kitty Hawk). Intrepid is a museum in New York. BTW every single one of those should be names in the Nimitz class instead of politicians with the possible exception of the Bush, since he was at least a naval aviator.
Amen!
Carter would be fine too he was a nuclear engineer on a sub, but yeah I'd have trouble keeping my face straight.
Jihadin wrote: Well there's already three carriers sitting at remerton but their mothballed..Kitty Hawk...Intrepid..not sure on the third..I doubt they scrap her being that she probaly be the first carrier to be reactivated incase we NEED her.
You are thinking of Independence, Constellation, and Ranger (plus Kitty Hawk). Intrepid is a museum in New York. BTW every single one of those should be names in the Nimitz class instead of politicians with the possible exception of the Bush, since he was at least a naval aviator.
Amen!
Carter would be fine too he was a nuclear engineer on a sub, but yeah I'd have trouble keeping my face straight.
Get ready to have an unstraight face mien friend
But yes, at least it makes sense.
Avatar 720 wrote: You see, to Auston, everyone is a Death Star; there's only one way you can take it and that's through a small gap at the back.
Powder Burns wrote:what they need to make is a fullsize leatherman, like 14" long folded, with a bone saw, notches for bowstring, signaling flare, electrical hand crank generator, bolt cutters..
Waiting for my shill money from Spiral Arm Studios
I like the floating reactor idea.
They could just dock here in New York City or something. Have a floating museum plus make money by selling cheap electricity to New York.
She has too much history to be scrapped, just like Old Ironsides.
Self-proclaimed evil Cat-person. Dues Ex Felines
Cato Sicarius, after force feeding Captain Ventris a copy of the Codex Astartes for having the audacity to play Deathwatch, chokes to death on his own D-baggery after finding Calgar assembling his new Eldar army.
I read an article from the U.S. Navy talking about this issue and the naming of future carriers. The current enterprise is to be scrapped mainly because she has so many nuclear reactors on board compaired to the later classes 2 reactors. That means more big holes to cut through her hull to extract them all. I believe they said Enterprise has 8 reactors. So it isn't cost effective to do that eight times and fill each back in to make her available to some city buy her as a museum.
Later in the article they talked about how Dept. of the Navy had taken public comments about the naming of future carriers and that the sentiment was overwhelming to NOT name future carriers after presidents and the like anymore and instead go with names of ships from the USN's history. They have already committed to naming the next hull of the Ford class as the new J.F.K.. For future carrier names by far and away the front runner was Enterprise, after that most popular names were Saratoga, Lexington, Hornet & Wasp.
Ruthlessness is the kindness of the wise.
>Raptors Lead the Way <
KalashnikovMarine wrote: I'm sure we'll see an Enterprise in the Ford class... hell there's been three Aircraft carriers named "Wasp" at this point I think.
Don't be so sure. Historic names like the ships mentioned earlier ITT at Bremerton should have been commissioned, especially Ranger. Both Wasp and America have appeared as LHA/Ds. IMO they should name carriers after sloops and frigates of the war of independence with exeptions like JFK being just that: exceptions. At least JFK was a bloody sailor and near deified, who honestly gives two gaks about John Stennis? Capital ships should be from the rolls of honor not the halls of liars.
Avatar 720 wrote: You see, to Auston, everyone is a Death Star; there's only one way you can take it and that's through a small gap at the back.
Powder Burns wrote:what they need to make is a fullsize leatherman, like 14" long folded, with a bone saw, notches for bowstring, signaling flare, electrical hand crank generator, bolt cutters..
Zakiriel wrote: I read an article from the U.S. Navy talking about this issue and the naming of future carriers. The current enterprise is to be scrapped mainly because she has so many nuclear reactors on board compaired to the later classes 2 reactors. That means more big holes to cut through her hull to extract them all. I believe they said Enterprise has 8 reactors. So it isn't cost effective to do that eight times and fill each back in to make her available to some city buy her as a museum.
Later in the article they talked about how Dept. of the Navy had taken public comments about the naming of future carriers and that the sentiment was overwhelming to NOT name future carriers after presidents and the like anymore and instead go with names of ships from the USN's history. They have already committed to naming the next hull of the Ford class as the new J.F.K.. For future carrier names by far and away the front runner was Enterprise, after that most popular names were Saratoga, Lexington, Hornet & Wasp.
Good news for Wasp fans, she's got her hull in the water as we speak. Has for a long while now too
The USS Wasp and some of her attendant ships and Marines from the 26th MEU* (USS San Antonio and USS Carter Hall) are presently off the coast of New York assisting in Disaster Relief Efforts.
*Marine Expeditionary Unit
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2012/11/06 05:10:54
I beg of you sarge let me lead the charge when the battle lines are drawn
Lemme at least leave a good hoof beat they'll remember loud and long
Later in the article they talked about how Dept. of the Navy had taken public comments about the naming of future carriers and that the sentiment was overwhelming to NOT name future carriers after presidents and the like anymore and instead go with names of ships from the USN's history. They have already committed to naming the next hull of the Ford class as the new J.F.K.. For future carrier names by far and away the front runner was Enterprise, after that most popular names were Saratoga, Lexington, Hornet & Wasp.
I'd be interested to see a link to that article for a number of reasons.
It's all well and good to say "the navy has a plan" but ultimately ships are named by SecNav and off the top of my head I can't think of a time SecNav has ignored a resolution from congress to name a ship. They really should bump it down a notch and let the CNO name the ships instead of just making suggestions, or commission a yearly board of flag officers to take the CNOs place in the process and then send him the suggestions. Taking political appointees out of the loop, not that Admirals are less political...
Avatar 720 wrote: You see, to Auston, everyone is a Death Star; there's only one way you can take it and that's through a small gap at the back.
Powder Burns wrote:what they need to make is a fullsize leatherman, like 14" long folded, with a bone saw, notches for bowstring, signaling flare, electrical hand crank generator, bolt cutters..
>Raptors Lead the Way < 
