Today marks the 37th birthday of the commissioning of USS Nimitz (CVN 68).
Share your USS Nimitz birthday wishes with the Tumblr tag “HappyBirthdayNimitz” and Twitter hashtag #HappyBirthdayNimitz and let’s see how many great messages we can send to the sailors aboard the ship!
As the lead ship in the Nimitz-class of aircraft carriers USS Nimitz (CVN 68) has the unique distinction of not being named after an elected official. In fact, USS Nimitz only uses the surname of her namesake, Chester W. Nimitz, unlike all other carriers in her class.
To help celebrate her birthday, here are some fun facts about the ship:
Nickname: Old Salt
Motto: Teamwork, a tradition
Badge:
Displacement: 100,000 long tons
Length: 1,092 feet
Height: Over 18 stories high from the keel to the top of the mast
Commissioned: May 3, 1975, at Pier 12, Naval Station Norfolk, VA. by the Honorable Gerald R. Ford, President of the United States
Air force Capt. Jason Coleman and his daughter watch as the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) pulls into Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam to support Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2012 exercise.
Being billed as one of the largest international maritime exercises ever, 22 nations came together as RIMPAC (the Rim of the Pacific war games), got underway last Friday in Hawaii.
25,000 personnel, 42 ships, six submarines, USS Nimitz (CVN 68) aircraft carrier and more than 200 aircraft that will participate in this year’s RIMPAC.
Recently featured in the summer blockbuster Battleship, RIMPAC is set to be just as exciting, minus the alien encounters. As participants will train to clear mines, dispose of explosives and come to the aid of civilians in natural disasters, among other drills — making RIMPAC a key training tool in global cooperation and prosperity.
Did you know 12 of the 22 U.S. Navy ships in RIMPAC, including the only aircraft carrier participating (USS Nimitz), were built by Huntington Ingalls? That’s an impressive 55%!
In 2009, Bill Reichert, a self-described “granola-eating, Left Coast venture capitalist,” spent 30 hours aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). He found that what makes the U.S. Navy so successful — and aircraft carriers hum — can also be important lessons for business.
Read about his experience in “Business Academy: Lessons From the U.S. Navy” on Forbes.com.
An E/A-18G Growler, assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 129, lands on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), making it the 300,000th arresting gear trap since Nimitz was commissioned! Bravo Zulu USS Nimitz (CVN 68)!
♫ On the second day of carriers,
the Navy gave to me:
Two nuclear reactors on the Nimitz.
And an island house on USS Enterprise!
![On May 3, 1975, the U.S Navy commissioned USS Nimitz (CVN 68) into service at the Norfolk Naval Base. Her commissioning marked the beginning of a new class of aircraft carriers. President Gerald R. Ford spoke eloquently at the event.
In his remarks, Ford declared, “Wherever the United States Ship Nimitz shows her flag, she will be seen as we see her now, a solid symbol of United States strength, United States resolve—made in America and manned by Americans.”
For nearly forty years, Nimitz — named for Fleet Admiral Chester William Nimitz, a five-star admiral during World War II — and her crew have patrolled the globe projecting power and peace.
Later this year the U.S. Navy will christen Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), the first carrier in the new Ford class, the next generation of aircraft carriers. Its unique engineering and design innovations increase mission effectiveness, reduce workload for sailors and lower operating costs for the U.S. Navy.
Learn more about the legacy of the USS Nimitz (CVN 68).
Read the full remarks of President Ford’s speech.
Celebrate the commissioning of the USS Nimitz by sharing this post.
[Photo credit: U.S. Navy]](http://25.media.tumblr.com/799e58b45b8258debfd23bb423ce8ef9/tumblr_mm4ke1IKoe1ro2035o1_500.jpg)
On May 3, 1975, the U.S Navy commissioned USS Nimitz (CVN 68) into service at the Norfolk Naval Base. Her commissioning marked the beginning of a new class of aircraft carriers. President Gerald R. Ford spoke eloquently at the event.
In his remarks, Ford declared, “Wherever the United States Ship Nimitz shows her flag, she will be seen as we see her now, a solid symbol of United States strength, United States resolve—made in America and manned by Americans.”
For nearly forty years, Nimitz — named for Fleet Admiral Chester William Nimitz, a five-star admiral during World War II — and her crew have patrolled the globe projecting power and peace.
Later this year the U.S. Navy will christen Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), the first carrier in the new Ford class, the next generation of aircraft carriers. Its unique engineering and design innovations increase mission effectiveness, reduce workload for sailors and lower operating costs for the U.S. Navy.
Learn more about the legacy of the USS Nimitz (CVN 68).
Read the full remarks of President Ford’s speech.
Celebrate the commissioning of the USS Nimitz by sharing this post.
[Photo credit: U.S. Navy]
The U.S. carrier is a very modern, very mobile U.S. military base complete with airfield, hospital and communications systems from which the United States can strike at its enemies, making them a cornerstone of America’s ability to project its power and strength.
Here, we’ll share behind-the-scenes photos and videos about America's aircraft carriers, as well as keep you abreast of all things carrier.
