Nimitz returns to Norfolk for final homeport
The 51-year-old carrier completed a transit around South America to resume operations from the East Coast.
By James Brooks ·
The USS Nimitz docked in Norfolk on July 9, ending a long transit around South America from its previous homeport in Bremerton, Washington. This move returns the vessel to its original base, where it was stationed for the first 12 years of its service life.
The ship reached this milestone after surpassing the service record of the USS Enterprise, which left active duty in 2012 after 51 years and one day. Commissioned on May 2, 1975, the Nimitz now holds the distinction of being the longest-serving aircraft carrier in Navy history. It will remain in service until at least March 2027, when the carrier John F. Kennedy is scheduled to enter the fleet.
During its early years in Norfolk, the carrier served as a staging platform for Operation Eagle Claw. That 1980 mission was an aborted effort to rescue U.S. hostages held by Iran following the Iranian revolution. The nuclear-powered vessel later left Norfolk in 1987 and spent most of its subsequent career homeported on the West Coast, alternating between Washington and San Diego.
The Nimitz can accommodate a crew of nearly 6,000 sailors and aviators. Before departing Bremerton on March 7, the ship left most of its air crew on the West Coast. Since arriving in Norfolk this summer, the carrier has hosted a NATO change of command ceremony and other events.
The vessel is currently being used to train pilots from Naval Air Station Oceana and their maintenance crews. WHRO Military Reporter Steve Walsh flew out to the Nimitz on July 9 to document the crew as the ship arrived in Norfolk for its final change of homeport.
