Final deployment for Enterprise (CVN-65)

[jrb1537]

Task Force 1. Both Bainbridge and Long Beach have gone to the scrappers.

And look. F-8s on the flight deck.

The hull of ex-Long Beach was still in Navy hands until just last month when it was sold for scrap. There's a multi-year delay between the removal of the reactor compartments and when the hull is sold, probably to allow for any areas of residual radiation to "cool off".

 

[blidgepump]

Very true.....

Very true.....

Yes those are.

But remember "When your out of F-8s, your out of Fighters" The last of the gunslingers

I recall an F-8 pilot relating his fustration after switching to F-4's during a conversation at dinner 10+ years ago.
The story about pilots releasing their missile racks while going head to head with a MiG.... as that was all that was left to throw at the enemy; sticks in my mind to this day.
At least fighters today have a gun once again.....

 

[surfgun]

Now that Enterprise is in the Med. we will have to see if the big 'O' orders the Big E, to strike targets within Libya to get his poll numbers up?

 

[ChrisV71]

The hull of ex-Long Beach was still in Navy hands until just last month when it was sold for scrap. There's a multi-year delay between the removal of the reactor compartments and when the hull is sold, probably to allow for any areas of residual radiation to "cool off".

I was under the impression (from the sales documentation) that the Navy was scrapping the Long Beach in one of the PSNS drydocks and loading the scrap onto a barge.



7,350,000 lbs approximately. Structural steel (CGN 9 cruiser, (USS long beach). This is a three year term contract at Puget Naval Shipyard.The price per pound will be adjusted every month beginning with the first full month after the start of the contract.

The price will be adjusted during the second week of the month. The revised price will be determined by taking the price of Seattle AMM No. 2 Bundle on the first Thursday of the month and dividing it into the of Seattle AMM No. 2 Bundle used on the contract start date. The percentage will be applied to the price per pound to arrive at an adjusted price.

The contract will consist of heavy, and light steel, ship hull structural sections with attachments. Ship hull structure is generated from surface ship dismantlement and includes hull plating, structural bulkheads, decks, foundations, ladders, watertight doors and hatches, joiner doors, ventilation ducting, fans, cooling coils, heaters, liquid heat exchangers, radiators, galley equipment, ferrous and non-ferrous piping with plumbing fixtures and attachments, light fixtures, valves, furnishings including tables, chairs, marine machinery and other equipment with bunks, lockers and attachments. Attachments may include non-ferrous alloys such as aluminum, stainless steel, copper and cupro-nickel, brass/bronze, and foreign materials including grease, and oil residue, fiberglass insulation, hull insulation, plastic, and rubber products, glass, deck tile with underlying terrazzo and non-friable asbestos products in the form of flange gaskets, valve packing, and duct seals. Machinery may consist of reduction gears and casings, propulsion shafts, and propellers, turbine casings, pumps, condensers, compressors, refrigeration, and distilling units, auxiliary boiler, emergency diesel generators, turbine generators, anchor handling equipment, steering gear equipment, and other machinery. No electrical wire-way runs, switching components or transformers, nor freon is included.

All material considered as scrap due to methods of dismantlement and demilitarization that may be required. Installed flange gaskets and valve packing may contain non-friable asbestos. Mechanical joints with suspect material shall be leak tight sealed and labeled with asbestos warning labels. Duct seal may contain asbestos fibers. Suspect materials are required to be transported, handled, and disposed of in accordance with applicable local, state, and federal regulations. The contractor will provide, at their expense, one 200' x 50 -60' or equivalent commercial barge for loading of large ships hull sections. Maximum weight per section is 100,000 pounds. With the average weight of loaded barge pieces being approximately 62,500 pounds, watertight integrity is of elevated importance, and shall be maintained on all delivered barges. All delivered barges will have no less than four mooring lines. Mooring lines are to be of suitable size and strength for mooring fully loaded barges. Barge loading decks will be clean and free of all forms of construction debris such as timbers, sand, and rocks. Initial barge availability will be provided upon 7 days written or verbal notification and shall be on a continual rotating basis. Continual rotating basisÂis defined as maintaining an empty barge at PSNS during peak loading periods, as notified by the shipyard. Approximate peak loading period should begin fourteen months (November 2013) into this ship breaking undertaking. Barges may be held at PSNS for loading for periods not to exceed 5 days on average. Weather conditions and equipment operations may affect ability to load and dispatch barges at any given time. Contractor will be notified of these delays and afforded the opportunity to remove partially loaded commercial barges.

Due to the size and shapes of ships hull material, safety, and load stability concerns, there are no minimum barge load weights specified or implied. Individual piece weights will be recorded, and tallied for total barge weights, this total weight will be final weight for billing purposes. Loaded barges shall be rotated out with empty barges within 24 working hours of written or verbal notification. Smaller recycled material pieces or equipment may be loaded onto flatbed tractor-trailers, Or loaded into open top 30 - 40 cubic yard capacity roll-off containers that use a cable bale system only. The contractor shall maintain a minimum quantity of two containers at the shipyard for accumulation of scrap recycling products. Initial two containers will be required during the month of August 2012. The contractor will label their containers with the company name, the container tare weight and an identifying number. Labeling will be of a permanent nature. PSNS reserves the right to verify all tare weights of containers when delivered to the shipyard. PSNS reserves the right to refuse any roll-off containers determined to be in an unsafe or poor condition. The contractor will be required to replace any roll-off container in an unsafe or poor condition within 48 hours of notification of the subject container. The contractor is required to remove full roll-off containers and replace them with empty containers within two workdays of verbal notification and within four workdays of written notification by Government Liquidation or its PSNS representative when removal is required. You are responsible for rigging, loading, securing and transporting purchased property, including all costs and risks associated with removal. Unless otherwise stated, we will provide a free tailgate loading but will NOT guaranty a specific loading time. In consideration for this 'no cost' loading service, you agree to release, hold us harmless and waive any and all claims, causes of actions, damages (including consequential damages or loss of use) or liabilities of any kind or nature. Transportation conveyances are required to have tarpaulin capabilities.

All personnel entering the Puget Sound naval shipyard for viewing or pick-up are required to be United States citizens. A true copy of persons birth certificate with raised seal or valid passport along with a form I-9 will need to be presented at the pass and Id office. An entrance letter to Puget Sound Naval shipyard must be obtained from John Miller at 253-966-1430 and returned at least 3 days prior to viewing or initial pick-up time. Pictures are representative of actual product. Superstructure of cruiser has been removed.

 

[TopHatter]

Now that Enterprise is in the Med. we will have to see if the big 'O' orders the Big E, to strike targets within Libya to get his poll numbers up?

I'm thinking Syria myself.

 

[Ytlas]

I was under the impression (from the sales documentation) that the Navy was scrapping the Long Beach in one of the PSNS drydocks and loading the scrap onto a barge.

The terms of the contract/process instructions are nice, but in the real world, if there isn't a crew of inspectors/auditors around, the dismantling company is going to do it anyway they can to do the job as quickly and as cheaply as possible. :biggrin:

 

[Chogy]

Perhaps already mentioned, but in the whacky weird world of conspiracists, the Big E (being quite aged) is supposedly going to become a false flag target of Israeli submarines, with subsequent evidence pointing at (of course) Iran.

Hey I didn't say I believed it. I'm just passing on the conspiracy!

What makes it so funny is the fact that they think a torpedo or two is going to send the Enterprise to the bottom. "Yeah, a Dolphin class sub is going to put a couple of fish into the Enterprise and sink her! That'll really hack the Americans, who will blame Iran, and the evil Zionists will be left laughing over our inevitable retaliation!"

When you try to explain how many torpedos it would probably take to sink the Enterprise, equipped with modern damage control and a crack crew, it doesn't quite register. To them, one or two torpedos means a ship is sunk. Never mind the ASW forces that blanket any USN carrier group.

 

[bigross86]

Hey, I don't buy it for a second, but I'll say this much: If a INS Dolphin crew does manage to get through the ASW screen and put 3-4 fish into the Big E's hide, they deserve the award for "Best Submarine Crew in the History of Ever"

 

[TopHatter]

Perhaps already mentioned, but in the whacky weird world of conspiracists, the Big E (being quite aged) is supposedly going to become a false flag target of Israeli submarines, with subsequent evidence pointing at (of course) Iran.

I go after those assholes with a vengeance. Like you, I start hammering away with obvious (to anybody familiar with the Navy) facts that they sputter and fume about, such as:

The Enterprise is old (and therefore in the CT's eyes, utterly expendable to the US) but she is crammed with billions of dollars worth of equipment...starting with her expensively-trained crew and her air wing.

In the CT's world, the Navy can't be bothered to defuel a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier because they've never done it before. I ask them how it's different from the 16 reactors removed from decommissioned surface ships and the 110+ submarine reactors that have been removed.

God do I hate CT's

 

[Stitch]

Perhaps already mentioned, but in the whacky weird world of conspiracists, the Big E (being quite aged) is supposedly going to become a false flag target of Israeli submarines, with subsequent evidence pointing at (of course) Iran.

Hey I didn't say I believed it. I'm just passing on the conspiracy!

What makes it so funny is the fact that they think a torpedo or two is going to send the Enterprise to the bottom. "Yeah, a Dolphin class sub is going to put a couple of fish into the Enterprise and sink her! That'll really hack the Americans, who will blame Iran, and the evil Zionists will be left laughing over our inevitable retaliation!"

When you try to explain how many torpedos it would probably take to sink the Enterprise, equipped with modern damage control and a crack crew, it doesn't quite register. To them, one or two torpedos means a ship is sunk. Never mind the ASW forces that blanket any USN carrier group.

Was recently reading "The Twilight War: The Secret History Of America's Thirty-Year War with Iran", by David Crist, and, at one point, during Operation Preying Mantis, an Iranian frigate was attacked by two A-6E's and sunk; but only after sustaining hits from two Harpoon missles, two AGM-123 "Skippers", two Rockeyes, AND a final Harpoon from a US destroyer. That was a second-world, barely-maintained frigate; imagine how much more firepower would be required to sink a supercarrier.

 

[blidgepump]

Sir David Beatty quote ......

Sir David Beatty quote ......

Was recently reading "The Twilight War: The Secret History Of America's Thirty-Year War with Iran", by David Crist, and, at one point, during Operation Preying Mantis, an Iranian frigate was attacked by two A-6E's and sunk; but only after sustaining hits from two Harpoon missles, two AGM-123 "Skippers", two Rockeyes, AND a final Harpoon from a US destroyer. That was a second-world, barely-maintained frigate; imagine how much more firepower would be required to sink a supercarrier.

All of that firepower..... hmmm, was it Sir David Beatty who commented at the Battle of Jutland "our guns seem a bit off today...?

Fighting ships have many water tight compartments when set at Condition "Zebra", so is it surprising that "a single kill shot" was not realized in the recital used by David Crist. This was not the Battle of Jutland where British warships had powder and shells stacked on deck for rapid fire, proving not so good an idea, especially when someone is shooting back.

 

[USSWisconsin]

All of that firepower..... hmmm, was it Sir David Beatty who commented at the Battle of Jutland "our guns seem a bit off today...?

Fighting ships have many water tight compartments when set at Condition "Zebra", so is it surprising that "a single kill shot" was not realized in the recital used by David Crist. This was not the Battle of Jutland where British warships had powder and shells stacked on deck for rapid fire, proving not so good an idea, especially when someone is shooting back.

I bet a heavy torpedo like a Mk48 would have sunk that frigate with one shot - I suspect it would take about 10-20 to endanger a CVN. Unless of course it were a nuke torpedo - men; drink your ceremonial sake now, we will then fire the nuke at our enemy and go to meet our honorable ancestors.

 

[blidgepump]

Break the back or target practice......

Break the back or target practice......

I bet a heavy torpedo like a Mk48 would have sunk that frigate with one shot - I suspect it would take about 10-20 to endanger a CVN. Unless of course it were a nuke torpedo - men; drink your ceremonial sake now, we will then fire the nuke at our enemy and go to meet our honorable ancestors.

A torp would surely break the back of a frigate as discussed on the Destroyer thread..... we must therefore assume that his was a target practice event to sharpen the skill set during a live fire exhibit ???

 

[drivinfool]

Well Big E will NOY be a museum ship, nor will it's island structure be saved since it is not the original spacey, futuristic island that was on board when she was commisioned. The Big E crew members assoc wanted it, but the Navy said it would be too cost prohibitive. I am disappointed that this is the way it's going to be.

The govt would rather spend billions and trillions of dollars on social programs, bailing out car companies who didn't have the ability to stay competitive, an sending money to countries who would like to kill us. It appears we didn't learn anything when the first Big E was scrapped rather unceremoniously.

Navy: USS Enterprise and Nimitz-class aircraft carriers won't be museums - dailypress.com

 

[jrb1537]

Well Big E will NOY be a museum ship, nor will it's island structure be saved since it is not the original spacey, futuristic island that was on board when she was commisioned. The Big E crew members assoc wanted it, but the Navy said it would be too cost prohibitive. I am disappointed that this is the way it's going to be.

The govt would rather spend billions and trillions of dollars on social programs, bailing out car companies who didn't have the ability to stay competitive, an sending money to countries who would like to kill us. It appears we didn't learn anything when the first Big E was scrapped rather unceremoniously.

Navy: USS Enterprise and Nimitz-class aircraft carriers won't be museums - dailypress.com

Hopefully they save her nameplate at least so it can join CV-6's.

 

[tbm3fan]

Well Big E will NOY be a museum ship, nor will it's island structure be saved since it is not the original spacey, futuristic island that was on board when she was commisioned. The Big E crew members assoc wanted it, but the Navy said it would be too cost prohibitive. I am disappointed that this is the way it's going to be.

The govt would rather spend billions and trillions of dollars on social programs, bailing out car companies who didn't have the ability to stay competitive, an sending money to countries who would like to kill us. It appears we didn't learn anything when the first Big E was scrapped rather unceremoniously.

Navy: USS Enterprise and Nimitz-class aircraft carriers won't be museums - dailypress.com

Once again! The article mentions the other "three" carrier museums as an example: INTREPID, YORKTOWN and MIDWAY while leaving out LEXINGTON and HORNET.

 

[surfgun]

Enterprise, has offloaded her ordnance. So no more action for the Big E.

 

[bigross86]

End of an era

 

[Ken_NJ]

Source: Welcome to Navy Forces Online Public Sites

Q. Can the ship be turned into a museum?

A. The inactivation and defueling process will have major impacts on the structure of the ship. It is not cost-effective to return the ship to a condition that would support it becoming a museum. Additionally, the cost to maintain a ship as a museum is generally cost prohibitive.

As the ship is inactivated, equipment that may be of historic interest will be reclaimed and passed on to museums or appropriate Navy commands so ENTERPRISE’s many contributions to the nation’s defense over the past half-century are remembered.

Q. Can I or my organization have XX piece of equipment from the ship?

A. There are many different people and organizations interested in many of the items on ENTERPRISE. All items of historic value and significance will be turned over to the Naval Historical and Heritage Command for further dissemination to appropriate museums and organizations.

Q. Could you provide a brief description of the planned process and schedule to dismantle the USS ENTERPRISE?

A. Following the Inactivation Ceremony on December 1, 2012, the Enterprise will remain at Naval Station Norfolk for approximately 6 months to off-load equipment and to make the ship ready for tow to Huntington Ingalls Industries – Newport News Shipyard (HII-NNSY) for inactivation.

The inactivation phase will last approximately 4 years. As part of the inactivation, hydraulic systems will be drained and expendable materials, tools, spare parts and furnishings will be removed. Additionally, tanks containing oil and other fluids will be drained and cleaned, any hazardous material will be removed, and the ship's electrical and lighting systems will be de-energized. Concurrent with inactivation, the ship will be defueled using the same proven techniques that have been used successfully to refuel and defuel over 350 Naval nuclear-powered warships. The ship will also be prepared to be towed to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS&IMF) in 2017 for dismantlement and recycling.

Q. Why is the ship being defueled in Newport News and towed all the way to Puget Sound for disposal? Why can’t the ship be defueled in Puget Sound? Why can’t the ship be disposed of by Newport News?

A. Inactivating the ship at HII-Newport News and disposing of it at PSNS&IMF is the most cost effective way to complete the inactivation and recycling. Some of the inactivation processes require specialized defueling equipment which is only available at HII NN. Additionally, only PSNS&IMF has the specialized equipment and expertise to package the reactor compartments for disposal and recycle the rest of the ship.

 

[Ken_NJ]

You would think these days what is left of US Gov property is recycled as much as possible anyway.

Navy sending fewer ship mattresses to landfills

By Brock Vergakis - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Oct 26, 2012 8:24:31 EDT

NORFOLK, Va. — When the Enterprise returns home from its final deployment, one of the first items that will be stripped from the aircraft carrier will be the thousands of mattresses its sailors have worn out over the past few years.

But unlike other ships the Navy has decommissioned, these mattresses won’t be heading to a local landfill following the Dec. 1 inactivation.

The Navy will send the mattresses to a company in South Carolina as part of a pilot program to break the mattresses down and recycle their springs and foam for other uses. The Navy says paying Pamplico, S.C.-based Nine Lives Mattress Recycling to take the Enterprise’s mattresses off its hands is about $12,000 cheaper than paying for them to go to a local landfill.

“It had to be cheaper, even if it’s greener, in order for us to want to do business,” said Gregory Jeanguenat, Naval Station Norfolk’s Integrated Solid Waste and Recycling Site manager.

The Enterprise will be the third Navy ship to have its mattresses recycled as part of the program, which was inspired by similar programs in the Army. The amphibious transport dock Mesa Verde and the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln had mattresses ready for disposal removed in the past few weeks. Removing the Lincoln’s mattresses was a particular accomplishment because aircraft carriers are the Navy’s largest ships, with more than 6,000 sailors on board.

In all, 13,000 shipboard mattresses are being recycled under the pilot program, saving more than 100,000 cubic feet of space in a landfill.

“It’s my pride and joy. I’m absolutely excited that this happened,” Jeanguenat said. “It’s the largest chunk of mattress recycling in the U.S. military.”

Jeanguenat hopes the program will expand to other ships, barracks and Navy hotels in the area in the near future. In southeast Virginia, which is home to the world’s largest naval base, the Navy buys about 25,000 new mattresses a year.

“This is one of the greatest projects that will affect our solid waste program and recycling program — ever. And the largest mass amount of stuff to be moved in one fell swoop rather than worrying about white paper or plastic or something individual. This is a huge amount of product,” Jeanguenat said.

Navy mattresses are replaced as needed, but they typically have an eight-year life span, according to Tom Kreidel, a spokesman for Naval Facilities Engineering Command Mid-Atlantic.

Keeping the old mattresses from going into landfills is the single easiest way for the Navy to reduce its footprint in them, Jeangenat said.

“There’s no reason a mattress should go to a landfill. They’re not really giving out permits for new landfills that easily, so it seems like everybody would see the importance of removing anything from a landfill that can be reused,” said Ralph Began, the owner of Nine Lives Mattress Recycling.

Began said the springs will be melted down for scrap metal and that the mattresses’ foam will be used for carpet pads. While the contract to recycle aircraft carrier mattresses is new for him, he said recycling military mattresses has long been a part of his six-year old business.

He said one of his original customers is the U.S. Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island, S.C. He said he typically recycles several thousand mattresses from the Marines’ basic training site each year and has also recycled Army mattresses from Fort Jackson, S.C., outside of Columbia.

Source: Navy sending fewer ship mattresses to landfills - Navy News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Navy Times

 

[TopHatter]

Enterprise, has offloaded her ordnance. So no more action for the Big E.

She's still in the Med. Link?

 

[Doktor]

Maybe they left it in Naples as a farewell gift :whome:

 

[blidgepump]

Lend - Lease 2012....

Lend - Lease 2012....

She's still in the Med. Link?

Shells for peace?

Part of NATO 2012 Action plan to recycle arms perhaps ??

 

[surfgun]

She left the Med. a few days ago after a stop over in Italy. She is now cruising in the Atlantic.

 

[surfgun]

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brian G. Reynolds, Enterprise Carrier Strike Group Public Affairs
USS ENTERPRISE, At Sea (NNS) -- USS Enterprise (CVN 65) Weapons Department completed the historic carrier's final ammunition offload Oct. 24-26.

During the offload, 3,348,000 pounds of ordnance and ammunition were transferred from Enterprise to Military Sealift Command dry cargo and ammunition ships USNS Matthew Perry (T-AKE 9) and USNS Sacagawea (T-AKE 2).

Because Enterprise is scheduled to be inactivated later this year, all ammunition and ordnance - other than small arms used for security purposes - had to be transferred off of the ship.

"The planning was a major challenge," said Lt. Cmdr. Thomas L. Hinnant, the ordnance handling officer aboard Enterprise. "We have been talking to the Sacagawea for about a year. There are so many entities involved in an evolution of this size that it takes a lot of coordination."

"The evolution was extremely difficult because we faced so many challenges planning for such an event," said Senior Chief Aviation Ordnanceman Steven J. Black, the leading chief petty officer of Enterprise's aviation ordnance control center. "As in any situation, plans change and the Weapons department had to be flexible and adapt to whatever changes were thrown at us. Once we finally got the go ahead, we were ready and our people pulled it off flawlessly."

The process of dismantling over 1,600 tons of ordnance was undoubtedly a daunting one. The process began one month ago, shortly after Enterprise flew its final sortie in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Soon thereafter, the ship's Weapons department began dismantling and repacking all of the ship's ordnance. Once the ammunition was dismantled and repacked, Sailors in the Weapons department began staging the ordnance so that it would be ready to be removed from the ship.

"This was a big undertaking," said Hinnant. "The staging process on this ship is more challenging than any other ship in the Navy."

After the ordnance was staged in Enterprise's hangar bay and on the flight deck, a task accomplished with the help of the "Big E's" Air department, the Weapons department relied on the Dragonslayers of Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron (HS) 11 to transport much of the ordnance from Enterprise to Sacagawea via vertical replenishment.

"Our job was to assist Enterprise and Sacagawea with the vertical replenishment," said Lt. Marcus A. Torres, a pilot with HS-11 who assisted with the vertical replenishment. "Our main focus was to effectively [and safely] assist both ships with the ammo offload to help facilitate an expeditious return home."

However, what may sound like a routine vertical replenishment was no easy task. Enterprise, Sacagawea and HS-11 faced rough seas and inauspicious weather conditions, which played a major role in making this vertical replenishment more difficult than it may have been under normal conditions.

"This was definitely one of the more challenging vertical replenishments," said Torres, "especially when you take into account the sea state and the wind conditions, but we pulled it off without any major issues."

During the offload, the Weapons department also worked closely with Enterprise's Deck department to successfully transport the ammunition that was staged in the hangar bay.

"The main priority of the Deck department was to move the barrels of ammunition from the hangar bay to the Sacagawea using the sliding pad-eye from stations 5 and 13," said Boatswain's Mate 1st Class Timothy W. Lumpkin, the leading petty officer of Deck department's 2nd division.

Much like HS-11, the Sailors of the Deck department faced the challenges of the elements.

"The heavy seas and high winds were definitely a challenge for us," said Lumpkin. "The heavy seas caused the ships to surge - causing the ships to come closer together, rather than further apart - while we were moving ammo. After doing this for three days, fatigue was also an issue. But we weathered the storm and completed the job as we always do."

After nearly three days of intense coordination and hard work of Enterprise's entire crew, all of "Big E's" ammunition and ordnance was successfully removed from the ship without any major issues. During the evolution, the crew conducted 314 connected replenishment lifts and 946 vertical replenishment lifts, for a total of 1,260 lifts.

While the Big E may have offloaded the last piece of ordnance it will ever hold in its weapons magazines, the ammunition will be used elsewhere.

"All of the ordnance had to be offloaded as part of our [inactivation] process," said Black. "But, the assets will be distributed as needed throughout the Fleet to support the Navy's mission."

As the ship finishes the last leg of its 25th and final deployment, the Weapons department aboard Enterprise can breathe a brief sigh of relief knowing that such a massive undertaking is behind them.

"I could not have asked for a better group of people to have the privilege of being their ordnance handling officer," said Hinnant. "They have done an amazing job the last three years of keeping us above board on all ordnance matters."

Many of the Sailors who make up the ranks of the ship's Weapons department used the evolution as an opportunity to show that hard work is what they do best.

"It is a great feeling to be a part of such a great team," said Black. "There were many times throughout the offload when I would look around and see junior Sailors pulling double shifts, working the extra hours, doing whatever was necessary to get this job done. These guys knew it was their time to shine; they rose to the occasion and knocked it out of the park."

After completing its final deployment, Enterprise is scheduled to be inactivated Dec. 1, in a ceremony to be held at Naval Station Norfolk, bringing to a close more than 51 years of distinguished service. The inactivation ceremony will be the last official public event for the ship and will serve as a celebration of life for the ship and the more than 100,000 Sailors who have served aboard.

 

[JRT]

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brian G. Reynolds, Enterprise Carrier Strike Group Public Affairs
USS ENTERPRISE, At Sea (NNS) -- USS Enterprise (CVN 65) Weapons Department completed the historic carrier's final ammunition offload Oct. 24-26.
During the offload, 3,348,000 pounds of ordnance and ammunition were transferred from Enterprise to Military Sealift Command dry cargo and ammunition ships USNS Matthew Perry (T-AKE 9) and USNS Sacagawea (T-AKE 2). Because Enterprise is scheduled to be inactivated later this year, all ammunition and ordnance - other than small arms used for security purposes - had to be transferred off of the ship. ...

Below are the pictures descriptions associated with that USN News Service story.
Click on a picture to get a higher resolution version.
Click on the link below that to get to the source webpage.

Note the date and location of the first picture, and dates of following pictures.

121023-N-NL401-008

STRAIT OF GIBRALTAR (Oct. 23, 2012) The aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) is underway in the Strait of Gibraltar. Enterprise is completing a deployment to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts. The U.S. Navy has a 237-year heritage of defending freedom and projecting and protecting U.S. interests around the globe. Join the conversation on social media using #warfighting. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Daniel Meshel/Released)

121024-N-CH661-113

ATLANTIC OCEAN (Oct. 24, 2012) An MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to the Dragon Whales of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 28 transfers ammunition from the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise's (CVN 65) to the Military Sealift Command dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Sacagawea (T-AKE 2). Enterprise is completing its final deployment to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts. The U.S. Navy is reliable, flexible, and ready to respond worldwide on, above, and below the sea. Join the conversation on social media using #warfighting. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jared King/Released)

121024-N-CH661-119

ATLANTIC OCEAN (Oct. 24, 2012) An MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to the Dragon Whales of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 28 carries ammunition from the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise's (CVN 65) during the ship's last ammunition offload before returning to homeport. Enterprise is completing its final deployment to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts. The U.S. Navy is reliable, flexible, and ready to respond worldwide on, above, and below the sea. Join the conversation on social media using #warfighting. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jared King/Released)

121024-N-CH661-068

ATLANTIC OCEAN (Oct. 24, 2012) Sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) move an MK 45 mine off an elevator in the hangar bay in preparation for the ship's last ammunition offload before returning to homeport. Enterprise is completing its final deployment to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts. The U.S. Navy is reliable, flexible, and ready to respond worldwide on, above, and below the sea. Join the conversation on social media using #warfighting. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jared King/Released)

121025-N-ZZ999-131

ATLANTIC OCEAN (Oct. 25, 2012) An MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to the Dragon Whales of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 28 picks up ammunition from the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) during the carrier's last ammunition offload. Enterprise is completing its final deployment to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts. The U.S. Navy is reliable, flexible, and ready to respond worldwide on, above, and below the sea. Join the conversation on social media using #warfighting. (U.S. Navy photo by Information Systems Technician 1st Class Stephen Wolff/Released)

 

[bigross86]

Awesome pics!

 

[surfgun]

She has returned to her home port.

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.

 

[drivinfool]

A few pix I took this morning of Big E coming home for the last time...

 

[surfgun]

Drivenfool, are you schedule to tour her before the 12/1/12 ceremony? I plan to tour her on 11/28/12.

P.S. nice photo's.