Nimitz-Class Aircraft Carrier to Visit Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

Sailors of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17 will arrive at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam for a scheduled port visit on June 7.

Vinson is currently transiting to her homeport in San Diego following a six-month deployment to the Western Pacific and U.S. Central Command areas of responsibility supporting maritime theater security operations in the 7th and 5th Fleets. Vinson left San Diego 30 November 2010.

USS Carl Vinson serves as the flagship for Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1, led by Rear Adm. Samuel Perez, which also consists of Destroyer Squadron 1 guided-missile destroyers USS Gridley (DDG 101) and USS Stockdale (DDG 106), the guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52), and CVW-17.

The air wing squadrons of Carrier Air Wing 17 include the “Sunliners” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 81, the “Stingers” of VFA-113, the “Redcocks” of VFA-22, the “Fists of the Fleet” of VFA-25, the ”Garudas” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 134, the “Tiger Tails” of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 125, the “Rawhides” of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40 and the “Red Lions” of Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron (HS) 15.

Throughout the deployment, CSG 1 completed the following:

– CVW-17 flew 6,366 sorties, logging a total of 17,772 hours of flight time.

– Conducted exercises with coalition countries and other nations, including the Republic of Korea, Japan, Singapore, Britain, France and Australia.

– Vinson and Bunker Hill conducted port visits and conducted community service projects in the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, United Arab Emarites, Republic of Philippines and Hong Kong. Gridley visited Jinhae, Singapore, Tomakomai, Sasebo,   Okinawa, Phuket, Manila, and Hong Kong.

– Earned a Navy Community Service Health, Safety and Fitness Flagship Award.

– Hosted numerous distinguished visitors including the President of the Republic of Philippines Beningo Aquino III, Commander Naval Air Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet Vice Adm. Allen G. Myers and Navy Chief of Chaplains Rear Adm. Mark Tidd.

– Hosted the 2011 NFL Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers.

– Since the Nov. 30, 2010 departure, Vinson spent 171 of the deployment’s 191 days at sea.

– Vinson sailed over 52,340 nautical miles.

– From February 6 – May 1, CVW-17 spent 87 days, executing 1,515 sorties supporting combat operations, deploying 17,000 lbs. of ordnance and 2,900 rounds of 20mm ammunition in direct support of coalition forces for Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation New Dawn.

– CSG 1 Successfully responded to two maritime piracy attempts on civilian mariners.
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Source: navy, June 7, 2011;