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USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), the ninth ''Nimitz''-class supercarrier, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for President Ronald Reagan. Unlike most of the other men honored by inclusion in this group, Reagan was not associated with the United States Navy apart from his term as Commander in Chief. The contract to build Ronald Reagan was awarded to Northrop Grumman Newport News and Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia on 8 December 1994 and her keel was laid down on 12 February 1998. She was launched on 10 March 2001, sponsored by Ronald Reagan's wife Nancy, and commissioned on 12 July 2003, with Captain J. W. Goodwin in command. At the commissioning ceremony, Mrs. Reagan gave the ship's crew the traditional first order as an active unit of the Navy: "Man the ship and bring her to life." President Reagan died eleven months later. At the end of the graveside services, the ship's commanding officer at that time, Navy Captain James Symonds, presented the flag that draped the former president's casket to Mrs. Reagan at her request. This was also the flag that had flown over Capitol Hill on January 20, 1981, when the president was inaugurated. Captain Symonds also presented Mrs. Reagan the flag that had been flying over the Ronald Reagan when the former president died. Ronald Reagan displaces approximately 95,000 tons of water fully loaded and has a top speed of over 30 knots, powered by two nuclear reactors driving four screws, and can sail for 20 years before refueling. She is nearly as long as the Empire State Building is tall at 1,092 feet (333 m) and is 134 feet (41 m) wide at the beam and has a flight deck 252 feet (77 m) wide. The flight deck covers over 4.5 acres (18,000 m²). She carries more than 5,500 sailors and over 80 aircraft. During her transfer from the Atlantic to the Pacific, she transitted the Straits of Magellan. Her homeport is San Diego, California. On July 6, 2006 the Ronald Reagan returned to her homeport of San Diego from her maiden deployment where she conducted operations in support of the continuing war on terror. During a short stay in Brisbane, Australia an FA-18 Hornet strike fighter was unable to perform a night landing on the ships deck. The pilot ejected safely, but the US Navy has ruled out salvaging the lost fighter, a decision which has angered conservationists. This, combined with an incident involving sailors from the USS Ronald Reagan dumping garbage into Australian waters, has led some to question whether further US vessels should be permitted to enter Australian ports. However, there currently is no serious attempt in Australia to prevent US vessels from entering Australian ports and none is likely in the foreseeable future.
Designation & Details She forms part of Carrier Strike Group SEVEN (CSG-7) and has Carrier Air Wing FOURTEEN (CVW-14) embarked. CVW-14 is currently, as of January 2006, made up of CSG-7 comprises CVN-76 and DESRON-7. DEStroyer squadRON 7 consists of: Trivia In fiction See also | ||||||||
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