Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier concludes 8-month deployment, returns home

USS Gerald R. FordPhoto byU.S. Navy

After an unprecedented eight-month deployment, the Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier returned to Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, on January 17.

Being the flagship of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, the carrier remained in the Mediterranean Sea for an additional 76 days after its initial deployment, following the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

"Though extended, we were the right ship at the right time to answer the call, and our sailors performed admirably," stated Capt. Rick Burgess, the commanding officer of the Ford, in a news release. Hard work, honesty, and bravery were the legacies that the sailors who rode in Ford boats were known for.

Despite being stretched thin, the strike group was still expected to defend NATO allies in the area and serve as a deterrent.

Following 239 days at sea, "the ship's crew conducted 43 underway replenishments, logged more than 17,826 flight hours and 10,396 sorties, sailed more than 83,476 nautical miles, and safely transferred 20.7 million gallons of fuel with zero mishaps," as stated in the press announcement.

In the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, the carrier is being replaced by the amphibious assault ship Bataan, the amphibious transport ship Mesa Verde, and the dock landing ship Carter Hall, according to Navy officials who had previously spoken with Navy Times.

The Ford's construction began in May. The Arleigh Burke-class destroyers Ramage, McFaul, and Thomas Hudner, as well as the Ticonderoga-class cruiser Normandy and Destroyer Squadron Two make up its strike group.

Croatia, Greece, Italy, Norway, and Turkey were among the ports visited by the carrier during the deployment.

"We proved ourselves during an incredibly difficult deployment, proving the strength of a U.S. Navy carrier strike group, reassuring our friends and partners, and discouraging our enemies," stated the release's author, Rear Adm. Erik Eslich. "Every single person in the strike group has my utmost admiration and respect."

Edited by Newsbreak Contributor Denys Shybinskiy