Pete Hegseth welcomes USS Gerald R. Ford home after record deployment
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth welcomed the USS Gerald R. Ford back to Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, following its record-breaking deployment. He awarded the crew the Presidential Unit Citation, the highest collective honor for a U.S. military unit. The ceremony marked the end of a significant operational period for the aircraft carrier.
- ▪The USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) returned to Naval Station Norfolk on May 16, 2026.
- ▪Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth presented the Presidential Unit Citation award to the crew.
- ▪The deployment was the longest and most operationally active in the ship's history.
- ▪The Presidential Unit Citation is the highest collective honor in the U.S. Armed Forces.
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Pete Hegseth welcomes USS Gerald R. Ford home after record deploymentSecretary of Defense Pete Hegseth presented the crew with the Presidential Unit Citation award, the highest collective honor a military unit can receive in the US Armed Forces.The USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) returns to Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, after record deployment. May 16, 2026. (photo credit: SCREENSHOT/X/@SecWar)
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