World’s largest aircraft carrier returns from 11-month deployment, longest since Vietnam, after supporting Iran war and Maduro raid
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, returned to Virginia after an 11-month deployment, marking the longest since the Vietnam War. During its mission, the carrier supported U.S. operations in the Iran war and the capture of Nicolás Maduro. The deployment raised concerns about the impact on service members and the strain on the ship's equipment.
- ▪The USS Gerald R. Ford's deployment lasted 326 days, the longest for an aircraft carrier in the past 50 years.
- ▪The crew was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for outstanding performance during the Iran war.
- ▪The deployment included operations in the Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas, as well as the Red Sea.
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The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world largest aircraft carrier, returned home to Virginia on Saturday after an 11-month deployment, the longest since the Vietnam War, that saw it support the U.S. war with Iran and the capture of Nicolás Maduro when he was Venezuela’s president.Recommended Video The most advanced U.S. warship and two accompanying destroyers docked at Naval Station Norfolk with about 5,000 sailors waiting to see their families for the first time since June. Besides combat operations and traversing continents, the sailors aboard the carrier faced a noncombat-related fire that left hundreds without places to sleep and forced lengthy repairs on the Greek island of Crete.
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