Daring tales of heroism, bravery and valor are forever embedded inside the USS Enterprise.
After 51 years of service, the carrier was inactivated today at Naval Station Norfolk.
Commissioned on November 25, 1961, the eighth ship to bear the illustrious name Enterprise, the “Big E” was the world’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.
A veteran of 25 deployments to the Mediterranean Sea, Pacific Ocean, and the Middle East, Enterprise has served in nearly every major conflict to take place during her history. From the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 to six deployments in support of the Vietnam conflict through the Cold War and the Gulf Wars, Enterprise was there. On September 11, 2001, Enterprise aborted her transit home from a long deployment after the terrorist attacks, and steamed overnight to the North Arabian Sea. Big ‘E’ once again took her place in history when she launched the first strikes in direct support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Related:
Survivors of 1969 fire share their painful memories
Sailors remember horrific fire that nearly sank the USS Enterprise
Original plank owner of the USS Enterprise gets to relive memories on last sail
After homecoming, USS Enterprise to sail off to history’s scrap heap
Time-lapse video: The USS Enterprise arrives in Mayport, Florida
Click here to see more of NewsChannel 3's coverage of the USS Enterprise.
