NORFOLK, Va. — On Friday morning, families chatted quietly while they sat in chairs, car trunks, and on the ground outside pier 14 at Naval Station Norfolk.
They looked on at the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower as it sat docked and preparing to deploy.
“It’s been a long day coming," said James Rust.
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Rust has a son on the ship. His son is deploying for the first time.
“We’re very proud," Rust said.
He said he feels anxious, but having the opportunity to tour the ship with his wife granted them some peace of mind.
“To see the area he works in, knowing the job that he’s going to be doing, very reassuring," Rust said.
“We just enjoyed spending some time with him," Melanie, Rust's wife, said. "We’re excited for him and we can’t wait to hear about the adventure that he’ll be on.”
Their son is one of thousands of sailors that are part of the deploying Carrier Strike Group 2.
Gregory Raczkowski’s grandson is another.
Military
Carrier USS Eisenhower departing from Naval Station Norfolk for deployment
He, too, felt both anxiety and pride, especially with the fighting in the Middle East.
“I was in Vietnam, so yeah, it makes me very anxious," said Raczkowski. "We spent some time with him about a month ago and then everything started moving so fast.”
While waiting for his grandson to deploy, Raczkowski said he cherishes every memory spent with him even more.
