Nimitz Homeport Shift: Oldest Carrier Ends West Coast Era
The 51-year-old vessel broke a Navy record before arriving in Norfolk in July for its final duty cycle.
By Rafael Collins ·
The U.S. Navy's oldest active aircraft carrier has completed its move to a new homeport. USS Nimitz arrived in Norfolk on July 9, ending a three-year transit around South America from Bremerton, Washington. This arrival marks the end of a decades-long split presence in the Pacific and Atlantic fleets.
Before reaching Virginia, the ship set a new Navy record. The 51-year-old vessel surpassed the service length of USS Enterprise, which retired in 2012 after 51 years and one day. Nimitz will likely remain in service until at least March 2027. That is when the future carrier John F. Kennedy is scheduled to enter active duty.
Commissioned on May 2, 1975, the Nimitz served its first 12 years in Norfolk. It was the lead ship of a ten-ship class and served as a staging platform for the 1980 Operation Eagle Claw. That mission was an aborted attempt to rescue U.S. hostages in Iran. The nuclear-powered carrier also starred as itself in the 1980 film The Final Countdown.
The carrier left Norfolk in 1987 and spent the next several decades on the West Coast. It homeported between Washington and San Diego for most of that period. The ship left most of its air crew in Washington before departing Bremerton for the last time on March 7.
Since returning to Norfolk this summer, the Nimitz has hosted a NATO change of command ceremony. It is also training pilots and maintenance crews from Naval Air Station Oceana. The vessel carries a crew of nearly 6,000 sailors and aviators.
WHRO Military Reporter Steve Walsh flew to the ship on July 9 to document the crew's arrival. The Nimitz will continue its role as a training and operational asset until the new carrier arrives in 2027.
