NORFOLK, Va. — The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford arrived home at Naval Station Norfolk on Wednesday, marking the end of its first-ever deployment.
The carrier's return is the culmination of the Ford Carrier Strike Group's journey from the Mediterranean Sea. For the last several days, strike group squadrons were departing the Ford and flying home ahead of the carrier's return to the mainland.
The strike group left Norfolk in May 2023 for a six-month deployment in the U.S. European Command area that was expected to end in early November. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin extended the group's deployment to respond to the fallout of the Israel-Hamas war, 76 days longer than expected.
"It’s been a long eight months, but I’m glad to be back with my girls so it’s nice," said one sailor while holding his daughter on Pier 11.
His wife, Vanessa Lucero, said she’s so happy to have her sailor home.
"She was barely crawling when he left and now she’s walking and running all over the place, so it’s great that he’s here and he can be here and enjoy the moments with us," Lucero said while holding the couple's younger daughter.
Rear Admiral Erik Eslich calls their mission of deterring aggression and showing commitment to allies of the United States a success.
"We were deterring aggression in the region specifically after the attacks of October 7th. We were deterring 3rd party intervention in the Israeli-Hamas War," he said after disembarking.
Photos: USS Gerald R. Ford Homecoming
Sending her husband of 26 years off on deployment is nothing new for Amanda Quick
"It does not get easier, no. Our anniversary is Halloween. We were hoping he'd be home. This is his third one away and then they got extended, and then they got extended again, and yeah, it was really uncertain for a while. We didn't know when they were coming back, so it was just kind of take it day by day. But, we got the news and I'm so excited," she said, wiping away a tear.
When she heard her husband’s deployment was extended, she said the usual panic set in.
"Then there’s an understanding of what is going on and why it's happening."
But now that the family is back together and can celebrate.
"We’re gonna have a big pizza party and have a good time," she said.
The Ford's first deployment came after years of technical setbacks, cost overruns and delays.
Construction of the $13 billion first-in-its-class carrier began at Newport News Shipbuilding in 2009 and was commissioned in 2017, marking the first new U.S. aircraft carrier designed in more than 40 years. However, it faced several challenges related to 23 new advanced onboard technological systems.
"The ship performed magnificently and all the systems, as well. I think the one takeaway that I gleaned from all of it is that this ship is everything that the Navy and the American public wanted and more," said Captain Rick Burgess, the Commanding Officer of Gerald R. Ford.
In October 2022, the Ford went to the North Atlantic to participate in exercises with eight NATO partners and allies. The carrier operated with Canada, Denmark, Spain, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden before returning to homeport in late November.
The Gerald R. Ford is the flagship of the strike group, which also includes Carrier Air Wing 8, Destroyer Squadron 2, the guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy, and destroyers USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116) and USS McFaul (DDG 74).
"They wrote the first chapter of the operational book for a Ford-class carrier. So, it's the first in class and I couldn't be more proud of the team and what they've accomplished," Rear Adm. Eslich said.
Savannah McDaniel-Whylie married her husband Jeremy just one month before he boarded the Ford.
"Really hard. We’ve been together for five years since high school, so it’s really exciting to finally see him again," she said, wrapped in a blanket, braving the freezing temperatures.
Accompanied by a cutout of her husband’s face so he could easily find her, McDaniel-Whylie said she couldn’t wait to feel safe by his side again.
"Feeling like I have my home back," she said. "I know I’m definitely going to cry, he’s probably going to cry."
Sisters Leena and Samantha Harkin say their father, Captain Marc Harkin, has been on many deployments before, but they still can’t wait to get him home.
"It’s really exciting because we haven’t seen him in so long," said Samantha. "It's a mix of emotions, honestly."
Exciting in part because they’re looking forward to one thing in particular.
"Have him finally cook a meal. It’s been a rough 8 months," said Leena, laughing with her mother.
Rear Admiral Eslich said they could not have completed their mission without the support of their families back home.
"All I can say is thank you, from the bottom of my heart. The sacrifice of the families day in and day out," he said. "At no time did we feel like we were out there alone. That we had the love and support of our families."
What’s next for the men and women?
Rest, relaxation and reconnecting with their families. Sailors will have about two weeks off and then return to work dockside.