The eighth Enterprise (CVN 65), the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, was launched 24 September 1960 by Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Newport News, Va.; sponsored by Mrs. William. B. Franke, wife of the Secretary of the Navy; and commissioned 25 November 1961, Captain V. P. de Poix, in command.

After commissioning, USS Enterprise began a lengthy series of tests and training exercises, designed to determine the full capabilities of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.

The first air operations were conducted by CVN 65 as Cmdr. George Talley made an arrested landing and catapult launch in an F8U Crusader. Although three TF Traders of VR-40 had taken off from her deck on 30 October 1961 to transport VIPs to the mainland after observing sea trials, Cmdr. Talley's flights marked the start of Enterprise fleet operations. One month later, on 20 February 1962, the nuclear-powered carrier played a role in the space age when USS Enterprise acted as a tracking and measuring station for the epochal flight of Friendship 7, the Project Mercury space capsule in which Lt. Col. John H. Glenn, Jr., USMC, made the United States first orbital space flight.

In August, Big E joined the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean. Soon after its return to Norfolk, Va., in October 1962, Enterprise was dispatched to its first international crisis. On a televised address to the nation 22 October 1962, President John F. Kennedy annouced that U.S. reconnaissance flights had revealed a Soviet buildup of offensive missiles on the island of Cuba, 90 miles off the Florida coast. The President ordered a naval and air quarantine on shipment of offensive military equipment to Cuba and demanded the Soviets dismantle the missile sites there.

As the President imposed the blockade of Cuba which he had announced in his TV broadcast two days earlier, ships of the blockading force were in position at sea. Aircraft from USS Enterprise, USS Independence, USS Essex and USS Randolph, and those from shore stations were in the air, patrolling their assigned sectors. On the same day the service tours of all officers and enlisted men were extended indefinitely.

USS Enterprise and other ships in the Second Fleet set up a "strict quarantine of all offensive military equipment under shipment to Cuba." The blockade was put in place on Oct. 24, and the first Soviet ship was stopped the next day. On Oct. 28, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles and dismantle the missile bases in Cuba.

On December 19, 1962, an E-2A piloted by Lt. Cmdr. Lee M. Ramsey was catapulted off the Enterprise in the first shipboard test of nose-tow gear designed to replace the catapult bridle and reduce launching intervals. Minutes later the second nose-tow launch was made by an A-6A.

The aircraft carrier made its second and third deployments to the Mediterranean in 1963 and 1964. During the latter deployment, on 13 May 1964, the world's first nuclear-powered task force was formed when USS Long Beach (CGN 9) and USS Bainbridge (CGN 7) joined Enterprise. On July 31, 1964, the ships were designated Task Force One and, leaving Gibraltar, sailed on Operation Sea Orbit, an historic 65-day, 30,216-mile voyage around the world, accomplished without a single refueling or replenishment. In October, CVN 65 returned to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company for its first refueling and overhaul.

The "Big E" transferred to the Pacific's Seventh Fleet in November 1965 and became the first nuclear-powered ship to engage in combat when it launched bomb-laden aircraft in a projection of power against the Viet Cong near Bien Hoa on December 2, 1965. USS Enterprise launched 125 sorties on the first day, unleashing 167 tons of bombs and rockets on the enemy's supply lines. The next day it set a record of 165 strike sorties in a single day.

On January 23, 1968, when word was received of the capture of USS Pueblo (AGER 2) by a North Korean patrol boat, a Task Group, composed of Enterprise and screen, was ordered to reverse course in the East China Sea and to run northward to the Sea of Japan where it operated in the vicinity of South Korea for almost a month.

January 14, 1969 On its way to the coast of Vietnam, 70nm. of Honolulu, the Enterprise conducted flight operations. During the arming of an F-4 Phantom one of the aircraft's Zuni missiles detonated. The fire was spreading to other armed planes and some of their bombs and missiles detonated, too. USS Enterprise turned into the wind to keep the flames away from the isle.One hour later the fire on the flight deck was under control but there were still fires inside the ship which were finally extinguished some hours later. During the eight explosions and the following fires aboard Enterprise, 27 crewmen were killed and approx. 120 others were injured (other sources: 24 dead men and 85 injured people).The aircraft carrier was heavily damaged and in the flight deck there were three holes (one of them through two decks). 15 aircraft were destroyed or damaged.

On April 14, 1969 North Korean aircraft shot down an unarmed EC-121 propeller-driven Constellation which was on a routine reconnaissance patrol over the Sea of Japan from its base at Atsugi, Japan. The entire 31-man crew was killed. U.S. response was to activate Task Force 71 to protect such flights over those international waters in the future. Initially, the TF consisted of the carriers USS Enterprise, USS Ticonderoga, USS Ranger and USS Hornet with cruiser and destroyer screens.

In all, CVN 65 made six combat deployments to Southeast Asia from 1965 to 1972. Between combat tours, the carrier returned to Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company in 1970 for an overhaul and second refueling. On January 19, 1971, she completed sea trials with her newly-designed nuclear reactor cores which contained enough energy to power her for the next 10 years.

In Vietnam, with USS Oriskany, USS Midway and USS Enterprise serving intermittently on station, a total of 22 two-carrier days and nine single-carrier days resulted in a strike sortie count of 2,001 on July 30, 1971. Strike operations during the month of July were disrupted when the carriers on station evaded three different typhoons: Harriet, Kim and Jean. A slight increase in South Vietnam strike sorties occurred during the month. These were mainly visual strikes against enemy troop positions and in support of U.S. helicopter operations.

During August 1971, dual carrier operations were conducted only during the first week and, as of August 16, "Big E" filled in the remainder of the month alone on station. Thus, a total of eight two-carrier days and 23 single-carrier days represented a near reversal of July's carrier mix, producing a strike sortie count for the month of 1,915.

Single carrier operations on Yankee Station were conducted throughout September 1971, except for one two-carrier day. The schedule had the Enterprise flying the first four days, Oriskany the middle of the month and Midway completing the last four days. The single carrier posture, combined with the low intended sortie rate, produced 1,243 strike sorties during the month. The Oriskany flyers participated in a joint USAF/USN protective reaction strike in southern North Vietnam on September 21.

On Yankee Station during October 1971, single carrier operations were conducted except for the last day. Midway completed her final line period October 10, with USS Enterprise taking over the next day for the remainder of the month. Oriskany joined the last day, and together the three carriers recorded a total of 1,024 ordnance-delivering strike sorties, 30 of them in South Vietnam; the remainder in Laos. The air warfare posture in North Vietnam was altered October 20 through the deployment of six MiG aircraft south of 20º north: two each at Vinh, Quan Lang and Bai Thuong.

Alternating on Yankee Station, Oriskany, Constellation and Enterprise provided 22 two-carrier days on the line during November 1971, delivering 1,766 ordnance-bearing strike sorties, twelve and nine of them into North Vietnam and South Vietnam respectively. Two reconnaissance missions were flown during the month, with the airfield at Vinh the mission assignment. Escort aircraft on both missions expended ordnance in a protective reaction role against firing antiaircraft artillery sites near the field. Other protective reaction strikes were executed.

On October 23, 1972, the U.S. ended all tactical air sorties into North Vietnam above the 20th parallel and brought to a close Linebacker I operations. This goodwill gesture of terminating the bombing in North Vietnam above the 20th parallel was designed to help promote the peace negotiations being held in Paris, France. During May through October, the Navy flew a total of 23,652 tactical air attack sorties into North Vietnam. U.S. tactical air sorties during Linebacker I operations helped stem the flow of supplies into North Vietnam, thereby limiting the operating capabilities of North Vietnam's invading army. Carriers involved in Linebacker I operations were USS Enterprise, USS Constellation, USS Coral Sea, USS Hancock, USS Kitty Hawk, USS Midway, USS Saratoga, USS Oriskany, and USS America.

During the Oct. 23 through Dec. 17, 1972 bombing halt above the 20th parallel in North Vietnam, no MiG kills or U.S. losses were recorded. Three to four carriers alternated on Yankee Station during the bombing halt. These were: Enterprise, Kitty Hawk, Midway, Saratoga, Oriskany, America and Ranger.

Linebacker II operations were initiated on December 18, 1972 when negotiations in the Paris peace talks stalemated. The Linebacker II operations ended on 29th when the North Vietnamese returned to the peace table. These operations involved the resumed bombing of North Vietnam above the 20th parallel and was an intensified version of Linebacker I. The reseeding of mine fields in Haiphong harbor was resumed and concentrated strikes were carried out against surface-to-air missile and antiaircraft artillery sites, enemy army barracks, petroleum storage areas, Haiphong naval and shipyard areas, and railroad and truck stations. Navy tactical air attack sorties under Linebacker II were centered in the coastal areas around Hanoi and Haiphong. There were 705 Navy sorties in this area during Linebacker II.

Between December 18-22, the Navy conducted 119 Linebacker II strikes in North Vietnam. Bad weather was the main limiting factor on the number of tactical air strikes flown during this operation. On December 28, 1972, an F-4J Phantom II from VF-142 on board Enterprise downed a MiG-21, the 24th downed by Navy and Marine Corps pilots dureing the Vietnam War. The following carriers participated in Linebacker II operations: USS Enterprise, USS Saratoga, USS Oriskany, USS America and USS Ranger.

On January 27, 1973, the Vietnam cease-fire, announced four days earlier, came into effect and Oriskany, America, Enterprise and Ranger on Yankee Station, cancelled all combat sorties into North and South Vietnam. However, on 28th, aircraft from the Enterprise and Ranger flew 81 combat sorties against lines-of-communication targets in Laos. The corridor for overflights was between Hue and Da Nang in South Vietnam. These combat support sorties were flown in support of the Laotian government which had requested this assistance and it had no relationship with the cease-fire in Vietnam.

Following the cease-fire in Vietnam, CVN 65 proceeded to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Wash., where she was altered and refitted to support the Navy's newest fighter aircraft - the F-14A Tomcat. The first operational aircraft made its maiden landings and take-offs from the "Big E" on March 18, 1974, and when USS Enterprise made its seventh western Pacific deployment in September 1974, it became the first carrier to deploy with the new fighter plane.

On February 9, 1975, USS Enterprise responded to calls for disaster relief from the island nation of Mauritius which was struck on February 6 by Typhoon Cervaise. Arriving at Port Louis on the 12th, carrier personnel spent more than 10,000 man-hours rendering such assistance as restoring water, power and telephone systems, clearing roads and debris, and providing helicopter, medical, food and potable water support to the stricken area.

USS Enterprise (CVN 65), along with USS Midway, USS Coral Sea, USS Hancock, and USS Okinawa deployed to waters off Vietnam on April 19, 1975 for possible evacuation contingencies as North Vietnam overran two-thirds of South Vietnam and pronounced the carriers' presence a brazen challenge and a violation of the 1973 Paris Peace Accords. Ten days later, on 29th, in a period of three hours, Operation Frequent Wind was carried out by U.S. Navy and Marine Corps helicopters from the Seventh Fleet. Frequent Wind involved the evacuation of American citizens from the capital of South Vietnam under heavy attack from the invading forces of North Vietnam. The military situation around Saigon and its Tan Son Nhut airport made evacuation by helicopter the only way out. President Gerald Ford ordered the evacuation when Viet Cong shelling forced the suspension of normal transport aircraft use at Tan Son Nhut airport. With fighter cover provided by carrier aircraft, the helicopters landed on Saigon rooftops and at Tan Son Nhut to evacuate the Americans. The airport became the main helicopter landing Zone: it was defended by Marines from the 9th Amphibious Brigade flown in for that purpose. All but a handful of the 900 Americans in Saigon were evacuated. The last helicopter lifted off the roof of the United States Embassy at 7:52 p.m. carrying Marine security guards. During Operation Frequent Wind, USS Enterprise aircraft flew 95 sorties.

October 29, 1975 While aboard the CVN 65 the engine of an F-14 of VF-124 started burning and destroyed the plane.

December 19, 1976 Of the coast of Philippines an F-14 of VF-2 crash-landed on the flight deck.

The ship made its eighth WestPac in 1976, during which, on February 27, 1977, Enterprise and her escort ships were directed to operate off the East African coast in response to public derogatory remarks against the U.S. by the President of Uganda and his order that all Americans in Uganda meet with him.

Following her ninth WestPac deployment in 1978, the "Big E" sailed to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in January 1979 for a 30-month comprehensive overhaul. USS Enterprise made its 10th, 11th and 12th WestPac deployments in 1982, 1984 and 1986, respectively.

When USS Enterprise deployed in 1986, it became the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to transit the Suez Canal. On April 28, she transited the canal enroute from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean to relieve USS Coral Sea, on station with USS America off the coast of Libya. The transit began at 0300 and lasted 12 hours. It was the first time in over 22 years that CVN 65 was in the Mediterranean Sea. On March 24, Libyan forces had fired missiles at U.S. Navy forces operating in the Gulf of Sidra. For the next month, aircraft from the America and Coral Sea pounded Libyan targets.

In April 1988, USS Enterprise was on its 13th deployment, assigned to escort reflagged Kuwaiti oil tankers in the Arabian Gulf while stationed in the North Arabian Sea. On April 18, the United States retaliated against Iran following the April 1st incident in which USS Samuel B. Roberts (FFG 58) struck an Iranian mine in international waters. The retaliation involved both surface and air units. Carrier Air Wing 11 squadrons from Enterprise were the major aviation participants. VAW-117s "Nighthawks" provided airborne early warning tracking and analysis of targets as as air intercept control. The initial American strikes centered around a surface group action against two Iranian oil platforms that had been identified as support bases for Iranian attacks on merchant shipping. Elements of CVW-11 provided air support for the surface groups in the form of surface combat air patrols, flying A-6E Intruders and A-7E Corsair IIs, and combat air patrols with F-14 Tomcats.

The initial action began with coordinated strikes by two separate surface groups. One group, consisting of two destroyers and one amphibious ship, attacked the Sassan platform while the other group, comprising a guided missile cruiser and two frigates attacked the Sirri platform. Iranian response to the destruction of the two oil platforms involved the dispatching of numerous gunboats to prey on various targets in the Arabian Gulf. Following an attack by Iranian Boghammar speedboats on an American-flagged supply ship and a Panamanian-flagged ship, A-6Es from VA-95 were vectored in on the speedhoats by an American frigate. The aircraft dropped Rockeye cluster bombs on the speedboats, sinking one and damaging several others. Action continued to escalate. Joshan, an Iranian Combattante II Kaman-class fast attack craft, challenged USS Wainwright (CG 28) and her surface group. The American ships responded to the challenge by sinking the Joshan. Fighting continued when the Iranian frigate Sahand departed Bandar Abbas and challenged elements of an American surface group. She was observed by two VA-95 A-6Es while they were flying surface combat air patrol for USS Joseph Strauss (DDG 16).

The Sahand launched missiles at the A-6Es, and the Intruders replied with launches of two Harpoons and four laser-guided Skipper bombs. This was followed by a Harpoon firing from Joseph Strauss. The weapons delivered against Sahand were successful. Fires blazing on her decks eventually reached her magazines resulting in the final explosions that led to her sinking. The loss of Sahand, one of Iran's most modern ships was not enough to stop the suicidal sorties of the Iranian navy. A sister ship, Sabalan, departed her port for operations in the Gulf. She fired on several A-6Es from VA-95 with a surface-to-air missile. One of the Intruders responded with a laser-guided bomb that hit Sabalan and stopped her dead in the water. The Iranian frigate was taken in tow by an Iranian tug with the stern partially submerged. VA-95's aircraft, as ordered, did not continue the attack. This action ended the retaliatory strikes against Iran that began as a result of Iranian mining in international waters.

USS Enterprise began its 14th overseas deployment in September 1989. In early December she participated in Operation Classic Resolve, along with USS Midway, President George H.W. Bush's response to Philippine President Corazon Aquino's request for air support during the rebel coup attempt. The Enterprise remained on station conducting flight operations in the waters outside Manila Bay, until the situation subsided, and then proceeded to her scheduled deployment to the Indian Ocean.

In March 1990, the aircraft carrier completed its highly successful around-the-world deployment by arriving in Norfolk, Va. CVN 65 had successfully and safely steamed more than 43,000 miles from its long-time homeport of Alameda, Calif.

In October 1990, the "Big E" moved to Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company for refueling and the Navy's largest complex overhaul ever attempted. It returned to sea September 27, 1994, for sea trials.

On June 28, 1996, USS Enterprise began its 15th overseas deployment. She enforced no-fly zones in Bosnia (Operation Joint Endeavor) and Iraq (Operation Southern Watch). The deployment also marked the end of an era when VA-75 retired the A-6E Intruder from the Navy. The deployment ended December 20, 1996.

In February 1997, CVN 65 entered the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. for an extended selective restrictive availability lasting four-and-a-half months. Following workups, on December 11, 1997 a McDonnell Douglas T-45A trainer ("Goshawk") splashed into the Atlantic shortly after take-off.

The first nuclear-based aircraft carrier departed on its 16th overseas deployment November 6, 1998, this time with Carrier Air Wing Three (CVW-3).

November 8, During night landing re-qualifications aboard USS Enterprise in the Atlantic Ocean, two jets collided. An EA6-B Prowler from VAQ-130 based at Whidbey Island collided with an S-3 Viking from VS-22 based at Jacksonville, Fla. The S-3 was sitting on the flight deck, the Prowler then fell into the sea. The S-3 had just landed and was in the Prowler's path. The LSO's declared a Fouled Deck but the Prowler clipped the Viking as it attempted to go around. All six crew, four from the Prowler and two from the Viking ejected. The two from the S-3 were injured one landing into a radar on the ship's island, the other into the sea. The four crew of the Prowler were killed, one body was found the other three missing presumed killed. The search was called off after 24 hours.

Following a high-speed Atlantic transit, the "Big E" relieved USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Arabian Gulf November 23.

Just days after the stop in Jebel Ali, on December 16, the Enterprise battlegroup spearheaded Operation Desert Fox, smashing Iraqi military targets with more than 300 Tomahawk land attack missiles and 691,000 pounds of ordnance. The 70-hour assault from December 16-20 was accomplished by USS Enterprise, USS Gettysburg (CG 64), USS Stout (DDG 55), USS Nicholson (DD 982) and USS Miami (SSN 755).

Following operations off Sicily, CVN 65 returned north, this time for a port visit in Cannes, France. Plans changed slightly, though, as Yugoslavian peace talks in Rambouillet, France, deteriorated and the carrier was ordered back to the Adriatic after only 24 hours in Cannes.

On a short recall tether, USS Enterprise and CVW-3 pulled into port at Trieste, Italy, in early March 1999 for their last Mediterranean port visit before returning to the Arabian Gulf. They relieved USS Carl Vinson March 14 and took over the helm of Southern Watch. The Enterprise BG returned home on May 6. During the 1998-1999 deployment, the aircraft carrier steamed more than 50,000 miles and spent 151 days underway. The aircraft of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) were launched nearly 9,000 times, logging approximately 17,000 hours in the sky.

USS Enterprise began its 17th overseas deployment on April 25, 2001, with Carrier Air Wing Eight (CVW-8).

During the early part of the 2001 deployment, the carrier and four Battle Group ships participated in the Joint Maritime Course 01-2 (JMC 01-2), a British Royal Navy joint and combined warfare training exercise, June 18-28, in the North Sea near the Hebrides Islands, as well as land and airspace around Scotland.

On September 11, USS Enterprise was just beginning her voyage home from the Arabian Gulf. Watching a U.S. morning news show live, although locally in the early evening, the crew saw the terrorist attacks by the al Qaeda terrorist network against New York's World Trade Center and on the Pentagon. Immediately, CVN 65 turned around and headed back to the waters off Southwest Asia. On October 7, the U.S. launched air attacks against al Qaeda terrorist training camps and Taliban military installations in Afghanistan. The carefully-targeted actions were designed to disrupt the use of Afghanistan as a base for terrorist operations and to attack the military capability of the Taliban regime.

For approximately the next three weeks, aircraft from Enterprise flew nearly 700 missions in Afghanistan and dropped more then 800,000 pounds of ordnance. Departing from Southwest Asia in late October, USS Enterprise arrived back at its homeport of Norfolk, Va., on November 10, about two weeks later than originally planned.

January 7, 2002 The "Big E" entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for a scheduled one-year Extended Docking Selected Restricted Availability (EDSRA).

August 21, CVN 65 moved out of dry dock and got water under its keel for the first time since January. Enterprise's next major phase in the EDSRA included getting all the ship's services back online, resurfacing the flight deck and getting the propulsion plants up and running.

In January 2003 the aircraft carrier completed the EDSRA and began conducting sea trials. In February, the ship conducted carrier qualifications off the East Coast of the United States. In April the Enterprise Carrier Strike Group participated in Multi-National Maritime Exercise 03-1. The exercise began on April 7, and ended on April 11. The carrier was back in Norfolk by April 18. She departed again on May 7, and returned to homeport on May 27.

In June USS Enterprise joined the Argentinean destroyer ARA Sarandi (D 13) for joint training exercise Solid Step. On June 18, she departed Norfolk for what had been thought to be a TSTA period, but information regarding Solid Step indicates that this might have been COMPTUEX. Unfortunately, information coming out of 2nd Fleet has been notoriously bad and it is not clear exactly at what stage in its IDTC the carrier was when it departed in June. She returned to Norfolk on July 2.

August 29, CVN 65 departed Naval Station Norfolk for its maiden deployment for the Navy’s first Carrier Strike Group (CSG). The CSG, which includes Enterprise with its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1, USS Philippine Sea (CG 58), USS Gettysburg (CG 64), and USS Detroit (AOE 8), and more than 7,100 Sailors, will conduct a rigorous training cycle followed by an immediate routine deployment, in support of the Global War on Terrorism. The strike group will conduct graduate training exercises, including a Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX) in September. The CSG is not currently scheduled to return to their homeport prior to deploying. The exercise, which begins Sept. 10, will utilize areas off the East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico, and will involve complex strike group training events, naval surface fire-support training and air-to-ground bombing as part of the Atlantic Fleet’s new training resource strategy. The Argentinean destroyer, ARA Sarandi (D 13), will join the Enterprise CSG for the COMPTUEX and part of the ensuing deployment.

January 28, 2004 USS Enterprise recently finished Exercise Sea Saber, a multi-nation maritime interdiction training exercise held Jan. 11-17, to improve measures against the trafficking of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in the Northern Arabian Sea and Arabian Gulf. While U.S. vessels played a significant role in Sea Saber, the exercise was not limited to American forces. Twelve countries were involved in Sea Saber, with the United States, Australia, France, Italy, Singapore, Spain and the United Kingdom providing operational forces. Denmark, Germany, Japan, Portugal and Turkey observed the exercise.

CVN 65 entered the waters of the U.S. 6th Fleet AOR Feb. 5, after transiting the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean Sea following almost four months of operations in the Middle East.

February 29, USS Enterprise returned to Naval Station Norfolk after completing the six-month deployment in support operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

April 20, The "Big E" is currently in the Atlantic Ocean conducting Carrier Qualifications (CQ).

April 30, USS Enterprise concluded a successful port visit to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., as guests of South Florida Fleet Week USA.

June 3, CVN 65 is currently participating in Summer Pulse 2004 in the Atlantic Ocean.

July 2, The Norfolk-based aircraft carrier pulled into Portsmouth, England, for a four-day port visit.

July 23, The Enterprise returned to Norfolk folloving its participation in Summer Pulse 2004.

September 3, The "Big E" entered the Northrop Grumman Newport News Shipyard for a scheduled Extended Selected Restricted Availability (ESRA).

October 13, 2005 CVN 65 departed Northrop Grumman Newport News, Va., for the first time since Sept. 2004 to conduct sea trials and flight deck certification in the Atlantic Ocean.

October 22, The carrier completed Flight Deck Certification on Oct. 19, and is currently conducting carrier qualifications.

October 27, USS Enterprise completed a two-day ammunition on-load Oct. 24, bringing the aircraft carrier one step closer to combat readiness. The "Big E" utilized both connected replenishment (CONREP) and vertical replenishment (VERTREP) with the help of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 11 to safely bring aboard 1,173 lifts of ammunition from USNS Arctic (T-AOE 8).

October 29, CVN 65 departed Naval Station Norfolk for Tailored Ships Training Assessment. TSTA is a training regimen designed to prepare a ship for prompt and sustained combat operations at sea.

November 3, USS Enterprise, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, USS Harry S. Truman and fast combat support ship USNS Arctic are currently underway in the Atlantic Ocean conducting ammunition transfers and underway replenishments.

November 19, After less than six weeks the Enterprise successefuly concluded its Tailored Ship’s Training Availability period and Final Evaluation Phase (FEP).

February 6, 2006 USS Enterprise is currently underway conducting routine carrier qualifications in the Atlantic Ocean.

February 27, The "Big E" and embarked Carrier Air Wing One (CVW 1) are currently underway conducting carrier qualification prior to starting Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX).

March 19, CVN 65 disembarked CVW-1, following the successful completion of COMPTUEX. It returned to Norfolk March 31.

May 2, USS Enterprise, commanded by Capt. Lawrence Rice, departed Norfolk for a scheduled deployment in support of the Global War on Terrorism.

May 17, The Enterprise pulled to Split, Croatia, for a four-day port call.

May 23, USS Enterprise arrived in Souda Bay, Crete, for a routine port visit. While in the Naval Forces Europe Area of Responsibility, the Carrier Strike Group will conduct training and theater security cooperation engagements with several countries including Bulgaria, Germany, Croatia, and Greece.

May 29, CVN 65 ESG transited the Suez Canal to relieve USS Ronald Reagan on it's duty, in the 5th Fleet AoO, in the Persian Gulf.

July 6, USS Enterprise, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 2 and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1 successfully completed the first operational portion of their deployment. The carrier now heads to the western Pacific to begin operations with U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet. Since arriving in the Persian Gulf on June 6, CVW-1 launched 781 sorties and amassed 3,832 flight hours in direct support of troops participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom; and an additional 237 sorties and 455 flight hours in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

July 16, The "Big E" is currently in the Philippine Sea conducting dual carrier air operations with the USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63).

July 18, The Norfolk-based aircraft carrier arrived in Pusan, Korea, for a scheduled port visit.

August 1, USS Enterprise recently departed Hong Kong after a port call. She departed Changi Naval Base, Singapore, on Aug. 6 after a four-day port visit.

August 20, The "Big E" departed Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, after a four-day port call.

September 1, USS Enterprise and USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55) returned to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Aug. 28, following nearly two months of operations with U.S. 7th Fleet in the western Pacific.

September 5, Aircraft assigned to Carrier Air Wing One provided support to International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) troops on the ground as part of Operation Medusa in Afghanistan that began Sept. 3. In concert with coalition air forces, F/A-18C Hornets from the “Sidewinders” of VFA-86, based in Beaufort, S.C., conducted precision strikes on a known Taliban position near Kandahar. Recently, Taliban extremists operating in the vicinity of Kandahar have employed new, more aggressive tactics, including suicide bombings on unprotected civilian targets. The Enterprise Strike Group is currently operating in the northern Arabian Sea in support of maritime security operations and Operation Enduring Freedom.

On Oct. 7, aircraft assigned to CVW 1, commanded by Capt. Mark Wralstad, participated in their second heaviest day of close air support in the skies over Afghanistan since they began operations in there early September. Eight GBU-12 weapons were expended in the attacks during the 36th day of support operations, Saturday, against Taliban extremist positions near Kandahar. In the 17 days since their heaviest day of close air support to ISAF troops and other coalition forces Sept. 20, the Enterprise-based aircraft have flown nearly 200 close air support missions against Taliban extremists near Kandahar, Afghanistan, as part of OEF. Since the begining of CAS missions they have focused their efforts on protecting ISAF and coalition ground forces near Kandahar and have flown more than 450 sorties and delivered more than 100 precision weapons in support of Operations Medusa and Mountain Fury.

October 23, USS Enterprise departed Jebel Ali, U.A.E., after a five-day port call.

November 1, CVN 65 Carrier Strike Group successfully completed its second portion of operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations.

November 18, USS Enterprise returned to homeport after steaming nearly 60,000 miles. During their deployment, CVW-1 aircraft delivered 65,000 pounds of ordnance, including 137 precision weapons, to provide unprecedented support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom. They completed more than 8,300 sorties, of which 2,186 were combat missions, while flying more than 22,500 hours and making 6,916 day and night arrested landings.

February 28, 2007 The "Big E" departed Naval Station Norfolk to conduct carrier qualifications in the Atlantic Ocean.

March 8, Pilots and crew members from Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 11 rescued a Sailor stationed aboard the
USS Enterprise who fell overboard shortly before midnight March 6. A Sailor fell from one of the hangar bay elevators while the aircraft carrier conducted operations in the Atlantic Ocean about 100 miles off the Florida coast.

March 19, The first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier departed Norfolk, after spending the weekend at its homeport, offloading Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1 and onloading training squadrons from Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA), headquartered at Naval Air Station (NAS) Corpus Christi, Texas. Following an initial period of carrier qualifications, the Enterprise will begin fleet replenishment carrier qualifications, providing an opportunity for pilots to become certified in landing on a carrier at sea.

April 1, CVN 65 returned to homeport, completing a two weeks of carrier qualifications.

April 30, USS Enterprise departed Norfolk for a cycle of CQ, following a four-week in port period for Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) preparations and inspections.

May 17, Adm. Gary Roughead relieved Adm. John B. Nathman as Commander U.S. Fleet Forces Command (FFC) during a change of command ceremony held aboard the "Big E" at Naval Station Norfolk.

May 18, Capt. Ron Horton relieved Capt. Lawrence Rice as CO of USS Enterprise.

May 22, CVN 65 departed homeport for two weeks of carrier qualifications in preparation for its upcoming surge deployment.

July 7, USS Enterprise CSG departed Naval Station Norfolk for a regularly scheduled deployment in support of the global war on terrorism.

July 27, USS Enterprise departed Cannes, France, after a three-day port visit. The "Big E" was the platform for a landmark event between French and U.S. navies July 23, a day before the port visit, when the ship trapped and launched two of France's multi-role combat fighters, Rafale M aircraft. It was the first time the aircraft had ever trapped aboard a U.S. aircraft carrier. Carrier Strike Group entered the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations August 1.

August 12, The Enterprise and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1 started with supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom in the Persian Gulf.

October 1, Cmdr. James Linns relieved Cmdr. Mike Buchanan as the commanding officer of VAQ-137, during a change-of-command ceremony held abord the ship, in the Persian Gulf.

October 21, CVN 65 recently departed Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates, after a scheduled port call.

November 13, USS Enterprise Carrier Strike Group 12 concluded a three-day, multi-unit exercise aimed at sharpening its anti-submarine warfare (ASW) skills. The aircraft carrier is currently in the Arabian Sea supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

December 1, The Enterprise CSG transited the Suez Canal after completing duties in the 5th Fleet AoO.

December 16, USS Enterprise pulled to Naval Station Mayport for a brief port stop to disembark the crew members of VMFA-251 and VS-32 "Maulers", and to pick up civilians for a three-day tiger Cruise. This was the last deployment for the S-3 Viking squadron, as the aircraft will be phased out of service at the end of 2008.

December 19, CVN 65 returned to Norfolk after a five-and-a-half month surge deployment. The Aircraft from CVW 1 delivered 36,500 pounds of air-to-ground ordnance and fired more than 4,000 rounds of 20mm ammunition in support of operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. Crews flew a total of 20,300 hours and completed more than 6,500 arrest landings. In total, more than 7,500 missions were flown, 1,676 of those were combat missions.

April 11, 2008 USS Enterprise pulled to Northrop Grumman Newport News Shipbuilding for a 16-month extended docking availability.