HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - After one of the longest deployments for a U.S. Navy ship, the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier is back in Hawaii for a port visit.
More than 4,500 crew members arrived in Pearl Harbor on Wednesday after about 125 straight days at sea.
The Vinson’s last visit to Hawaii was a year ago during the Rim of the Pacific Exercise. The mission that came after was meant to focus on the Indo-Pacific, but geopolitical events changed her course.
“Originally, the Carl Vinson Strike Group left San Diego in November of 2024 for what we thought was going to be about a 5 month deployment. That’s turned into just under nine months,” said Rear Adm. Amy Bauernschmidt, commander of Carrier Strike Group One.
“We spent some time in the 7th Fleet area of operations, which is sort of in the Western Pacific and then about a month we were due to come home, we received orders to go over to the Central Command area of responsibility in order to conduct strikes against the Houthis,” Bauernschmidt said.
Back in March, the U.S. launched a series of airstrikes against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, who had been attacking international ships in the Red Sea to support Palestine during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
When the Houthis targeted the USS Harry Truman, the Vinson was sent to the Middle East to help with Operation Rough Rider.
The Strike Group remained at sea, engaged in the biggest military operation so far under President Trump’s second administration.
“We spent about three months there participating in over 20 days of strikes before the ceasefire. And then after the ceasefire, we rolled into what we call some maritime interdiction operations where we were looking for weapons or other items that might be getting smuggled into Yemen,” Bauernschmidt said.
“All of these operations play a key and vital role in exactly what you talk about both the free and open Indo-Pacific and then to degrade and diminish Houthi controls in Yemen,” Bauernschmidt said.
In July, the USS Nimitz arrived in the Arabian Sea, and the Vinson began her journey home.
With their mission complete, the sailors are now enjoying some well-deserved rest on Oahu and welcomed a new commanding officer.
“The grit, resilience, determination to work through any challenge, they met every single mission time and time again, and I could not be more proud of what they’ve accomplished, the jobs they’ve done, and the teamwork they’ve done to make that happen,” said Capt. Josh Wenker, commanding officer of the USS Carl Vinson.
“The history here, the culture, it’s great for our sailors to get out there and see that, and especially some of the history right here in Pearl Harbor with the Arizona Memorial behind us and engaging with the local community,” Wenker added.
Looking ahead, the commanders say the mission continues when they return to their home port in San Diego.
“For 42 years, the Carl Vinson has been at sea operating missions around the world, supporting allies and partners, deterring adversaries and when necessary, conducting combat operations, and that is what we will have the ship ready to continue to do,” Wenker said.
“These sailors are ready for anything and everything. But they’ve also earned some more rest time, so we’re hoping that that’s in the future,” Bauernschmidt said.
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