SITE NAVIGATION

SHIP SPECIFIC INFORMATION

TYPE	AIRCRAFT CARRIER (CVN)
CLASS	NIMITZ
OFFICIAL NAME	USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER
PENNANT NUMBER	69
NICKNAME	IKE
MOTTO	N/A
BUILDER	NEWPORT NEWS SHIPBUILDING
CONTRACT AWARD DATE	06/29/1970
KEEL LAYING DATE	08/15/1970
LAUNCH DATE	10/11/1975
DELIVERY DATE	09/12/1977
COMMISSION DATE	10/18/1977
PLANNING YARD	NORFOLK NAVAL SHIPYARD, NORFOLK, VA
NAVSEA PMS	312
CUSTODIAN	US NAVY
STATUS	ACTIVE DUTY
HOMEPORT	NORFOLK, VA
MAILING ADDRESS	FPO, AE, 09532-2830
UIC (UNIT IDENT. CODE)	03368
TYPE COMMANDER	AIRLANT
FLEET COMMAND	N/A
GROUP COMMAND	CRUDESGRU 8
SQUADRON COMMAND	N/A

AIRCRAFT CARRIERS

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CVN 69 | USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER

Namesake:

President Dwight D. Eisenhower

Born on Oct. 14, 1890, in Denison, Texas, Dwight David Eisenhower moved to Abilene, Kan., in 1891, where he lived until his acceptance to the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1911. Following his graduation in 1915, Ike was posted to the infantry at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, where he met Miss Mamie Doud. They were married in Denver, Colo., on July 1, 1916.

Subsequent duty assignments included attendance at the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. in 1925-26, where he finished first in a class of 275. After graduating from the Army War College in 1928, Ike served in various capacities, including duty in the office of the Army chief of staff.

In 1935, Ike became assistant to Gen. Douglas MacArthur in the Philippines and five years later was promoted to chief of staff, Third Army. At the outset of World War II, Ike was selected to head the Operations Division of the War Department and, in 1942, was named commanding general of the European Theater.

By 1943, Allied forces under the command of Eisenhower had liberated North Africa and Sicily from the Axis and had eliminated Italy as an Axis power. President Franklin D. Roosevelt named Eisenhower as supreme commander, Allied Expeditionary Forces, and as such, Ike directed the land, sea and air invasion at Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944.

Ike was promoted to general of the Army in December 1944, and after accepting Germany's unconditional surrender on May 7, 1945, he was appointed commanding general, United States Forces Europe. On Nov. 19, 1945, he was named Army chief of staff, succeeding Gen. George C. Marshall. After the war, Eisenhower served as president of Columbia University and as supreme allied commander of the forces established under the NATO pact. In 1952, Ike retired from the Army and, as standard bearer for the Republican Party, easily won election to become the 34th president of the United States.

It was during President Eisenhower's administration that the Navy's nuclear shipbuilding program experienced significant growth. In the eight years of the Eisenhower administration, 29 nuclear attack submarines, the first 14 Polaris submarines, two nuclear cruisers and the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, USS ENTERPRISE (CVN 65), were authorized.

President Eisenhower left office on Jan. 20, 1961, after 50 years of service to his country. In March 1961, by Public Law 87-3, signed by President John F. Kennedy, Ike was returned to the active list of the regular Army with the rank of general of the Army from December 1944. He maintained his office at Gettysburg College and residence at his farm near Gettysburg, Pa., where he lived the life of an elder statesman until his death on March 28, 1969.

Historical Notes:

Construction of the DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (CVN 69) was authorized by Congress in fiscal year 1970. She was laid down 15 Aug 1970 at Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co, Newport News VA, launched 11 Oct 1975; sponsored at 11:11am by Mrs. Mamie Doud-Eisenhour, widow of the late president; and commissioned on Oct. 18, 1977, under the command of CAPT William E. Ramsey, USN. She was assigned to the Atlantic Fleet. After 14 months of fleet training, EISENHOWER set sail for her first Mediterranean deployment.

Since that time, Eisenhower has completed eight Mediterranean deployments. In 1980, EISENHOWER's second extended deployment tallied 254 days at sea with only a five-day stopover in Singapore.

After its fourth deployment EISENHOWER sailed into Newport News and Drydock in October 1985 for a complex overhaul. The 18-month yard period included the addition of the Close-in Weapons System (CIWS), NATO Seasparrow Missile System (NSSMS), Navy Tactical Data System, Anti-Submarine Warfare module, communications upgrades and rehabilitation of 1,831 berths in 25 compartments. EISENHOWER re-entered the fleet in April 1987.

In 1990, EISENHOWER completed its sixth Mediterranean Sea deployment. The deployment became a commemorative event in the worldwide 'Dwight D. Eisenhower Centennial,' celebrating the 100th anniversary of the late president's birth. During D-Day anniversary ceremonies off the coast of Normandy, Eisenhower's son, John Eisenhower,and D-Day veterans embarked in the ship while Carrier Air Wing Seven conducted a memorial flyover of the American cemetery at Ohmaha Beach.

In response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, EISENHOWER became the first carrier to conduct sustained operations in the Red Sea. EISENHOWER was the second nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to transit the Suez canal. EISENHOWER served as a ready striking force in the event Iraq invaded Saudi Arabia, and participated in maritime interception operations in support of a United National embargo against Iraq.

After completion of an extensive shipyard period and work ups, EISENHOWER deployed Sept. 26, 1991 to the Arabian Gulf to continue multi-national operations with coalition forces in support of Operation Desert Storm. EISENHOWER returned to Norfolk April 2, 1992. On Jan. 6, 1993, EISENHOWER entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard for overhaul and conversion,and returned to the fleet November 12, 1993.

In September 1994, EISENHOWER and the U.S. Army 10th Mountain Division again made history with the concept of "adaptive force packaging." The division's soldiers and equipment were loaded on board, and the EISENHOWER Army and Navy team headed for Port-au-Prince to spearhead Operation Uphold Democracy, the U.S. - led effort to restore he democratically elected government of Haiti.

One month later, in October 1994, EISENHOWER departed for a six-month deployment which included flying missions in support of Operations Southern Watch and Deny Flight. This deployment marked the first time that women had deployed as crewmembers of a U.S. Navy combatant. The EISENHOWER, Carrier Wing Three, and COMCRUDESGRU Eight team included more than 400 women.

EISENHOWER returned to Newport News Shipbuilding on July 17, 1995, for an 18-month complex overhaul which was completed on Jan. 27, 1997. The ship departed on its 10th deployment on June 10,1998 and returned in December. In February 1999, EISENHOWER returned to the Norfolk Navy Shipyard for a six-month refitting and returned to the fleet in June. Upon completion in June 1999, she returned to full duty in the fleet.