Sailors turn to watch a flyover as they begin to man the rails aboard the USS Eisenhower, as it heads home to Naval Station Norfolk, July 14, 2024. (Billy Schuerman / The Virginian-Pilot)
ABOARD THE USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER — She and her crew experienced the most intense stretch of high-sea combat since World War II.
And Sunday morning, home was just over the horizon.
Around sunrise, every one of the nearly 5,000 personnel aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier eagerly awaited the sight of the Virginia coastline.
As the warship approached its home port at Naval Station Norfolk and its 11 a.m. arrival time drew nearer, sailors’ thoughts turned to the thousands of family and friends who they knew would, in mere hours, greet them dockside as they returned from nine months at sea.
Standing in the ship’s bridge at 8 a.m., the navigator, Cmdr. Matthew Sass, watched as the tops of the hotels that line the Virginia Beach boardwalk appeared on the edge of a foggy horizon.
“We are proud of what we’ve done,” he said, just after land was spotted. Then, he smiled. “But we’re ready to go home, make no mistake.”
The beach became completely visible by 8:15 a.m. for sailors smiling while standing below on the flight deck. Somebody connected their phone to a sound system and hit play. The sounds of Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” blared as people took selfies with friends.
Lt. Kyle Rowland, 29, stood nearby a row of five F-18s. He was married just weeks before he deployed.
“I’m going to run up to her, kiss her and thank her,” he said of his wife. “Thank her for hanging in there for nine months, for me.”
Family and friends are waiting pier side as the USS Eisenhower pulls into Naval Station Norfolk, July 14, 2024. (Kendall Warner / The Virginian-Pilot)
The Eisenhower has been on deployment since Oct. 14. when it left Norfolk for the Middle East in the wake of the Oct. 7 onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict. Since then, the ship has seen much fighting.
The flagship of Carrier Strike Group 2, the Eisenhower has been at the spearhead of U.S. counter efforts to keep international shipping lanes open in the Red Sea corridor that leads to the Suez Canal, despite violent attempts by Houthi rebels to disrupt trade in the region.
The Houthis, a rebel group backed by Iran, have controlled the capital of Temen, Sanaa, since 2014 and, beginning in November, launched near-daily attacks using drones and anti-ship missiles against merchant and military ships, including the direct targeting of at least 50 vessels, according to the Associated Press. The Houthis claim their strikes are meant to stop the war in Gaza.
Since its departure, the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group has flown more than 13,800 sorties, accumulated more than 31,000 flight hours and completed more than 10,000 aircraft launches and recoveries, according to the Navy.
Speaking to reporters in the bowls of the ship, Cpt. Marvin Scott, the Commander of Carrier Air Wing 3, said there were rotating units of naval aviators in the air, 10 to 12 hours a day, six to seven days per week.
With anywhere between 80 and 140 sorties per day, the operational tempo was “very, very busy,” Scott said, later adding “the Ike herself” was “from time to time” the target of Houthi attacks
“We executed, over the course of our time there in the Red Sea, over 400 Kinetic strikes using precision guided bombs and shot down around 60 unmanned aerial vehicles,” he said.
The Eisenhower cuts through a layer of fog off the coast of Virginia as it heads home to Naval Station Norfolk, July 14, 2024, as seen from a navy helicopter. (Billy Schuerman / The Virginian-Pilot)
The Eisenhower cuts through a layer of fog off the coast of Virginia as it heads home to Naval Station Norfolk, July 14, 2024. (Billy Schuerman / The Virginian-Pilot)
Sailors man the rails as the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) returns to Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia, on July 14, 2024. (Billy Schuerman / The Virginian-Pilot)
Petty Officer 3rd class Austin Blakely plays an air guitar as a Guns N Roses song is played on the flight deck while the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) returns to Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia, on July 14, 2024. “I’m just so happy to finally be home,” Blakely said. (Billy Schuerman / The Virginian-Pilot)
Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro shakes hands with fathers who’s children were born while on deployment as the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) ports in Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia, on July 14, 2024. (Billy Schuerman / The Virginian-Pilot)
Sailors manning the rails turn to watch as Strike Fighter Squadron 106 perform a flyover while the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) returns to Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia, on July 14, 2024. (Billy Schuerman / The Virginian-Pilot)
Sailors walk along the flight deck as they begin to man the rails as the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) returns to Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia, on July 14, 2024. (Billy Schuerman / The Virginian-Pilot)
Lt. Junior Grade Jennifer Chatwell looks for land from the Bridge as the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) returns to Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia, on July 14, 2024. (Billy Schuerman / The Virginian-Pilot)
Enroute Care nurse Kyle Rowland stands for a portrait as the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) makes its way to Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia, on July 14, 2024. Rowland is part of the first Enroute Care System onboard the ship. (Billy Schuerman / The Virginian-Pilot)
From left, Austin Anderson, Robert Shank, and Elias Ogechi, get their photo taken in front of the Virginia Beach shoreline by Emmanuel Rojas as the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) returns to Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia, on July 14, 2024. (Billy Schuerman / The Virginian-Pilot)
Rear Admiral Kavon Hakimzadeh laughs while talking to reporters from the flag bridge as the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) returns to Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia, on July 14, 2024. (Billy Schuerman / The Virginian-Pilot)
A sailor waves to friends and family waiting in the crowd at Naval Station Norfolk as the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) returns from deployment in Norfolk, Virginia, on July 14, 2024. (Billy Schuerman / The Virginian-Pilot)
A sailor hangs the combat stripes on the ship as the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) returns to Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia, on July 14, 2024. (Billy Schuerman / The Virginian-Pilot)
Commander Quentin Lease embraces his children Adyson and Cooper after disembarking the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Va. on Sunday, July 14, 2024. (Kendall Warner / The Virginian-Pilot)
Kasen Napier, 5 months, sleeps while waiting with his mother for Petty Officer Second Class Cameron Napier to disembark the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Va. on Sunday, July 14, 2024. (Kendall Warner / The Virginian-Pilot)
The USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) pulls into the pier at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Va. on Sunday, July 14, 2024. (Kendall Warner / The Virginian-Pilot)
Ellie and Wyatt Campfield stand with their mother Tia as the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) pulls into the pier at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Va. on Sunday, July 14, 2024. (Kendall Warner / The Virginian-Pilot)
Water casts a pattern onto the ship as sailors wait to disembark the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Va. on Sunday, July 14, 2024. (Kendall Warner / The Virginian-Pilot)
Sailors disembark the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Va. on Sunday, July 14, 2024. (Kendall Warner / The Virginian-Pilot)
Ryan and Alica Birdsey reunite during the homecoming of the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Va. on Sunday, July 14, 2024. (Kendall Warner / The Virginian-Pilot)
Maryrose Hamrick embraces her son, Aviation Structural Mechanic Third Class Bryce Lane, while he holds her grandson, Benny Smith, during the homecoming of the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Va. on Sunday, July 14, 2024. The family traveled up from Jacksonville, Florida to welcome Lane back from his first deployment. (Kendall Warner / The Virginian-Pilot)
Elena Hill plugs her ears while people around her cheer as the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) pulls into the pier at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Va. on Sunday, July 14, 2024. (Kendall Warner / The Virginian-Pilot)
A young girl wears a camouflage bow and patriotic dress while waiting for the arrival of the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Va. on Sunday, July 14, 2024. (Kendall Warner / The Virginian-Pilot)
Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro holds a press conference in front of the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Va. on Sunday, July 14, 2024. (Kendall Warner / The Virginian-Pilot)
Petty Officer First Class Adam Peterson reunites with his family after disembarking from the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Va. on Sunday, July 14, 2024. (Kendall Warner / The Virginian-Pilot)
Sailors look for their loved ones as they wait to disembark the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Va. on Sunday, July 14, 2024. (Kendall Warner / The Virginian-Pilot)
Maya and Kamden Severson wave as the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) pulls into the pier at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Va. on Sunday, July 14, 2024. (Kendall Warner / The Virginian-Pilot)
Sailors disembark the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Va. on Sunday, July 14, 2024. (Kendall Warner / The Virginian-Pilot)
Electronics Technician Chief Petty Officer Michael Combs holds his 5-month-old son Eligius after disembarking the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Va. on Sunday, July 14, 2024. (Kendall Warner / The Virginian-Pilot)
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The Eisenhower cuts through a layer of fog off the coast of Virginia as it heads home to Naval Station Norfolk, July 14, 2024, as seen from a navy helicopter. (Billy Schuerman / The Virginian-Pilot)
Back on deck, hundreds of sailors in dress whites stood at attention, shoulder-to-shoulder, around the edges of the flight deck as the carrier prepared for its final turn into port.
Mechanist Mate Chief Marlon Nesbitt of Chesapeake had watched the homecoming from the center point of the ship’s flat bow as two F-18s performed a welcoming flyover.
“That’s beautiful. I’ve never actually seen that before,” said Nesbitt, 42. Sailors like him who work in the ship’s reactive plant rarely get up on the flight deck.
Nesbitt’s friend, Chief Foreman, an an Aviation Boatswain Mate handler who routinely instructs the movements of incoming pilots in their jets via hand signals, laughed.
“That’s about thousandth time I’ve seen that,” Foreman said, watching the fighters.
Standing at attention portside, her mind filled with memories of her home state, Haley Moore felt like shedding at tear as the ship slowly pulled in to Norfolk.
“I just miss Texas, so much,” Moore, 22, said.
She knew 11 members of her family from Galveston were waiting for her arrival on the dock, including her infant niece, born on Oct. 1, whom Moore had yet to meet.
“When we pull in here, she’s going to be right on the pier. She was born nine months ago, and we’ve been here for nine months,” she said. “I’ve always been thinking about that. It’s crazy.”
Colin Warren-Hicks, 919-818-8138, colin.warrenhicks@virginiamedia.com
