Overview
A short history lesson on the USA’s best Aircraft Carrier.
Ship Creation
The USS Enterprise was the first ever Nuclear-Powered Aircraft Carrier. Oddly enough, she was the eighth vessel to carry the name Enterprise but is the most famous to bear the title.
She was ordered to be built on the 15th of November 1957 and had her maiden voyage on the 12th January 1962.
She was built for a price of $451.3 Million, which in today’s modern money is equivalent to $4.11 Billion in today’s money!
Service History
The first time USS Enterprise saw action was in 1962 when she was part of a naval blockade to prevent military weapons and equipment from being shipped to Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
She was also deployed in the Mediterranean as part of Operation Sea Orbit, a globe-spanning cruise where she travelled over 30,565 miles in 65 days as part of the US Navy’s Task Force One, which also included Aircraft Carriers USS Long Beach and USS Bainbridge.
In November 1965, she was transferred to the Seventh Fleet became the first ever nuclear powered ship to engage in naval combat when she launched aircraft against Vietcong soldiers on December second. A day later, On December 3rd, she set a record of 165 strike sorties in a single day!
Unfortunately on 14 January 1969, while being escorted by the destroyers Benjamin Stoddert and Rogers, a MK-32 rocket loaded on a F-4 Phantom bomber exploded when ordnance cooked off after being overheated. Thankfully, fires were brought under control quickly but still 27 sailors were killed and 314 were injured. The fire destroyed 15 aircraft, and the damage forced Enterprise to put in for repairs at Pearl Harbour Naval Shipyard in Hawaii, mostly to repair her armour plating. On 1 March 1969, repairs to the ship were completed and she continued her Vietnam Deployment.
Enterprise also has been part of Disaster relief operations, like after Typhoon Gervais hit Mauritius in 1975. After she arrived at Port Louis, Sailors spent more than 10,000 total man-hours helping people by doing things like restoring water, power and telephone systems, clearing roads and debris, and providing helicopter, medical, food and drinkable water support to those in need while Enterprise was their Base of Operations.
Enterprise has also engaged in more modern naval operations, including Operation Iraqi freedom through 2003-4 where she provided continuous air support. Then, in 2006, she departed for a six-month deployment, operating in the 6th, 5th and 7th Fleet areas in a world tour, supporting both Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom, and visiting ports in Dubai, Hong Kong, and went across the equator – A maritime ritual known as ‘Crossing the Line’.
On 4 November 2012, Enterprise returned to her home port at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, for the last time. While on her last journey, she cruised nearly 81,000 miles in a 238-day deployment to the Persian Gulf and her aircraft flew more than 2,000 sorties in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.
The final reactor was defueled in December 2016, and she was decomissioned on 3 February 2017. The same day, the ship was stricken from the Naval Vessel Registry. The recycling of Enterprise was delayed by the Navy until further information on “more technically executable, environmentally responsible” approaches to disposing of the aircraft carrier were achievable. On April 10th, Newport News Shipbuilding announced that Enterprise’s inactivation process has been completed.
Thank You, Enterprise.
Influence on Pop Culture
The USS Enterprise was the Aircraft Carrier featured in Top Gun, and actual flight operations were filmed in the background as the the actors played out their scenes.
Due to its high-tech Nature, the USS Enterprise became the ship name of choice in Star Trek, with a whole series dedicated to its crew – Star Trek: Enterprise. The Original show creator wanted it to be Called Yorktown, which was previously the most cutting-edge aircraft carrier, but Enterprise became the more advanced model. Also, Enterprise sounds better in my opinion.
She is in World Of Warships as a Tier 8 Premium Aircraft carrier ship, and her Azur Lane counterpart is a commander option for any US Ship after she is obtained.
Most Importantly, Enterprise is in Azur Lane as a SR rarity character. She is the leader of the Eagle Union, and the only character to use a bow as a weapon (which is made of the Superstructure of the ship, where most commands take place). Her Bald Eagle, the National Bird of the USA, belonged to her sister Yorktown but was passed over to her after her sinking 🙁
Many know USS Enterprise under several nicknames, with the most famous ones being Big ‘E’, Lucky ‘E’ and “The Grey Ghost” – this last nickname comes from the fact that the Japanese believed she had been sunk three times, but she always came back.
In Azur Lane, Enterprise’s oath skin has a starry sky in the background. This is probably a reference to her ability to perform night strike operations, being the first aircraft carrier in the US Navy to do so!
Fun Facts
The Motto of the USS Enterprise is:
We are Legend;
Ready on Arrival;
The First, the Finest;
Eight Reactors, None Faster
Quite the flex, but makes sense as it has 4 rudders and EIGHT nuclear reactors on board!
This is the official badge of the Enterprise. Considering her worldwide history and representing the cutting-edge of Naval Nuclear Power, this badge perfectly fits the spirit of Enterprise.
Enterprise is one of the most iconic ships of all time in both real life and fiction, but it is surprising how little people actually know about it. Hopefully this guide has informed you, and thanks for reading!
