Repairs complete, the GW heads to Japan

The carrier George Washington left San Diego on Thursday, bound once again for Japan after undergoing several months of repairs caused by a shipboard fire.

The ship will replace the carrier Kitty Hawk as the Navy’s only forward deployed carrier when it docks in Yokosuka, Japan.

The fire that sidelined the carrier broke out in late May, while the ship was in the Pacific Ocean off the South American Coast.

The blaze injured three dozen sailors. It began in a boiler exhaust and supply area, and was ultimately attributed to unauthorized smoking near improperly stored flammable liquids and other combustible materials.

The incident led the Navy to replace the ship’s commanding and executive officers.

The ship left Norfolk in early April. About 2,800 crew members stayed on board in San Diego for the repairs after the carrier entered the shipyard in late May. Many of the sailors’ families are either headed to or already in Japan.