George H.W. Bush: Carrier honors freedom, sacrifice, service

NORFOLK

With a generous helping of pomp and a healthy amount of circumstance, the Navy commissioned the last of the Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, the George H.W. Bush, on Saturday morning.

Under a blue sky and a chilling wind, a host of dignitaries assembled on one of the ship's starboard elevators, hovering above Pier 14 at Norfolk Naval Station.

Former President Bush arrived by a motorcade that crept along the pier in front of about 15,000 spectators. A Marine helicopter landing on the carrier's flight deck delivered President George W. Bush soon after.

A multi-gun salute from the starboard bow followed, and then a ceremony in which

speakers praised both men for their service to their country.

During the invocation, ship's chaplain Cmdr. Patrick McLaughlin called the senior Bush "the example of honor and commitment," adding that his namesake ship was eager to follow his lead.

"We are ready to become the George H.W. Bush."

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said, "There is no one more worthy of having the last Nimitz-class aircraft carrier named after him than the 41st president."

He moved on to introduce President George W. Bush, who he said has "a courage and a toughness that has impressed all those who worked for him."

As for the ship and its crew, Gates continued, they embody the "leadership, power and conscience" necessary to ensure peace in the world.

The current President Bush told of his parents' early courtship as his father was flying for the Navy in the Pacific during World War II. Barbara Bush knitted socks for him. George H.W. Bush collected shells on Pacific atolls for her.

He went on to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross for a raid in which his plane was shot down.

The carrier, his son said, is "a fitting tribute to the generation of men with whom my father was proud to serve."

Speaking of the modern-day military, Bush said, "Again, they are making the world safer. And again, they will come home in victory."

"I ask that God protect this ship," he concluded. "I ask God's continued blessings on this wonderful nation."

After Bush's speech, Navy Secretary Donald C. Winter put the ship into commission. The Bush was granted special commissioning status, since it still has to complete sea trials. The Navy expects to take ownership in March.

The Bush is expected to replace the conventional carrier Kitty Hawk, which is scheduled for decommissioning. Initially, it will be based in Norfolk. Both Norfolk and Mayport, Fla., are vying to permanently homeport it.

With thousands of jobs and about $650 million a year in economic activity at stake, that contest has become highly political. Virginia officials have suggested that the Navy's recommendation to shift a carrier away from Norfolk is motivated by Republican wishes (the current president's brother Jeb is a former governor of Florida), not a significant increase in safety to the East Coast fleet.

But that debate, as well as any larger questions about the current president's handling of military issues, was kept at arm's length during the commissioning festivities. Winter, who is expected to announce a final decision on Mayport before leaving office this month, offered no new information in a talk with reporters after the ceremony. President George W. Bush didn't speak to the media.

Capt. Kevin O'Flaherty officially took command of the carrier at noon from Adm. Gary Roughead, chief of naval operations, who reminded him that "to take command of this ship is to take on an awesome commitment."

The ship will serve America for the next 50 years, in wartime and peace, Roughead said.

"While we do not know what the future holds," he continued, the carrier will give future commanders in chief "options to respond in a way no other nation can."

O'Flaherty then introduced George H.W. Bush, who recounted two memorable events from his early years. One was his courting of Barbara Bush, with whom he celebrates a 64th anniversary this week. The other was his reporting for duty aboard the carrier San Jacinto, which, at the time, was the largest ship he had ever seen.

He went on to speak briefly of the values of freedom, sacrifice and service and of how his namesake carrier would have dwarfed the San Jacinto.

To the crew, he said simply, "Thank you for your service."

Bush then participated in the ceremonial setting of the first watch.

It fell to his daughter and the ship's sponsor, Dorothy Bush Koch, to issue the command everyone had been awaiting for years: "Officers and crew of the USS George H.W. Bush, man our ship and bring her to life!"

"Aye, ma'am!" responded the crew, which stood at attention on the pier below.

Trotting off in single file, they climbed the ship's brows and disappeared into the hangar bay, re-emerging on the flight deck overhead and running to take their spots along its edge as the band played a jaunty tune below.

Once they were in place, a quartet of F/A-18 Super Hornets screamed by overhead, followed by a lone TBM Avenger, the same model of torpedo bomber that Bush flew in World War II.

O'Flaherty then reported for duty to Adm. Jonathan Greenert, commander of U.S. Fleet Forces.

Mike Petters, president of Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, came next, speaking of how the company's workers "build with our hands, with our heads and with our hearts."

"May the ship be as strong, as powerful and as noble as the individual who gave it its name," he said.

In his closing remarks, O'Flaherty asked the Bush crew's family members to stand and be honored, because his sailors couldn't serve without their support.

The crew, he added, is "humbled to have been chosen for this task."

"We are here to serve," he concluded. "We are trained. We are ready to take this ship to sea."

After the ceremony, once the presidents and other dignitaries had left, the thousands of spectators began either climbing the brows to tour the ship, or filing off the pier.

Petty Officer 1st Class Jeffrey Delzer reunited with his mother on the pier. Their favorite part of the ceremony was when the sailors ran aboard, bringing the ship to life.

"I thought a lot about him growing up; it was in the back of my mind," said Barbara Delzer, of Cleveland, Ohio. "To see them standing up there - he's a man now."

Delzer said he didn't mind standing in the cold for several hours.

"It's a tradition, an honor," he said. "The current and former presidents, the integrity that they had, it's evident in the ship and crew."

Matthew Jones, (757) 446-2949, matthew.jones@pilotonline.com

Kathy Adams, (757) 446-2583, kathy.adams@pilotonline.com