USS Harry S . Truman ( CVN - 75 ) USS " Harry S . Truman " ( CVN - 75 ) is the eighth of the United States Navy , named after the 33rd President of the United States , Harry S . Truman . The ship ' s callsign is " Lone Warrior " , and she is currently homeported at Naval Station Norfolk , Virginia . " Harry S . Truman " was launched on 14 September 1996 by Newport News Shipbuilding , Newport News , Virginia , and commissioned on 18 July 1998 with Captain Thomas Otterbein in command . President Bill Clinton was the keynote speaker , and other notable attendees and speakers included Missouri Representative Ike Skelton , Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan , Secretary of Defense William Cohen and Secretary of the Navy John H . Dalton . " Harry S . Truman " was initially the flagship of Carrier Group Two and , beginning 1 October 2004 , of Carrier Strike Group Ten . Beginning in 2001 , the " Harry S . Truman " Carrier Battle Group participated in Operation Joint Endeavor , Operation Deny Flight , Operation Southern Watch , Operation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan , Operation Iraqi Freedom , Summer Pulse ' 04 , and NATO Operation Medshark / Majestic Eagle ' 04 . Description . " Harry Truman " ( also known as " HST " within the Navy ) is 1 , 092 ft ( 333 m ) long , 257 ft ( 78 m ) wide and is as high as a twenty - four - story building , at 244 feet ( 74 m ) . The super carrier can accommodate approximately 80 aircraft and has a flight deck in size , using four elevators that are 3 , 880 ft² ( 360 m² ) each to move planes between the flight deck and the hangar bay . With a combat load , " HST " displaces almost 97 , 000 tons and can accommodate 6 , 250 crewmembers . Her four distilling units can make 400 , 000 U . S . gallons ( 1 , 500 m³ ) of potable water a day ; her food service divisions serve 18 , 000 meals per day . There are over 2 , 500 compartments on board requiring 2 , 520 tons ( 2 . 1 MW ) of air conditioning capacity ( enough to cool over 2 , 000 homes ) . The warship uses two Mark II stockless anchors that came from and weigh 30 tons each , with each link of the anchor chain weighing 360 pounds ( 160 kg ) . She is currently equipped with three 20 mm Phalanx CIWS mounts and two Sea Sparrow SAM launchers . The ship cost over $ 4 . 5 billion in 2007 dollars to manufacture . Propulsion . Two Westinghouse A4W nuclear reactors are used for propulsion ( the ship is capable of steaming more than three million miles before refueling ) turning 4 five - bladed screws that weigh 66 , 220 pounds ( 30 t ) each driving the ship at speeds over 30 knots ( 56 km / h ) . Recreation . While underway , the ship has its own daily newspaper , the " Give ' em Hell Herald " , and its own weekly television newscast , " The Lookout " . In addition , the ship ' s Morale , Welfare & Recreation ( MWR ) division collaborates with the public affairs office ( PAO ) to telecast bingo contests for the crew that award as much as $ 1 , 000 and several prizes . Awards . " Harry S Truman " has been the recipient of numerous awards recognizing the ship ' s excellence . They include Ship ' s seal and battle flag . The oval seal was designed by the ship ' s pre - commissioning crew and is primarily blue and gold . According to the ship ' s history webpage , a coat of arms " characterizes the global on - station capability of the ship and the United States Navy " and " Truman ' s name forms the shape of a forward - deployed aircraft carrier prepared to uphold and protect American interests " . The three flags near the bottom represent the letters " HST " . The 33 gold stars surrounding the seal represent Truman ' s position as the 33rd President . The " Truman " battle flag was also designed by the ship ' s crew and is a variation of the guidons carried by the companies of the 129th Field Artillery Regiment of the 35th Infantry Division , such as Battery D , the battery under the command of then Army Capt . Harry Truman during World War I . It consists of crossed cannons on a scarlet background with the phrase " Give ' em hell " , a reference to Truman ' s 1948 reelection campaign . Ship history . Pre - commissioning and construction . The keel was laid by Newport News Shipbuilding on 29 November 1993 and the ship was christened on 7 September 1996 . " HST " was authorized and laid down as but her name was changed in February 1995 at the direction of then Secretary of the Navy John H . Dalton . Three Newport News ship workers died during construction when a pump room filled with methane and hydrogen sulfide gases during a sewage leak on 12 July 1997 . They are commemorated by a brass plaque in the tunnel off Hangar Bay No . 1 . The ship was christened on 7 September 1996 , launched 13 September 1996 , and the crew began moving aboard from contract housing in Newport News in January 1998 . The ship successfully completed builder ' s sea trial on 11 June 1998 after a short delay due to noise issues in one of the reactor closure heads . The ship was officially accepted by the Navy on 30 June 1998 and was commissioned on 25 July 1998 at Naval Station Norfolk . Commissioning . The keynote speaker of the commissioning ceremony was President Bill Clinton . Other notable attendees and speakers were : Rep . Ike Skelton , D - Mo . , who pushed to have the carrier named after the 33rd president ; Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan ; Captain Thomas Otterbein , " Truman ’ s " first commanding officer ; Secretary of Defense William Cohen ; and Secretary of the Navy John H . Dalton . 1998 – 1999 . " Truman " got underway for the first time as a U . S . Navy carrier in August 1998 to conduct flight deck certifications , an evolution designed to test the ship ’ s ability to successfully launch and recover aircraft . That was followed by numerous at sea periods for various training evolutions . 2000 Maiden deployment . The Maiden deployment of " Harry S Truman " began on 28 November 2000 with Carrier Air Wing 3 ( CVW - 3 ) embarked . After transiting the Suez Canal , the air wing flew 869 combat sorties in support of Operation Southern Watch ( OSW ) , including a strike on Iraqi integrated air defense system sites on 16 February 2001 , in a sanctioned response to Iraqi surface - to - air missile fire against United Nations Security Council coalition forces . Combat operations ended on 27 April and the ship returned to the U . S . on 23 May 2001 . She then entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth , Va . , for her first Planned Incremental Availability ( PIA ) on 5 September . 2002 – 2003 . HST deployed on her second deployment on 5 December 2002 , again with CVW - 3 embarked , visiting Marseille , France , Souda Bay , Crete and Koper , Slovenia . Between 19 March and 18 April , airwing aircraft flew nearly 1 , 300 combat sorties from the Mediterranean Sea in the early stages of 2003 invasion of Iraq . The ship stopped in Portsmouth , England , before returning to Norfolk on 23 May 2003 . " Truman " conducted her second Planned Incremental Availability at Norfolk Naval Shipyard from August 2003 to 13 February 2004 . 2004 – 2005 . On 2 June 2004 , " HST " " surged " for Exercise Summer Pulse , deploying to the Mediterranean Sea . The ship called at Naples , Italy , and participated in Operation Majestic Eagle in the eastern Atlantic Ocean before returning home on 25 July . On 1 October 2004 , as part of a Navy - wide series of redesignations , " Truman " ' s immediate superior in command ( ISIC ) changed to Carrier Strike Group Ten . The ship set out from Norfolk on her third extended deployment on 13 October 2004 , and visited Souda Bay , Crete , before relieving on 20 November in the Persian Gulf . " Truman " and Carrier Air Wing 3 launched 2 , 577 sorties , totaling nearly 13 , 000 flight hours , flying combat missions over Iraq and maritime security operations before being relieved by Carrier Strike Group in the Persian Gulf on 19 March 2005 . Despite plans to cross the equator and visit South Africa , diplomatic issues caused her instead to transit the Suez Canal , stopping in Portsmouth , England , prior to returning home on 18 April 2005 . On 1 September 2005 , in response to the disaster of Hurricane Katrina , " Truman " set sail for the devastated U . S . Gulf Coast . She arrived in the Gulf of Mexico on 4 September and served as the flagship for the Naval task force . While the ship ' s strike group ( Carrier Strike Group 10 ) commander , Rear Adm . Joseph Kilkenny , was appointed deputy commander of Joint Task Force Gulf Coast ( also known as JTF Katrina & Rita ) , the ship remained anchored in the gulf and provided fresh desalinated water for the relief effort via helicopter ( the actual command hub for the JTF was ) . The carrier also provided support to JRB New Orleans in the form of aviation boatswain ' s mates and cooks to keep that station in operation . " Harry S Truman " returned to home port in October 2005 after five weeks of relief efforts . 2006 . " Harry S Truman " entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for a Docked Planned Incremental Availability in January 2006 . The ship received many system upgrades , and underwent preventative maintenance to repair minor weld defects originating from the initial construction of the reactor plants . She left the yard in December 2006 and continued preparations for surge beginning in April 2007 . 2007 . On 15 August 2007 , an E - 2C Hawkeye crashed after taking off from the carrier , killing all three crewmembers . On 5 November 2007 " Harry S Truman " left Norfolk for her fourth extended deployment with CVW - 3 embarked in support of OIF . 2008 . " HST " returned to the US on 4 June 2008 . She first pulled into port in Naval Station Mayport , Florida in order to welcome aboard family and friends for a three - day " Tiger Cruise " or Family Day Cruise , before returning to Norfolk Naval Station on 4 June 2008 . The ship was awarded her fourth Battle E award for the east coast ( for 2008 ) in early 2009 . 2009 . " HST " completed a nearly seven - month Planned Incremental Availability ( PIA ) at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth , VA in February 2009 . On 5 August 2009 , EA - 18G Growlers from Electronic Attack Squadron 129 ( VAQ - 129 ) and Electronic Attack Squadron 132 ( VAQ - 132 ) completed their first at - sea carrier - arrested landing ( trap ) aboard " Harry S Truman " . 2010 . The " Truman " began a seven - month deployment to the 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operations in support of maritime security operations on 21 May 2010 . " Truman " led a task force of 11 American warships and 5 , 000 men into the Suez Canal on 20 June 2010 . The ship visited four ports during its 213 days at sea , including Marseille , France ; Dubai , U . A . E ; Manama , Bahrain ; and Souda Bay , Crete , before returning to the United States on 20 December 2010 . 2011 . On 2 February 2011 , Commander , Naval Air Force U . S . Atlantic Fleet named the " Truman " as the Battle Effectiveness Award , or Battle " E " , award winner , which was third consecutive Battle " E " award . This was the sixth award in the ship ' s twelve - year history , having previously won the Battle " E " award in 2003 , 2004 , 2005 , 2008 , and 2009 . Harry S Truman entered a Docked Planned Increment Availability at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in late March 2011 . On 28 February 2011 , the " Harry S Truman " began its dry - docking planned incremental availability ( DPIA ) maintenance and yard overhaul period at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth , Virginia . During this maintenance cycle , " Truman " received a new main mast , an upgrade in its close - in weapons systems , and the installation of the Automated Digital Network System ( ADNS ) which provides the carrier with enhanced communications and cooperative engagement capabilities to assess possible threats . " Truman " is expected to complete this DPIA yard overhaul in early 2012 and begin preparations for its sixth overseas deployment . Also , " Truman " s berthing spaces were also upgraded , installing 2 , 500 racks , replacing 46 , 000 square feet of deck and painting 106 , 000 square feet of spaces . On 8 November 2011 , Captain Tushar Tembe passed away after collapsing on the ship . Executive Officer Captain Craig Clapperton assumed command after Captain Tushar Tembe ' s death . Soon after Tembe ' s death Captain Dee Mewbourne assumed command and Captain Craig Clapperton resumed his position as Executive Officer . 2012 . On 7 April 2012 , Norfolk Naval Shipyard completed the Truman ' s nuclear power plant modernization and testing was to begin to ensure its readiness for sea trials lasting 90 days . The Harry S Truman returned to the U . S . Navy fleet in the summer of 2012 . On 26 November 2012 , an X - 47B Unmanned Combat Air System ( UCAS ) was hoisted on board the Truman in preparation for an unmanned aircraft ' s first , carrier - based testing . Truman was to be the first aircraft carrier in Naval aviation history to host test operations for an unmanned aircraft . Testing on the X - 47B was conducted over a three - week period that included in - port and underway demonstrations aboard Truman . The X - 47B successfully completed carrier deck tests aboard the Harry S Truman on 18 December 2012 . 2013 . On 6 February 2013 , the U . S . Department of Defense announced that the upcoming deployment of the " Harry S . Truman " , the guided - missile cruiser , and the rest of Carrier Strike Group Ten will be postponed pending the resolution of the upcoming budget sequestration , leaving the carrier and its carrier strike group as the only carrier force operating in the Persian Gulf region . The strike group was originally scheduled to depart Naval Station Norfolk , Virginia , on 8 February 2013 . On 22 July 2013 , The USS Harry S . Truman left for an extended deployment to the 5th Fleet area of responsibility , and settled into their mission of supporting Operation Enduring Freedom and the coalition of troops on the ground in Afghanistan .