USS John C . Stennis ( CVN - 74 ) USS " John C . Stennis " ( CVN 74 ) is the seventh nuclear - powered supercarrier in the United States Navy , named for Senator John C . Stennis of Mississippi . She was commissioned on 9 December 1995 . Her home port is Bremerton , Washington . Mission and capabilities . The mission of " John C . Stennis " and her embarked Air Wing ( CVW - 9 ) is to conduct sustained combat air operations while forward deployed in the global arena . The embarked Air Wing consists of eight to nine squadrons . Attached aircraft are Navy and Marine F / A - 18 Hornet , EA - 6B Prowler , MH - 60R , MH - 60S , and E - 2C Hawkeye . The Air Wing can engage enemy aircraft , submarines , and land targets , or lay mines hundreds of miles from the ship . " John C . Stennis " s aircraft are used to conduct strikes , support land battles , protect the Battle Group or other friendly shipping , and implement a sea or air blockade . The Air Wing provides a visible presence to demonstrate American power and resolve in a crisis . The ship normally operates as the centerpiece of a Carrier Battle Group commanded by a flag officer embarked upon " John C . Stennis " and consisting of four to six other ships . " John C . Stennis " s two nuclear reactors give her virtually unlimited range and endurance and a top speed in excess of 30 knots ( 56 km / h , 34 . 5 mph ) . The ship ' s four catapults and four arresting gear engines enable her to launch and recover aircraft rapidly and simultaneously . The ship carries approximately 3 million US gallons ( 11 , 000 m ) of fuel for her aircraft and escorts , and enough weapons and stores for extended operations without replenishment . " John C . Stennis " also has extensive repair capabilities , including a fully equipped Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department , a micro - miniature electronics repair shop , and numerous ship repair shops . For defense , in addition to her Air Wing and accompanying vessels , " John C . Stennis " has NATO RIM - 7 Sea Sparrow and Rolling Airframe Missile ( RAM ) surface - to - air missile systems , the Phalanx Close - in Weapons System for cruise missile defense , and the AN / SLQ - 32 Electronic Warfare System . History . The nuclear - powered USS " John C . Stennis " ( CVN 74 ) was contracted on 29 March 1988 , and the keel was laid on 13 March 1991 at Newport News Shipbuilding Co . , Newport News , VA . The ship was christened on 11 November 1993 , in honor of Senator John Cornelius Stennis ( D - Mississippi ) who served in the Senate from 1947 to 1989 . The daughter of the ship ’ s namesake , Mrs . Margaret Stennis - Womble , was the ship ’ s sponsor . " John C . Stennis " was commissioned on 9 December 1995 at Naval Station Norfolk , Va , and she conducted flight deck certification in January 1996 . The first arrested landing was by a VX - 23 F - 14 B . The ship conducted numerous Carrier Qualifications and Independent Steaming Exercises off the East Coast throughout the next two years . Included among these events was the first carrier landing of an F / A - 18E / F Super Hornet on 18 January 1997 . 1998 – World Cruise . On 26 February 1998 with Carrier Air Wing Seven embarked , " John C . Stennis " left Norfolk for her maiden deployment , transiting the Suez Canal on 7 March and arriving in the Persian Gulf on 11 March 1998 . The ship traveled 8020 nm in 274 hours , an average speed of to relieve USS " George Washington " in conducting Operation Southern Watch missions . " John C . Stennis " departed the Persian Gulf on 19 July 1998 for her new home port of Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego , California , arriving on 26 August 1998 . In October 1998 , " John C . Stennis " entered a 6 - month Phased Incremental Availability for maintenance and upgrades at North Island , returning to sea in April 1999 . During the maintenance period , a jet blast deflector collapsed , severely injuring two sailors . On 30 November 1999 , " John C . Stennis " ran aground in a shallow area adjacent to the turning basin near North Island . Silt clogged the intake pipes to the steam condensing systems for the nuclear reactor plants , causing the carrier ' s two nuclear reactors to be shut down ( one reactor by crew , the other automatically ) for a period of 45 minutes . " John C . Stennis " was towed back to her pier for maintenance and observation for the next two days . The cleanup cost was about $ 2 million . 2000 – Persian Gulf / Pacific Ocean . On 7 January 2000 , " John C . Stennis " deployed to the Persian Gulf to relieve USS " John F . Kennedy " in Operation Southern Watch . During the deployment , the ship made port visits to South Korea , Hong Kong , Malaysia , Bahrain , the United Arab Emirates and Australia , and Pearl Harbor , before returning to San Diego on 3 July 2000 . Following the September 11 , 2001 terrorist attacks , " John C . Stennis " conducted Noble Eagle missions off the U . S . West Coast . In 2000 and 2001 , " John C . Stennis " was part of Carrier Group 7 . 2001 – Persian Gulf . On 12 November 2001 , two months earlier than scheduled , the ship left on her third deployment to the U . S . Fifth Fleet area of responsibility in support of Operation Enduring Freedom , returning to San Diego on 28 May 2002 . From June 2002 to January 2003 , " JCS " underwent a seven - month Planned Incremental Availability ( PIA ) . 2004 – Pacific Ocean . From 24 May to 1 November 2004 , " John C . Stennis " conducted her fourth major overseas deployment , participating in Exercise Northern Edge 2004 in the Gulf of Alaska , Rim of the Pacific ( RimPac ) Exercise off Hawaii , exercises with " Kitty Hawk " off Japan and goodwill visits to Japan , Malaysia and Western Australia . Shortly after returning from deployment to San Diego , " JCS " changed her home port to Naval Station Bremerton , Washington on 19 January 2005 . Once at Bremerton , " John C . Stennis " underwent an 11 - month Docking Planned Incremental Availability ( DPIA ) , the first time she had been dry - docked since commissioning . Upgrades included a new mast installation The new mast ’ s structure is the first of its kind . A new type of steel alloy was used , making the mast stiffer and thicker than before . The new mast is also heavier and taller , allowing it to support new antennas the old mast would not have been able to support . Other upgrades included the installation of a new Integrated Bridge System in the pilothouse that will save manpower and provide state - of - the - art displays , as well as other and combat systems upgrades . Following the maintenance cycle and pre - deployment training exercises , the carrier returned to Bremerton , Washington , and the carrier was certified surge ready , meaning the ship maintained a high state of readiness in case of an unscheduled deployment . 2007 – Persian Gulf . On 20 January 2007 , " John C . Stennis " set sail for the Persian Gulf as part of an increase in US military presence within the Middle East . " John C . Stennis " arrived in the area on 19 February 2007 , joining in the United States Fifth Fleet area of operations . This marked the first time since 2003 that there were two aircraft carrier battle groups in the region simultaneously . On 23 May 2007 , " John C . Stennis " , along with eight other warships including the aircraft carrier and amphibious assault ship , passed through the Strait of Hormuz . US Navy officials said it was the largest such move since 2003 . On 31 August 2007 " John C . Stennis " returned to Bremerton . 2009 – Western Pacific . " John C . Stennis " departed Bremerton for a 6 - month deployment to the Western Pacific on 13 January 2009 . On 24 April , the ship arrived in Singapore . That same day , one of the ship ' s sailors was crushed and killed while working from a small harbor boat to secure a drain that discharges oily water from " John C . Stennis " s aircraft catapults . On 29 April , the ship ' s executive officer , Commander David L . Burnham , was relieved by Rear Admiral Mark A . Vance over unspecified personal conduct . Burnham was reassigned to a base in San Diego , pending an investigation . After participating in exercises with Japan Maritime Self Defense Force and the Republic of Korea , as well as joint exercise Northern Edge 2009 , " John C . Stennis " returned from deployment in early July 2009 . Carrier Air Wing 9 debarked on 6 July at NAS North Island , prior to the ship ' s arrival at her homeport of Bremerton on 10 July . 2010 – 2011 . On 30 March 2011 , a VMFAT - 101 F / A - 18C Hornet suffered an uncontained catastrophic engine failure , exploded and caught fire just before launch from " John C . Stennis " about off the coast of San Diego during launch and recovery training operations . The aircraft was at full power , in tension on the catapult when the accident occurred . Eleven flight deck crewmen were injured while the pilot was unhurt . There was no major damage to the carrier but the aircraft was a total loss . On 18 December 2011 , the final command - and - control mission for U . S . forces over Iraq was flown by an E - 2C Hawkeye ( " pictured " ) from Airborne Early Warning Squadron 112 ( VAW - 112 ) , catapulting off the carrier " John C . Stennis " at 7 : 32 am and returning at 11 : 04 a . m , both local time . This mission effectively ended U . S . naval support for Operation New Dawn . 2012 . On 3 January 2012 , Iranian General Ataollah Salehi warned " John C . Stennis " " not to return to the Persian Gulf . " The United States dismissed the warning . On 7 January , " John C . Stennis " led the rescue of an Iranian - flagged fishing vessel , the Al Mulahi , following its seizure by pirates . The pirates abused the ship and Iranian flag to search for other ships to hijack , while holding the original crew hostage . When some of the pirates attempted to board a Bahamian - flagged cargo ship , " Sunshine " , it radioed for assistance . " John C . Stennis " dispatched a helicopter and cruiser to assist . A boarding party captured the pirates who attacked " Sunshine " , fed them , then released them temporarily . A helicopter then secretly followed the pirates back to their mother ship , " Al Mulahi " . Crew from the then boarded the fishing vessel ( upon permission in Urdu from the captain ) , and arrested all of the pirates with no casualties . On 2 March 2012 , " John C Stennis " returned home from its 7 - month deployment to homeport Bremerton , Washington . On 7 July 2012 , crew members were informed that " John C . Stennis " would be returning to the Middle East in August , much sooner than expected . On 27 August 2012 , " John C . Stennis " departed to the Middle East originally for six months , but was extended to eight . 2013 . On 1 April 2013 , USS John C Stennis arrived at Changi Naval Base in Singapore . Local ITE students were invited for a guided tour inside the aircraft carrier . At 12 : 45 on 3 May 2013 , the Stennis arrived at its home port of Naval Base Kitsap in Bremerton , Washington , the completion of an eight - month , 66 , 000 - mile deployment to the western Pacific Ocean . During this deployment , squadron aircraft flew more than 1 , 300 sorties from the carrier ' s deck in the war in Afghanistan . John C . Stennis Carrier Battle Group . The JCS battlegroup ( or " Carrier Strike Group 3 " , CSG - 3 ) is equipped and trained to work as a forward deployed force providing a deterrent force as well as serving to protect U . S . interests abroad . " John C . Stennis " is the flagship of the battlegroup , and commands the group ' s air wing Carrier Air Wing 9 . " John C . Stennis " is also home to the commander of Destroyer Squadron 21 ( DESRON 21 ) . Ship ' s seal . " John C . Stennis " s Seal was produced from the combined efforts of several crew members with historical help from Stennis Center for Public Service , John C . Stennis Space Center and United States Senate Historian . The Seal implies peace through strength , just as Senator John C . Stennis was referred to as an " unwavering advocate of peace through strength " by President Ronald Reagan , when the ship ' s name was announced in June 1988 . The circular shape signifies the " Nimitz " - class aircraft carrier ' s unique capability to circle the world without refueling while providing a forward presence from the sea . The predominant colors are red , white , blue and gold , the same as those of the United States and the Navy . The outer border , taken from one version of a U . S . Senate crest , represents the strength through unity of the ship ' s crew . The four gold bands and eight ties denote John C . Stennis ' four decades ( 41 years ) in the Senate and the eight presidents he served with , from President Truman to President Reagan . The seven stars in the blue border represent his seven terms in the Senate and characterize " John C . Stennis " as the seventh " Nimitz " - class aircraft carrier . The red and white stripes inside the blue border represent the American flag and the American people " John C . Stennis " serves . They also honor the courage and sacrifice of the United States ' armed forces . The eagle and shield is a representation of the gilt eagle and shield overlooking the Old Senate Chamber . The shield represents the United States of America . The twenty stars represent the US ' s twentieth state , Mississippi , the home of John C . Stennis . The three arrows in the eagle ' s talons symbolize the Ship and Air Wing ' s ability to project power . The burst of light emanating from the shield , representative of the emergence of a new nation in the United States Senate Seal , portrays the birth of over 25 major Naval Aviation programs under Senator Stennis ' leadership , including all aircraft carriers from to , and aircraft from the F - 4 Phantom to the F / A - 18 Hornet . The eagle is representative of John C . Stennis ' stature in the Senate , where he was respected and admired as a " soaring eagle " by some of his colleagues . The ship herself is pictured in the seal . On the edges of the flight deck are the words " Honor , Courage , Commitment " which are the United States Navy ' s Core Values . The Seal , after selection by the ship ' s crew , was submitted to Mrs . Margaret Stennis Womble , the ship ' s Sponsor and daughter of Senator Stennis , and to Mrs . John Hampton Stennis , the Matron of Honor and wife of Senator Stennis ' son , for their approval . In February 1995 they approved the design .