USS Ronald Reagan ( CVN - 76 ) USS " Ronald Reagan " ( CVN - 76 ) is a " Nimitz " - class nuclear - powered supercarrier in the service of the United States Navy . The ninth ship of her class , she is named in honor of former President Ronald Reagan , President of the United States from 1981 to 1989 . Upon her christening in 2001 , she was the first ship to be named for a former president still living at the time . As of May 2012 the ship is operationally part of Carrier Strike Group Nine and administratively under the command of Commander , Naval Air Forces Pacific / Commander , Naval Air Forces . The two administrative titles actually refer to one command carrying out two functions . Ship ' s seal . The design of " Ronald Reagan " seal was created entirely by her plankowner crew with historical assistance provided by staff members at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library foundation . The red border that rings the ship ' s seal is similar to the distinctive red rim that defines the White House china designed for the Reagans during their White House years . Four gold stars represent President Reagan ' s 40th presidency and his four pillars of freedom : individual liberty ; economic opportunity ; global democracy ; and national pride . " Peace through Strength " was a recurring theme of the President ' s life in public service . The aircraft carrier is positioned by the West Coast , representing President Reagan ' s two terms as Governor of California and the ship ' s homeport in the Pacific Fleet . The three aircraft with their patriotic contrails symbolize the three major military operations the President directed during his tenure : Operation Urgent Fury ( Grenada / 1983 ) ; Operation El Dorado Canyon ( Libya / 1986 ) ; and Operation Praying Mantis ( Iran / 1988 ) . The view of the globe signifies the President ' s vision of global democracy , and the center is the United States representing the country ' s national pride . Colors of red , white and blue dominate the seal reflecting the American flag . Naming . " Ronald Reagan " was the first nuclear - powered warship of any kind to be named in honor of a living former president . Unlike most of the other men honored by inclusion in this group , Reagan was not associated with the United States Navy , apart from his term as Commander - in - Chief , though one of his key initiatives in office was the 600 - ship Navy program . Design and construction . The contract to build " Reagan " was awarded to Northrop Grumman Newport News and Dry Dock Company in Newport News , Virginia on 8 December 1994 , and her keel was laid down on 12 February 1998 . The budget for the ship had to be increased several times and ultimately $ 4 . 5 billion was spent on her construction . This included a redesigned ship island . " Reagan " was christened by Reagan ' s wife Nancy on 4 March 2001 at Newport News Shipbuilding , the crew moved aboard on 30 October 2002 , and the ship was commissioned on 12 July 2003 at Naval Station Norfolk , with Captain J . W . Goodwin in command . Vice President Dick Cheney and Lynne Cheney were both present at the ceremony , as well as Nancy Reagan , who gave the ship ' s crew the traditional first order as an active unit of the Navy : " Man the ship and bring her to life . " " Ronald Reagan " made her maiden voyage on 21 July 2003 . President Reagan , who did not attend either the launch or the commissioning due to Alzheimer ' s disease , died eleven months later . At the end of the graveside services , the ship ' s commanding officer at that time , Captain James Symonds , presented the flag that draped the former president ' s casket to Mrs . Reagan at her request . This was also the flag that had flown over Capitol Hill on 20 January 1981 , when the president was inaugurated . At a later date , Captain Symonds also presented Mrs . Reagan the flag that had been flying over " Ronald Reagan " when the former president died . " Ronald Reagan " conducted her maiden port visit in Fort Lauderdale , Florida , from 11 – 14 November 2003 . Service history . On 8 May 2004 , following her five - month post - shakedown availability ( PSA ) , the aircraft carrier " Ronald Reagan " received her second flight deck certification which encompassed all flight operations , including aircraft launch and recovery , safety , crash and salvage , fuel certifications , and training . " Reagan " then began her transit from Naval Station Norfolk , Virginia , around Cape Horn , South America , to her new homeport of Naval Air Station North Island , San Diego . Carrier Air Wing Eleven , normally assigned to the , embarked only 25 percent of its total strength for the transit . The squadrons making the transit were VFA - 14 and VFA - 41 flying the F / A - 18E / F Super Hornet , VAW - 117 flying the E - 2C Hawkeye 2000 , HS - 6 flying the SH - 60F Seahawk and VRC - 30 flying the C - 2A Greyhound . The ship transited the Strait of Magellan on 20 – 21 June and made port visits to Rio de Janeiro , Brazil , Valparaíso , Chile , and Callao , Peru before arriving in San Diego on 23 July 2004 . On June 5 , 2004 during the transit , the ship ' s namesake Ronald Reagan died . From 1 October 2004 , " Reagan " was assigned to Carrier Strike Group Fifteen . 2006 maiden deployment . USS " Ronald Reagan " departed San Diego on 4 January 2006 , on her maiden deployment to conduct naval operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom , as well as to conduct maritime security operations ( MSO ) in the Persian Gulf . On 28 January 2006 , an F / A - 18 Hornet strike fighter attempting a night landing aboard " Reagan " crashed into the ship ' s flight deck about 200 km ( 120 miles ) southeast of Brisbane , Queensland . The aircraft struck the ramp at a low angle , caught fire and skidded overboard . The pilot ejected safely , but the aircraft was lost . The ship entered the Gulf on 22 February 2006 , and returned from deployment on 6 July 2006 . 2007 surge deployment . USS " Ronald Reagan " and the " Reagan " Carrier Strike Group ( CSG ) departed North Island , Coronado in San Diego on 27 January 2007 on an unscheduled surge deployment to the Western Pacific , fulfilling the role of the forward deployed carrier " Kitty Hawk " while it underwent maintenance in Japan . On 20 April 2007 , " Ronald Reagan " and her CSG returned to Coronado . The " surge deployment " was part of the Navy ' s Fleet Response Plan ( FRP ) , which provides the U . S . with the ability to respond to any global commitment with flexible and sustainable forces and the ability to rapidly respond to a range of situations on short notice . In January 2007 , it was announced that " Ronald Reagan " had earned the 2006 Commander , Naval Air Forces Pacific Carrier Battle Efficiency " E " award for the West Coast , the first Battle " E " ever for the carrier . " Reagan " returned to Naval Air Station North Island on 20 April 2007 , following the three - month deployment in support of operations in the Western Pacific . On 15 December 2007 , the carrier answered a distress call from a cruise ship off the coast of Baja California . An Illinois teenager whose appendix had ruptured while on a Mexican cruise was airlifted by an SH - 60 helicopter to " Ronald Reagan " , where an emergency appendectomy was performed by the ship ' s surgeon . 2008 deployment . USS " Ronald Reagan " , with CVW - 14 embarked , departed San Diego on 19 May 2008 , for a scheduled 7th Fleet and 5th Fleet deployment . The " Reagan " Carrier Strike Group performed humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations in the Philippines on 24 June 2008 after that country was devastated by Typhoon Fengshen , killing hundreds from the central island regions and the main island of Luzon . The typhoon also capsized the passenger ferry . Working in support of the Armed Forces of the Philippines , " Reagan " and her escorts of Carrier Strike Group 7 focused their efforts on the island of Panay in the Central Visayas . For eight days , SH - 60 Seahawk helicopters and C - 2A Greyhound aircraft of the " Ronald Reagan " Strike Group helped deliver more than 519 , 000 lbs . of rice , fresh water and other supplies to areas of Panay , which were not reachable via truck due to flooded roads . The mission in Panay would earn the entire strike group the Navy ' s Humanitarian Service Medal . The Strike Group arrived in the U . S . Fifth Fleet area on 28 August 2008 , where she launched more than 1 , 150 sorties into Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom . " Reagan " returned to San Diego on 25 November 2008 . USS " Ronald Reagan " received word in February 2009 that the ship had won its second Battle Effectiveness Award . 2009 deployment . On 28 May 2009 , " Reagan " deployed with Carrier Air Wing 14 to the 7th and 5th Fleet Areas of Responsibility . " Reagan " relieved the CSG and launched its first sorties in support of OEF on 6 July . " Reagan " returned to homeport on 21 October after a five - month deployment . 2010 . In early 2010 , " Reagan " was awarded the 2009 Chief of Naval Operations Afloat Safety " S " Award . and the 2009 Pacific Fleet Battle " E " for combat efficiency . The Battle " E " award was " Reagan " s second consecutive and third in four years . On 19 May 2010 , Norfolk Naval Shipyard ( NNSY ) completed the six - month Planned Incremental Availability ( PIA ) maintenance cycle on the " Reagan " . This PIA project came in under budget , and it marked both Norfolk Naval Shipyard ' s largest off - site availability as well as the largest public sector work package ever performed on an aircraft carrier berthed at Naval Air Station North Island ( NASNI ) located near Coronado , California ( " pictured " ) . During the maintenance period , " Ronald Reagan " received technological upgrades that prepared it for its next deployment and subsequent operations . Refurbishments included hi - tech combat systems and firefighting equipment to improved ship ' s laundry services and living spaces . This PIA maintenance project was an example of the ' One Shipyard ' concept wherein the U . S . Navy mobilizes its work force across its various shipyards to better meet fleet readiness requirements as well as to stabilize a vital workforce base for the U . S . defense industry . While Norfolk Naval Shipyard was the project lead , significant work was done by its partners : During peak manning , approximately 1 , 400 worked the project on a daily basis . This included approximately 625 NNSY personnel , 165 PSNS & IMF employees , and 600 from SWRMC / NGSB . On 18 May 2010 , the " Reagan " departed Naval Air Station North Island for sea trials . The sea trial was the final phase of the PIA , and it was conducted to assess the " Reagan " s material readiness to return to the operational fleet . The " Reagan " pulled into Naval Air Station North Island on 19 May 2010 after completing its two - day sea trial , marking the official end to its six - month planned incremental availability ( PIA ) maintenance period . On 2 June 2010 , the " Reagan " , with Carrier Air Wing Fourteen ( CVW - 14 ) embarked , departed Naval Air Station North Island to conduct flight deck certifications . The first CVW - 14 aircraft to land on the " Reagan " s flight deck was from Helicopter Anti - Submarine Squadron 4 ( HS - 2 ) . Other embarked squadrons included : The certification included a full evaluation of the arresting gear , steam catapults , and flight deck personnel . The " Reagan " s air department was assessed on its ability to maintain a fully operational flight deck and respond to simulated mishaps . The " Reagan " participated in Exercise RIMPAC during the summer of 2010 . The " Reagan " departed from Naval Air Station North Island , California , for a Board of Inspection and Survey ( INSURV ) assessment on 25 August 2010 , and " Reagan " departed its homeport to conduct routine operations off the coast of southern California in preparation for its 2011 Western Pacific ( WESTPAC ) deployment . In November 2010 , " Reagan " provided emergency supplies and assistance to passengers stranded aboard the " Carnival Splendor " , which was rendered inoperable in the Pacific Ocean by an engine fire . 2011 . The ship departed for an Asian deployment on 2 February 2011 . On 11 March 2011 , " Reagan " was in the Korean peninsula region for a long - planned exercise off Korea , but was redirected towards Japan to provide support after the massive 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami . The ship , stationed off Sendai , was used as a floating refueling station for Japanese military and coast guard helicopters flying relief missions in the area . US Navy helicopters also flew relief missions from the carrier . On 14 March 2011 , the ship was forced to relocate to avoid a radioactive plume from the Fukushima I nuclear accidents which had contaminated 17 crewmembers of three helicopter crews . On 23 March , the Reagan ' s crew conducted a radiation decontamination operation to remove any further radiation hazards from the ship , which included scrubbing down any surface that could have been contaminated , including the flight deck and aircraft . On 4 April 2011 , Japan ' s minister of defense , Toshimi Kitazawa , accompanied by US ambassador to Japan John Roos , visited the ship to thank its crew for its assistance as part of Operation Tomodachi . Said Kitazawa , " I have never been more encouraged by and proud of the fact that the United States is our ally . " The ship returned to San Diego on 9 September 2011 . In January 2011 , the Navy announced that the USS Ronald Reagan would be transferred to the Puget Sound Naval Ship Yard in Bremerton , WA for a Docked Planned Incremental Availability beginning in January 2012 and was there for a little over a year . Thus the official home port was changed to Bremerton , Washington beginning on 10 Jan 2012 while the ship underwent scheduled repair and maintenance . The ship returned to its home port of San Diego on 21 March 2013 .