Ship History

USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) is the ninth nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and the eighth in the Nimitz class. The keel was laid by Newport News Shipbuilding Nov. 29, 1993, and the ship, named after the 33rd president of the United States, was christened Sept. 7, 1996. The ship was launched on Sept. 13, 1996, and delivered to the United States Navy on June 30, 1998. USS Harry S. Truman was commissioned on July 25, 1998. ​USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) has won 10 Battle "E" awards: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2018 and 2020.  The Battenberg Cup designates the "best ship in the fleet" and was awarded to Harry S. Truman in 2003 and 2020.

In August 1998, Truman was put to sea for the first time as a U.S. Navy carrier to conduct flight deck certifications, an evolution designed to test the ship’s ability to successfully launch and recover aircraft. After an extensive work-up cycle that tested the ship and challenged its crew, the ship embarked on its maiden deployment on Nov. 28, 2000. On Feb.16, 2001, the team was called into action in support of Operation Southern Watch. In response to surface-to-air missile fire against coalition forces enforcing United Nations Security Counsel Resolutions, aircraft from Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 took part in a sanctioned response and struck Iraqi integrated air defense system sites. After nearly 180 days and traveling more than 44,000 nautical miles, the ship completed its first deployment on May 23, 2001.

USS Harry S. Truman entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) for its first Planned Incremental Availability (PIA) on Sept. 5, 2001. Six months later, the ship began training for its second deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, which began on Dec. 5, 2002. In early February 2003, the ship took up station in the Eastern Mediterranean and waited for word to launch strikes against Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq. When the order came in the late-night hours of March 19, 2003, Operation Iraqi Freedom was in full swing. The ship's crew successfully launched 1,280 sorties, dropped more than 700 tons of ordnance and helped liberate the people of Iraq. Afterwards, the ship returned to Naval Station Norfolk on May 23, 2003.

In August 2003, USS Harry S. Truman entered NNSY again for its second PIA. On Feb. 13, 2004, the ship pulled out of the shipyard four days early and under budget. In November 2007, the ship departed Norfolk on a seven-month combat deployment. During the deployment, the ship supported maritime security operations in the Mediterranean Sea and Arabian Gulf. The ship also launched 2,459 combat sorties in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

After completing a third successful PIA in February 2009, The ship deployed in May 2010 for seven months. During the deployment, the ship traveled more than 50,000 nautical miles and flew more than 10,000 sorties in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation New Dawn. The ship returned to Norfolk on Dec. 21, 2010.

USS Harry S. Truman underwent a Dry-dock Planned Incremental Availability (DPIA) at NNSY and left NNSY in March 2012. In July 2013, the ship departed Norfolk on a nine-month combat deployment. During the deployment, the ship traveled nearly 50,000 nautical miles, flew more than 9,000 sorties with a 97 percent sortie completing rate in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The ship returned to Norfolk on April 18, 2014, and entered NNSY for a Carrier Incremental Availability (CIA) until May 2015. During the CIA, the ship was reassigned from embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 7 and from Commander, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 10 to Commander, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 8.

In November 2015, USS Harry S.Truman departed Norfolk on an eight-month combat deployment in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. During the deployment, the ship traveled over 53,000 nautical miles, flew more than 27,000 flight hour and 9,500 sorties. Of those, 1,461 sorties were executed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. The ship returned to Norfolk on July 13, 2016.  On July 21, 2017, the ship completed an on-time, 10-month PIA at NNSY for maintenance and refurbishment of shipboard systems to prepare for future operations. Over the next six months, the ship completed a robust work-up cycle in preparation for deployment.  

On April 11, 2018, USS Harry S. Truman departed Norfolk for a regularly scheduled deployment as part of the ongoing rotation of forward deployed forces to support maritime security operations and operate in international waters across the globe. On July 21, 2018, the ship returned to Norfolk, for a working port visit. On August 28, 2018, the ship departed to continue their deployment. USS Harry S. Truman conducted a variety of missions, including forward naval presence, maritime security operations, and theater security cooperation. The ship also participated in numerous bi-lateral and multi-lateral engagements, including Lightning Handshake 2018, Baltic Operations 2018 and Trident Juncture 2018; as well as operations alongside Germany, Italy, France, the United Kingdom, Egypt and Norway. The ship returned to Norfolk on Dec. 16, 2018. ​​

Throughout 2019, USS Harry S. Truman conducted training and exercises culminating in a Composite Unit Training Exercise (COMPTUEX) prior to a scheduled deployment.  In September, the ship experienced electrical issues that delayed the ship’s deployment.  After repairs were completed, USS Harry S. Truman departed Norfolk on a five-month combat deployment to the Arabian Gulf during some of the highest tensions with Iran in decades.  While on deployment, the ship conducted 50 replenishments-at -sea, taking on more than 22 million gallons of aviation fuel and 550,000 tons of cargo.  As coronavirus (COVID-19) crippled international travel and commerce in the spring of 2020, Harry S. Truman was the only COVID-free carrier available for tasking, having been underway since the pandemic began.  It remained off the East Coast of the United States for another two months before returning to Norfolk and heading into the first-ever Extended Carrier Incremental Availability (ECIA) at Norfolk Naval Shipyards. USS Harry S. Truman completed its ECIA in May 2021.