Aircraft carrier Carl Vinson returns to San Diego after 8-month deployment

An eight-month deployment came to a roaring conclusion Monday morning for the thousands of sailors on board the nuclear aircraft carrier Carl Vinson as the Navy’s Blue Angels flew low and loud over the vessel as it made its way to its berth at Naval Air Station North Island.

The homecoming marked the end of a milestone deployment for the Navy as it was the first with so-called 5th-generation aircraft and what the carrier’s strike group commander called the “air wing of the future.”

The Navy’s newest fighter, the F-35C Lightning II, and its new cargo and personnel carrier, the CMV-22 Osprey, each deployed for the first time on the Carl Vinson.

In addition to what the ship carried on board, the “where” of the deployment also marked a key change, said Rear Adm. Daniel Martin, the commander of Carrier Strike Group 1.

“This deployment, I think, showcased what would be a paradigm shift in the way that the aircraft carrier and the strike group deploy,” said Martin during an interview onboard the Carl Vinson Sunday.

Sailors on the Carl Vinson take in the San Diego coastline — and enjoy the return of a cellular signal — before pulling into port on the last day of the ship’s eight-month deployment.

(Andrew Dyer/The San Diego Union-Tribune)

With the end of U.S. troop deployments to the Middle East, Martin said, the Navy is focused on operations in the Western Pacific. For the last 20 years, carriers deployments have often included trips to the Persian Gulf in support of ground forces. Now, Martin said, the focus is on “near-peer” competitors — a Pentagon euphemism for Russia and China.

As a result, the Carl Vinson spent its entire deployment in the region and never ventured westward into the Central Command theater, or 5th Fleet. One sailor on board quipped that the deployment was a “photo-ex deployment,” meaning the ship participated in a lot of photo exercises with other ships.

According to Captain P. Scott Miller, the Vinson’s commanding officer, the sailor might not have been far off in his assessment.

“I think it’s more of a mission of presence and being prepared to project power,” he said about the Vinson’s mission in an interview Sunday. The ship spent much of its time sailing in and around the contested waters of the South China Sea, often with ships from allied Navies or other U.S. vessels. Photos of the ships — published by the Defense Department — were shared widely throughout the deployment.

The Navy’s operations in the region are meant to protect international waters for vessels of all nations, he said.

“Because we’re there, others can also be there,” Miller said.

In January, an F-35C crashed on the flight deck of the Vinson and fell into the South China Sea. Seven sailors — including the pilot — were injured in the crash. All have since recovered, according to Lt. Cmdr. Christina Gibson, the ship’s spokesperson.

While the Navy is still working to recover the aircraft, the Jan. 24 crash tested the crew on the tail end of its long deployment.

Video of the fiery crash — leaked online by an unknown sailor — showed emergency crews spraying firefighting agent within seconds of the jet hitting the deck and skidding into the ocean.

Navy officials on board the Vinson told reporters that the ship’s response demonstrated just how well-trained its crew was to handle such emergencies.

At the time of the crash, other aircraft were still in the air and needed to land, one Navy officer said. Crews immediately replaced all four arresting cables — damaged by the jet — and cleaned debris from the flight deck. The ship was able to recover its remaining aircraft within 30 to 45 minutes, the officer said.

Sailors on the mess deck of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Carl Vinson watch the Super Bowl on the final night of its eight-month deployment.

(Andrew Dyer/The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Operations Specialist Seaman Elijah Harris, 24, said the deployment was tough, since the crew wasn’t able to visit many ports due to COVID-19. He said he was most looking forward to buying new clothes now that he’s back in San Diego.

“And not from the (Navy Exchange) — I’ll probably go out to Fashion Valley,” Harris said. Harris, who is from Georgia, said his family hasn’t made it out to the West Coast yet but he plans on visiting them soon.

Operations Specialist Kendal Stoval stood atop the ship’s island — a sort of balcony called “Vultures Row” — and looked out over the pier Monday morning where her husband and three kids were waiting.

Having been in the Navy 15 years, she said her kids — ages 10 to 15 — had grown accustomed to Navy life, especially after her six deployments.

“They just go through the motions with me,” Stoval said. “Instead of being sad ... they’re very supportive. They email me, they send me little notes.”

While the Vinson was the first to deploy with the latest military fighters, it isn’t the only carrier to do so. The San Diego-based Abraham Lincoln is now on station in the same part of the world, this time with a Marine Corps F-35C squadron. In January, the two ships conducted simultaneous F-35C flight operations.

Photos of the exercise were promptly published by the Pentagon.

Aaron Roach, 7, holds a sign welcoming E-5 Kyle Roach back home during the arrival of the Carl Vinson to San Diego Harbor on Monday.

(Sandy Huffaker/SDUT)