According to Politico, the USS Gerald R. Ford returned to Norfolk Naval Station on Saturday after completing an 11-month deployment—the longest overseas deployment for a U.S. carrier since the Vietnam War. The carrier strike group participated in U.S. military operations against Iran and was involved in operations related to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
The ship and its two escort destroyers docked at the base, where approximately 5,000 sailors were reuniting with their families for the first time since June. During the deployment, the carrier experienced a fire unrelated to combat operations, which displaced hundreds of sailors and required extended repairs at Crete, Greece.
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