US Navy Nimitz Conducting Flight Operations

1975: CVN-68 USS Nimitz was commissioned at Naval Station Norfolk’s Pier 12. 1977: Commanded by Capt. Richard T. Gaskill, CVN-68 departed homeport for its second Mediterranean deployment. F-14A Tomcats, S-3A Vikings and SH-3Hs deployed for the first time. 1979: An F-14A, assigned to Fighter Squadron 41, crashed into the water after it failed to recover from a high speed, low level practice combat air patrol interception vs. USAF F-111 Aardvarks, off the coast of Spain. Cmdr. David J. Formo, “Bla