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USS CARL VINSON is the third NIMITZ - class aircraft carrier and the first ship in the Navy named after Congressman Carl Vinson.
| General Characteristics: | Keel Laid: October 11, 1975 |
| Launched: March 15, 1980 | |
| Commissioned: March 13, 1982 | |
| Builder: Newport News Shipbuilding Co., Newport News, Va. | |
| Propulsion system: two nuclear reactors | |
| Main Engines: four | |
| Propellers: four | |
| Blades on each Propeller: five | |
| Aircraft elevators: four | |
| Catapults: four | |
| Arresting gear cables: four | |
| Length, overall: 1,092 feet (332,85 meters) | |
| Flight Deck Width: 252 feet (76,8 meters) | |
| Area of flight deck: about 4,5 acres | |
| Beam: 134 feet (40,84 meters) | |
| Draft: 37,7 feet (11.3 meters) | |
| Displacement: approx. 97,000 tons full load | |
| Speed: 30+ knots | |
| Planes: approx. 85 | |
| Crew: Ship: 3,200 | |
| Crew: Air Wing: 2,480 | |
| Armament: two Mk-57 Mod 3 Sea Sparrow launchers, three | |
| Homeport: San Diego, Calif. |
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Crew List:
This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS CARL VINSON. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.
- Click here to view the list.
- Click here
to see which USS CARL VINSON memorabilia are currently for sale on ebay.
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USS CARL VINSON Cruise Books and Pamphlets:
- Commissioning Pamphlet
- Maiden Cruise Book 1982-83
- World Cruise Book 1983
- WestPac Cruise Book 1984-85
- WestPac Cruise Book 1986-87
- WestPac Cruise Book 1988
- NorPac and WestPac Cruise Book 1989-90
- Complex Overhaul Cruise Book 1990-93
- WestPac Cruise Book 1994
- Remembrance Book 1995
- WestPac Cruise Book 1996
- WestPac Cruise Book 1998-99
- WestPac Cruise Book 2001-02
- WestPac Cruise Book 2003
- Global Combat Cruise Book 2005
- Southern Seas Cruise Book 2010
- WestPac Cruise Book 2014-15
- WestPac Cruise Book 2017
- WestPac Cruise Book 2018
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Notes of Interest:
- Congressman Carl Vinson became the first person in the history of the United States to witness a launching in his honor.
- In 1983, the CARL VINSON crossed the equater the first time at 0 longitude and 0 latitude for shell back initations.
- In February, 1997, USS CARL VINSON was the platform for the last carrier launches and recoveries of the A-6E Intruder.
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About the Carriers Name, about Congressman Carl Vinson:
Carl Vinson was born in Baldwin County, Georgia, on November 18, 1883. The son of Edward S. and Annie Morris Vinson, he attended Georgia Military College in Milledgeville and was graduated from the Mercer University Law School with an LL.B. degree in 1902, beginning practice on June 5 of that year.
Rep. Vinson's appointment as Baldwin County Prosecutor in 1904 began a career of more than 60 years of service in public office. In 1909, he was elected to the Georgia General Assembly, serving there until 1912. He returned to Baldwin County in late 1912 to serve as County Court Judge.
On November 3, 1914, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives to fill an unexpired term. He served in Congress for more than 50 years - the longest service of any House Member in the history of the United States. Titles such as "Father of our modern Navy" and "Aviation's Elder Statesman" barely describe his contributions, for few others have done so much for the defense of the country.
Rep. Vinson was among the nation's leading advocates of naval power. More than any other person, he was responsible for the buildup of the US Navy and its air power before World War II. Admiral Nimitz, the Pacific Fleet Commander, said of him, "I do not know where this country would have been after December 7, 1941, if it had not had the ships and the know-how to build more ships fast, for which one Vinson Bill after another was responsible."
Carl Vinson's philosophy concerning military preparedness throughout his career is just as valid today. "The most expensive thing in the world is a cheap Army and Navy", he said. "History has shown that weakness invites attacks." He supported the policy that the naval strike forces, including ships such as CARL VINSON should be nuclear-powered.
Rep. Vinson had served a total of 50 years and one months in the House of Representatives when he retired in January 1965. He returned to Milledgeville where he resided until his death on June 1, 1981.
Click here to read the VINSONs history
Click here to get a view of the deployments of USS CARL VINSON
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USS CARL VINSON Patch Gallery:
| Click here to view more CARL VINSON Patches. | ||||
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Accidents aboard USS CARL VINSON:
| Date | Where | Events |
|---|---|---|
| August 16, 1986 | Pacific | A freak wave washes over an elevator of the USS CARL VINSON injuring one man and sweeping seven others into the Pacific Ocean. They were quickly rescued by HS-4 personnel and PAUL F. FOSTER (DD 964). |
| October 31, 1989 | 620 miles north of Wake Island | A sailor is lost after being washed overboard from the CARL VINSON. |
| February 18, 1996 | W-291 Operating Area of off southern California | During a CompTuEx (Competitive Training Unit )- training mission, Cdr. L. Scott "Scooter" Lamoreaux, former CO of VF-2, at that time serving on VINSON's Battle Group's CruDesGru Staff, conducted a simulated anti-ship attack. CDR Lamoreaux was acting as the RIO in F-14D side number 111 with pilot LT Terrence "Bluto" Clark at the controls. As they conducted their first supersonic run over the target ship, they encountered a sudden and severe flight control problem that caused their aircraft to exceed it's flight limitations and break up catastrophically in flight. The crew was killed instantly. Their wingman, side number 206, assumed on scene commander and executed a search and rescue effort. Both deceased crew were recovered and brought to the flight deck of the USS CARL VINSON. Later investigation revealed a burn through of 111's afterburner liner allowing hot engine gases to impinge and burn through flight control rods causing the mishap. |
| February 18, 2003 | Western Pacific | At approx. 8.15 p.m. an F/A-18C of VFA-147 crashed about 45 miles from the aircraft carrier. The pilot safely ejected from the aircraft prior to the crash. One of CARL VINSON's helicopters, which was airborne at the time of the crash, was immediately dispatched to conduct rescue operations. The pilot was recovered by the helicopter crew, was uninjured and was returned to CARL VINSON. |
| May 2, 2005 | Persian Gulf | Following a mid-air collision, two VMFA-323 F/A-18Cs disappear from the radar screens while flying over Iraq. Both pilots are killed. |
| April 21, 2017 | off the Philippines | An F/A-18E assigned to VFA-137 crashes while on final approach to the CARL VINSON. The pilot ejects and is safely recovered by a helicopter of HSC-4. |
| Undated | A maintainer gets the cranial sucked right off his head when he gets too close to the intake of an A-6E. The cranial FODs the engine. Click here to watch a clip of the accident. .mpg file, 2.65 MB |
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USS CARL VINSON Image Gallery:
| Click here to view more photos. | ||||
The photos below were taken by Ian Johnson and show the CARL VINSON anchored in Gage Roads, Fremantle, Australia, on April 17, 2003, during her seventh visit to Fremantle.
The photos below were taken by me on February 2, 2009, and show the CARL VINSON at Northrop Grumman Newport News Shipyard during her Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH). The F/A-18 visible on some photos was taken aboard just a few weeks before the photos were taken. It serves as a training tool for CARL VINSON's air department crew.
| Click here to view more photos. | ||||
The photos below were taken by me and show the CARL VINSON leading the parade of ships into San Francisco Bay as part of Fleet Week San Francisco. The photos were taken on October 8, 2011. Note the crew firing saluting batteries on the second photo.
The photos below were taken by me and show the CARL VINSON undergoing her 7-month Planned Incremental Availability at Naval Air Station North Island, Calif. The photos were taken in early October 2012.
The photo below was taken by Henry Schnutz on August 27, 2013, and shows the CARL VINSON at Naval Air Station North Island, Calif.
The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the CARL VINSON undergoing a 6-month Planned Incremental Availability at Naval Air Station North Island, Calif. The photos were taken on October 2, 2015.
The photo below was taken by Sebastian Thoma and shows the CARL VINSON at Naval Air Station North Island, Calif., on January 9, 2016.
The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the CARL VINSON at Naval Air Station North Island, Calif., on April 18, 2016.
The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the CARL VINSON at Naval Air Station North Island, Calif., on October 6, 2016.
The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the CARL VINSON at Naval Air Station North Island, Calif., on October 11, 2017.
The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the CARL VINSON at Naval Air Station North Island, Calif., on May 29, 2022.
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