This is the "Big E," the first nuclear-powered
aircraft carrier, one of the truly great scientific
accomplishments of modern time, a testimony
to the wonders of the technology of modern
industry applied to our nuclear age, carrying
the American flag around the world. By 1954,
the Korean War had ended, Eisenhower was president.
It was also a time of growth and consumerism
thanks to a post-World War II economic boom.
The story of the Navy's largest, fastest ship
also began in 1954 when Congress authorized
the construction of the world's first nuclear-powered
aircraft carrier and one of the greatest engineering
tasks of a generation. The ship was named
Enterprise. In October 1962, Enterprise sailed
to its first international crisis. (President
Kennedy) Regard any nuclear missile, launched
from Cuba against any nation in the Western
hemisphere, as an attack. (Narrator) The "Big
E" and several other ships set up a quarantine
of all military equipment under shipment to
Cuba. By October 28th, Soviet leader Kruschev
agreed to dismantle nuclear the missiles and
bases in Cuba, ending the Cuban Missile Crisis.
In 1965, she became the first nuclear-powered
ship to engage in combat, launching aircraft
against the Viet Cong. She set a record of
165 sorties in a single day. On the morning
of January 14, 1969, a rocket loaded on a
parked F-4 Phantom exploded. The explosion
set off fires and additional explosions across
the flightdeck. Twenty-seven men died and
314 were injured. Over the next few decades,
the ship endured several drydock periods and
numerous scheduled deployments. (Newscasters)
This just in...a plane has crashed into one
of the towers...it was immediately headed
directly into the World Trade Center...Oh!
Another one just hit... (Narrator) In the
Fall of 2001, Enterprise aborted her transit
home from deployment after the September 11th
terrorist attack and steamed overnight to
the North Arabian Sea in direct support of
Operation Enduring Freedom. Aircraft from
the Enterprise delivered over 800,00 pounds
of ordnance during the operation. (President
Bush) America is proud of this fine carrier,
and we're really proud of her crew. You're
serving at a crucial moment for the cause
of peace and freedom. May God bless you, and
may God bless America. (cheers and applause)
(Narrator) In January 2011, Enterprise became
just the fourth aircraft carrier in Naval
history to record 400,000 arrested landings.
The oldest active warship in the U.S. Navy's
fleet since 2009, the "Big E" was home to
generations of Sailors. More than 250,000
men and women have served aboard this floating
fortress. For 51 years, USS Enterprise has
proved she would answer the nation's call
time and again, upholding the legacy begun
my the first Enterprise Sailors more than
two centuries ago, to defend freedom and democracy
around the world.
