German F-104 4 ship from WaSLw 10 saluting "USS Nimitz" aircraft carrier in Wilhelmshaven port in August 1975

The keel of Nimitz was laid down 22 June 1968 by Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Virginia.
She was christened in 1972 by Catherine Nimitz Lay, the daughter of the late Admiral Nimitz.
Nimitz was delivered to the Navy in 1975, and she was commissioned at Naval Station Norfolk on 3 May 1975 by President Gerald Ford.
USS Nimitz (CVN-68) is a supercarrier of the United States Navy, and the lead ship of her class.
One of the largest warships in the world, she was laid down, launched and commissioned as CVAN-68,
but was redesignated CVN 68 (nuclear-powered multimission aircraft carrier) on 30 June 1975 as part of the fleet realignment.
The ship was named for World War II Pacific fleet commander Chester W. Nimitz, who was the navy’s third fleet admiral.
Unlike all of the subsequent Nimitz class aircraft carriers, Nimitz only uses her namesake's surname as is common for naval officers.
She is also the first carrier of her class and the most recent supercarrier in service not to be named for someone
who held elected office in the United States.

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