USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74)

USS JOHN C. STENNIS is 1,092 feet long and towers some 20 stories above the waterline. As a self-contained city, JOHN C. STENNIS has virtually the same amenities as any American city with a comparable population. It has a daily newspaper, radio and television stations, fire department, library, hospital, general store, laundry, two barbershops and even a post office with its own zip code.

General Characteristics:	Keel Laid: March 13, 1991
	Launched: Nov. 11, 1993
	Commissioned: Dec. 9, 1995
	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: 257 feet (78.34 meters)
	Area of flight deck: about 4.5 acres (18211.5 m²)
	Beam: 134 feet (40.84 meters)
	Draft: 38.4 feet (11.7 meters)
	Displacement: approx. 100,000 tons full load
	Speed: 30+ knots
	Planes: approx. 85
	Crew: Ship: approx. 3,200 , Air Wing: 2,480
	Armament: two Mk-57 Mod 3 Sea Sparrow launchers, three 20mm Phalanx CIWS Mk 15, two Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Systems
	Homeport: Bremerton, Wash.

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Crew List:

This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS JOHN C. STENNIS. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.

Click here to view the list.

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Click here to see which USS JOHN C. STENNIS memorabilia are currently for sale on ebay.

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Notes of Interest:

If lined up end-to-end, the bed mattresses would stretch more than nine miles
Other intersting figures:
- Number of telephones: 2,000
- Tons of structural steel: about 60,000 tons
- Sheets: 28,000
- Pillow Cases: 14,000
JOHN C. STENNIS got its two anchors from the decommissioned USS FORRESTAL (CV 59).
Weight of one anchor: 30 tons.
The ship carries approximately three million gallons of fuel for its aircrafts and escorts, and enough weapons and stores for extended operations without replenishment.

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Accidents aboard USS JOHN C. STENNIS:

Date Where Events

August 19, 1997 Virginia Capes The pilot of a Naval Air Station Ocean, Va.-based F-14 Tomcat aircraft was safed after he was accidentally ejected from his aircraft during a landing aboard the JOHN C. STENNIS. STENNIS personnel rescued the radar intercept officer from the pilotless Tomcat as it sat on the flight deck with engines still running.
The officers, both of Virginia Beach, Va., were assigned to Fighter Squadron 143, and both were treated for minor injuries by STENNIS medical personnel. The pilot was recovered immediately astern of the carrier and rescued by a helicopter from Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron 5 based at NAS Jacksonville, Fla.

November 30, 1999 Naval Air Station
North Island, San Diego, Ca The STENNIS ran aground in a shallow area adjacent to its turning basin as it attempted to maneuver near Naval Air Station, North Island (NASNI). Silt clogged the intake pipes to the cooling systems of the nuclear reactors, causing the carrier’s two nuclear reactors to be shut down (one reactor by crew, the other automatically) for a period of 45 minutes. The STENNIS was towed back to its pier for maintenance and observation for the next two days. The cleanup cost was about $2 million.

June 25, 2000 1,400 miles south-west of
Hawaii An F-14 of VF-211 stationed aboard JOHN C. STENNIS crashed into the Pacific. Both aviators ejected and were recovered half an hour later.

March 8, 2002 North Arabian Sea An F-14 of VF-211 crashed into the North Arabian Sea as it was attempting to land aboard USS STENNIS. Both aviators were recovered and did not suffer serious injuries. The F-14 was operating in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Date	Where	Events
August 19, 1997	Virginia Capes	The pilot of a Naval Air Station Ocean, Va.-based F-14 Tomcat aircraft was safed after he was accidentally ejected from his aircraft during a landing aboard the JOHN C. STENNIS. STENNIS personnel rescued the radar intercept officer from the pilotless Tomcat as it sat on the flight deck with engines still running. The officers, both of Virginia Beach, Va., were assigned to Fighter Squadron 143, and both were treated for minor injuries by STENNIS medical personnel. The pilot was recovered immediately astern of the carrier and rescued by a helicopter from Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron 5 based at NAS Jacksonville, Fla.
November 30, 1999	Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego, Ca	The STENNIS ran aground in a shallow area adjacent to its turning basin as it attempted to maneuver near Naval Air Station, North Island (NASNI). Silt clogged the intake pipes to the cooling systems of the nuclear reactors, causing the carrier’s two nuclear reactors to be shut down (one reactor by crew, the other automatically) for a period of 45 minutes. The STENNIS was towed back to its pier for maintenance and observation for the next two days. The cleanup cost was about $2 million.
June 25, 2000	1,400 miles south-west of Hawaii	An F-14 of VF-211 stationed aboard JOHN C. STENNIS crashed into the Pacific. Both aviators ejected and were recovered half an hour later.
March 8, 2002	North Arabian Sea	An F-14 of VF-211 crashed into the North Arabian Sea as it was attempting to land aboard USS STENNIS. Both aviators were recovered and did not suffer serious injuries. The F-14 was operating in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

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USS JOHN C. STENNIS comes alongside the USS INDEPENDENCE (CV 62) March 30, 1998, in the Arabian Gulf where both ships were deployed in support of UN-mandated sanctions against Iraq and enforcement of the "No-Fly Zone" under OPERATION SOUTHERN WATCH.

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JOHN C. STENNIS History:

Date	Event
March 29, 1988	Date of contract
March 13, 1991	Keel was laid at Newport News Shipbuilding Co., Newport News, Va.
November 11, 1993	Launched
December 9, 1995	Commissioned
January 18, 1996	First arrested landing aboard by an F-14B
January 18, 1997	First carrier landing of an F/A-18 E/F in naval history.
June 11, 1997	Helicopter crew rescued three Canadian Sailors off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, after their boat had capsized in heavy storm.
March 14, 1998	Deployment to the Arabian Gulf, relieved the USS GEORGE WASHINGTON Battle Group in Operation Southern Watch
October 13, 1998	Entered 6-month Phased Incremental Availability at Naval Air Station North Island
April 16, 1999	Began seatrials in the Pacific
January 7, 2000	WESTPAC cruise, relieved the USS JOHN F. KENNEDY Battle Group in Operation Southern Watch in the Arabian Gulf.
July 3, 2000	Returned to San Diego, Ca.
September 2001	Responsible aircraft carrier for west coast defence following the terrorist attacks in NYC and Washington, DC, on September 11
November 12, 2001	Left San Diego, Ca, on its third deployment. The carrier departed two months earlier than scheduled to provide support of Operation Enduring Freedom
May 28, 2002	Returned to San Diego, Ca.
June 2002 - January 2003	seven-month Planned Incremental Availability (PIA)
February 11, 2003 - February 19, 2003	Carrier Qualifications off Southern California
May 24 - November 1, 2004	Departed San Diego on her fourth major overseas deployment
January 5, 2005	Changed homeport to Bremerton, Wash.
January 16, 2006	Left Bremerton, Wash., on her fifth major overseas deployment.