This week marks the 35th anniversary of the christening of USS George Washington (CVN 73) at Newport News Shipbuilding.

First Lady Barbara Bush – the ship’s sponsor – christened the ship in front of about 15,000 guests during the July 21, 1990, ceremony. Attendees also heard remarks from President George H.W. Bush, who called George Washington a tribute to the talents of shipbuilders.

CVN 73, the sixth Nimitz-class aircraft carrier built by NNS shipbuilders, was commissioned in 1992. The carrier returned to NNS for its mid-life refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) in 2017 and was redelivered to the Navy in 2023.

George Washington is forward-deployed to Japan and recently took part in Talisman Sabre, the largest bilateral military exercise between Australia and the United States.