US Navy Aviation Machinists Mate AIRMAN (ADAN) Jason M. Ryan wipes down the canopy of an F/A-18C Hornet prior to daily flight operations aboard the nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS NIMITZ (CVN 68). NIMITZ and her embarked Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9) departed the Persian Gulf region this afternoon after being replaced by the conventional aircraft carrier USS INDEPENDENCE (CV 62) last week. The NIMITZ will arrive at her new homeport of Newport News, Virginia, in early March. This reflects senior Navy leadership commitment to return Sailors home as close to a six-month deployment schedule as possible. Operation SOUTHERN WATCH, 8 February 1998. U.S. Navy photo by Photographers Mate ...

The original finding aid described this photograph as:

[Complete] Scene Caption: US Navy Aviation Machinists Mate Airman (ADAN) Jason M. Ryan wipes down the canopy of an F/A-18C Hornet prior to daily flight operations aboard the nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS NIMITZ (CVN 68). NIMITZ and her embarked Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9) departed the Persian Gulf region this afternoon after being replaced by the conventional aircraft carrier USS INDEPENDENCE (CV 62) last week. The NIMITZ will arrive at her new homeport of Newport News, Virginia, in early March. This reflects senior Navy leadership commitment to return Sailors home as close to a six-month deployment schedule as possible. Operation SOUTHERN WATCH, 8 February 1998. U.S. Navy photo by Photographers Mate Airman Earnest M. James (Released) Digital Film Scan

Subject Operation/Series: SOUTHERN WATCH

Base: USS Nimitz (CVN 68)

Scene Camera Operator: PHAN Earnest M. James, USN

Release Status: Released to Public
Combined Military Service Digital Photographic Files