The USS Carl Vinson returned to its home port of San Diego this summer after a lengthy deployment in the Gulf region. Here is a great video with interviews of crew members – thank you for your service!
Carl Vinson returned to San Diego on 4 June 2015. Over the course of the deployment, supporting strike operations in Iraq and Syria, CVW-17 successfully flew 12,300 sorties, including 2,382 combat missions and dropped more than half a million pounds (230 tons) of ordnance against ISIS.
On 14 August 2015, Carl Vinson began a planned incremental availability (PIA) period at Naval Air Station North Island. The ship is receiving more than $300 million worth of improvements over the next six months during this modernisation.
Posted June 4, 2015, on Facebook, this Navy-produced time-lapse video shows the carrier Carl Vinson returning to North Island Naval Air Station after nearly 10-month deployment to the North Arabian Sea to launch attacks on ISIS.
We all remember Tom Cruise in the Movie “TOP GUN” when he makes a low pass near the control tower and causes an officer to spill coffee down his shirt. Well, here are short clips of the top 10 low pass flybys ever filmed … and of course for nostalgia, let’s see that Top Gun low pass again.
Pay particular attention to the last shown low pass. It is number one. Watch the halo of water around the plane. It happened during a Blue Angels event over San Francisco several years ago. It was the pilot’s last show with the team and he had nothing to lose. Many of the boats in the bay lost windows to the sonic blast. It’s a kick to watch. Number 3 was pretty impressive too.
Have you ever jumped into Petco Park? This is how it looks.
The Navy Parachute Team not only got to jump into the Padres’ 2014 home opener, but were able to participate in honoring baseball legend Jerry Coleman by flying a special flag with his initials and trademark star:
President John F. Kennedy came to San Diego on June 6, 1963 to address the Marines at the MCRD. Governor Pat Brown also convinced him to give the commencement speech at San Diego State College, and receive an honorary doctorate degree in law at the ceremony. It was the first time a California State College had awarded an honorary doctorate degree.
The tour was covered by local media outlets. Here is the KFMB version – note the sign at the filling station that was advertising gasoline for 29.9 cents per gallon, and that was back when they pumped it for you!
The first 2,500 Americans of the more than 6,700 who have given their life in Iraq and Afghanistan – thanks to all veterans for your service and preserving our freedom!
