The USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), the U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier, departed Yokosuka, Japan, bringing to a close nearly a decade of its forward-deployed service in the area. On May 16, U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel joined Japanese government officials and senior leaders from the U.S. Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) to see off the vessel as it got underway for its final scheduled Indo-Pacific patrol.
Ambassador Emanuel underlined the dedication of the ship’s crew thus: “The true measure is not in how much wealth you acquire, but in how much you give in service to something bigger than yourself. The sailors and aviators of the USS Ronald Reagan, who devote their lives to preserving and protecting the freedoms we all enjoy, make up America’s true 1 percent.”
Also departing with Ronald Reagan were the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Robert Smalls (CG 62), and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Howard (DDG 83). Rear Adm. Greg Newkirk, commander of Carrier Strike Group 5, thanked the people of Japan and the city of Yokosuka as the ship left. “Our relationship with Japan and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force has never been stronger,” he said.
As the ship made its final transit through Sagami Bay, hundreds of CSG 5 Sailors manned the rails in their summer dress white uniforms. The USS Ronald Reagan is scheduled to turn over with the USS George Washington (CVN 73) and then transit to Bremerton, Wash., later this year.
Capt. Daryle Cardone, commanding officer of Ronald Reagan, said, For several years, thousands of Ronald Reagan Sailors have lived and worked in Yokosuka, deploying throughout the region to keep international norms in check, ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific. “Japan has been an incredible host and a second home for the crew,” he said.
Some of the service histories of the USS Ronald Reagan include the humanitarian assistance/disaster relief mission during Operation Tomodachi in 2011 after the earthquake and tsunami struck Japan. Another operation the ship participated in was Operation Allies Refuge in Afghanistan in 2021 as a protector and providing security to over 7,000 U.S. citizens and evacuees.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony opening a ship-based USO center was held on April 17 onboard USS Ronald Reagan. The new center has a remodeled lounge, renovated theater, new library, internet café, and other features within the Command Religious Ministry Department spaces. Such spaces were particularly important for readiness and morale, said Cardone: “When you’re underway for months at a time, having a place that you can go that has connectivity to the outside world, where you can rest and relax and socialize with your friends, is crucial.”
The USS Ronald Reagan serves as the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 5 and is forward-deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operation in support of security and stability within the Indo-Pacific, while providing a combat-ready force that protects and defends the United States and its allies and partnerships, along with collective maritime interests.