Before returning home after 326 days, the Gerald R. Ford crew completed 23 replenishments-at-sea and sailed more than 57,713 nautical miles. Carrier Air Wing 8 logged more than 5,760 flight hours and 12,200 launches during the deployment.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth greeted the Norfolk-based ships upon their return. Speaking to the crew over the ship’s announcement system, he recognized the sailors for their resilience and performance during the deployment.
“For nearly a year, you have held the line for our nation,” Hegseth said. “Your voyage took you to places you never expected, from the Mediterranean Sea and 6th Fleet, where you thought you would be, to 4th Fleet, down in Southern Command for Operation Southern Spear and Absolute Resolve.”
“Then, you fought through all the way to finish the latter part of your mission, which was to 5th Fleet in Operation Epic Fury, from Europe to Southern Command to Central Command,” he added. “There, you had an unmistakable message to the world: no one can match the USS Ford. No one can match the United States military.”
During the homecoming, Hegseth presented Carrier Strike Group 12 with the Presidential Unit Citation. The Navy said the award is the highest honor a military unit can receive and is given for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy.
“Individual valor is something we talk about a lot in our military, but what we honor today is something rarer: the collective soul of a unit that encountered the challenges of modern warfare and maintained an unbreakable resolve,” Hegseth said.
“To wear this ribbon is to tell the world that everyone in this formation fought with an indomitable spirit,” he added. “You operated with a grit and defiance that sets you apart. By your conduct, you have secured a permanent place in the hallowed lineage of our naval history.”
Carrier Strike Group 12 deployed on June 24, 2025, under the command of Rear Adm. Gavin Duff. The strike group included the flagship USS Gerald R. Ford, commanded by Capt. Dave Skarosi, Carrier Air Wing 8, commanded by Capt. Jacob Rose, and destroyers assigned to Destroyer Squadron 2, commanded by Capt. Mark Lawrence.
The deployed destroyers included USS Mahan and USS Bainbridge, as well as USS Winston S. Churchill, commanded by Capt. Judson Mallory. The Navy said the deployment demonstrated the strike group’s ability to operate across multiple fleet areas during a period of sustained global demand.
Carrier Air Wing 8 squadrons aboard Gerald R. Ford included VFA-37 “Ragin’ Bulls,” VFA-213 “Blacklions,” VFA-31 “Tomcatters,” VFA-87 “Golden Warriors,” VAQ-142 “Gray Wolves,” VAW-124 “Bear Aces,” HSC-9 “Tridents,” HSM-70 “Spartans” and a detachment from VRC-40 “Rawhides.”
U.S. 2nd Fleet, reestablished in 2018 in response to the changing global security environment, is responsible for developing and employing maritime forces across multiple domains in the Atlantic and Arctic. Its mission includes ensuring access, deterring aggression and defending U.S., allied and partner interests.
