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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (March 2, 2017) President Donald J. Trump arrives aboard Pre-Commissioning Unit Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) on Marine One for a tour of the ship. Trump visited March 2 to meet with the Sailors and shipbuilders of the Navy's first-in-class aircraft carrier during an all-hands call inside the ship's hangar bay. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Elizabeth Thompson/Reelased)
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The presidential visit marked a week full of "firsts". It was Trump's first visit to an aircraft carrier, and the first time the aircraft carrier, named in honor of the 38th president, Gerald R. Ford, had ever received a president. Earlier that week, an MV-22 Osprey marked a critical milestone in the life of the ship by becoming the first aircraft to land on Ford's flight deck, making Ford the only ship to receive an aircraft before its commissioning.
"It was a great opportunity to be a part of the ship's history," said Aviation Boatswain's Mate [Handling] 3rd Class Marcus Arduini, an air department Sailor from Houston. Arduini has the distinction of being Ford's first tower supervisor, and helped assist Ford's air Boss in ensuring a safe aircraft recovery. "It's just been a great experience to see everything finally come together." Sailors expressed their pride in being able to show their ship to the President and senior military leaders. "It's an exciting experience to get the ship prepared," said Information Systems Technician 1st Class Frederick Cobbin, a communications specialist from Charleston, South Carolina, assigned to Ford's combat systems department. "I got here in 2014, when everything was pretty much bare metal - it's amazing how far we've come." |
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President Trump Visited the Future Aircraft Carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78)
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