A Day On The USS Harry S Truman

CNBC Producer Lulu Chiang had the rare opportunity to be a guest on the USS Harry S. Truman, home to 3000 sailors. The Truman is the ninth nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and the eighth in the Nimitz class. It was christened on September 7, 1996 and commissioned July 25, 1998. The Harry S. Truman embarked on its maiden deployment November 28, 2000.

(Posted 11 Nov 2009)

Captain’s Chair on USS Harry S Truman.

Crew Size: More than 5,200 with embarked air wing, more than 3,000 without air wing. There are 4,000 compartments on the ship, 2,700 which are manned.

Flight Deck: 1,096 feet.

It’s as long as the Empire State Building is tall. The width of the widest point on the flight deck is 251 feet.  Total of the flight deck is 4.5 acres.

Size of Air Wing: Eight squadrons and one detachment, with more than 80 aircraft, about 2,000 pilots and maintenance personnel.

Tactical Aircrafts: F/A-18 Hornets, EA-6B Prowlers, E-2C Hawkeyes, SH-60 Seahawks, C-2A Greyhounds.

F/A-18 Hornets hook landings at night.

Inside air traffic control on USS Harry S Truman.

Reactor Officer Captain Hill on the hangar level, one flight below the flight deck.

Media room.

Inside the captain’s deck.

Medical offices, operating room.

Bake shop, decorating a cake for re-enlistment.

Helicopter parked in the hangar.

Departing USS Harry S Truman, getting ready for catapult launch.

Anchors: There are two anchors (from USS Saratoga) on USS Harry S Truman. They weigh 30 tons each. Each anchor chain is longer than 1,000 feet, with 684 links each weighing 365 pounds each.