On a hot, Virginia summer day in July 1998, spectators, Sailors, and a variety of guests gathered to witness a haze gray behemoth officially join the fleet. Twenty years later, USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) has served the Navy as an integral part of the overall mission, in times of war and peace.

Named after President Harry S. Truman, the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier has carried on his legacy throughout the world.

Born in Missouri and prosperous as a farmer, Truman would later make a name for himself. He joined the Army prior to World War I and continued to have an illustrious 37-year career, retiring from service at the rank of colonel. After moving back to Missouri, he began a political career and became a Senator in 1938, serving six years in the Senate. In 1944, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt called upon Truman to be his Vice President. Truman accepted and would step into his role as President following Roosevelt's passing in 1945. He would later be reelected in 1948.

As president, Truman set forth several changes in both foreign and domestic policy. He passed the National Security Act, forming the Department of Defense and several other government organizations. He set forth the Truman Doctrine, which initiated U.S. involvement in the Marshall Plan to rebuild Western Europe and form the United Nations and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Most notably, he made policy changes to desegregate the military, a significant stride in civil rights. Truman also oversaw the final months of World War II and the initial involvement of the Korean War. At the end of his second and final term, Truman retired to his home state of Missouri.

To honor his dedication to peace and freedom, the Senate declared that Truman be the namesake of CVN 75 in February 1995. This pride in President Truman's legacy is shared by many Sailors who were Truman's plank owners, who have returned to the ship for additional tours at what was their first command.

"Coming back to the Truman for the third time, I feel a lot of pride," said Chief Aviation Electrician's Mate Alfredo Trinidad, a Truman plank owner. "Especially when I hear the captain talk about how great this warship is, how great the crew is, and our capabilities. I take a lot of pride in knowing that I was there when Truman was laying down that foundation. The Truman, from day one, has had an outstanding reputation."

Like its namesake, CVN 75 has many accomplishments to her name. Over the years, the carrier has earned eight Battle "E" awards, an annual award given to the best performing ships in the fleet. Over the last 20 years, the ship has completed 7 deployments across the globe.

EA-18G Growlers from Electronic Attack Squadrons (VAQ) 129 and 132 completed their first at-sea carrier arrested landings aboard Truman in 2009. Truman was the first aircraft carrier in Naval Aviation history to test an unmanned aircraft, the X-47B unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV), in 2012.

Following Hurricane Katrina, Truman departed Norfolk for disaster relief operations. Truman was assigned 13 helicopter squadrons that rescued a total of 12,535 people in addition to delivering fresh water for millions.

"The vibe on this ship and the tradition on this ship are extraordinary," said Capt. Nick Dienna, Truman's commanding officer. "It started with the commissioning crew and it's been that way for over 20 years. It's about hard work, it's about common sense, and it's about equal opportunity for everyone. Those were the values that Harry S. Truman ascribed to as president of the United States, and they are the values that have lived throughout the entire history of this ship. Our job now is to ensure that we're ready to go for another 30 years of Truman's legacy, and I know we are ready for that."

While the Truman has now served and protected the U.S. for 20 years, it still has at least that many ahead of it.
Harry S. Truman returned to its homeport of Norfolk, Va., July 21, after being deployed for more than 3 months in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations, supporting maritime security operations alongside regional allies and partners.

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For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), visit www.navy.mil/.