USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) returned to its homeport of Naval Station Norfolk last week, following an eight-month deployment.

It was the first deployment for the first-in-class aircraft carrier that was built at Newport News Shipbuilding.

“The Gerald R. Ford is everything our nation hoped it would be, and more. I am so proud of the crew, who breathed life into the world’s most technologically advanced warship and stood the watch in defense of our national interests,” said Capt. Rick Burgess, CVN 78’s commanding officer. “Though extended, we were the right ship at the right time to answer the call, and our sailors performed admirably. Ford sailors honored our namesake’s legacies of hard work, integrity and courage.”

In 239 days underway, the ship’s crew conducted 43 underway replenishments, logged more than 17,826 flight hours and 10,396 sorties, sailed more than 83,476 nautical miles, and safely transferred 20.7 million gallons of fuel with zero mishaps. The Ford crew conducted 33,444 flight deck moves, 3,124 hangar bay aircraft moves, 2,883 aircraft elevator moves and 16,351 aircraft fueling evolutions.