THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, November 19, 1994 TAG: 9411190444
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JACK DORSEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines
With five tugboats on its bow and a nuclear power plant driving four props at its stern, the carrier George Washington - blaring the ``Superman'' theme song over its loudspeakers - docked perfectly Friday.
Although delayed a day by strong winds, the giant ship and its nearly 5,000-member crew reached shore on the second try, arriving at Pier 12 shortly after 9 a.m., where the crew was greeted by more than 2,000 soaked but cheering family members and friends.
The welcoming crowd was clearly frustrated Thursday when the ship had to anchor and spend the night a mile from the pier. Parties were canceled, along with plane reservations to hometowns and family reunions.
But plans were on again for Friday's homecoming.
``Just get them in today,'' said one mother, holding two children beneath a tarp as the George Washington picked up its anchor and headed for Norfolk Naval Station.
``I really don't care if they bend it. Just get it in,'' she coaxed.
Navy officials, responsible for such dents, decided Thursday that a day's wait was prudent to ensure that no damage or injury resulted from the 50 mph gusts.
A ship as large as the 1,095-foot ``GW,'' with its 100-foot-high hull, becomes a sail in strong winds and is difficult to control at slow speeds, even with the help of tugboats.
The threat of the storm has delayed the arrival of four other ships in the battle group's amphibious element.
The amphibious assault ship Guam, along with the Austin, Tortuga and Harlan County, originally had been scheduled to arrive at the Norfolk Naval Station and Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base today.
However, the Navy said those four ships will remain at Morehead City, N.C., where they unloaded Camp Lejeune-based Marines and their equipment. The four ships will return Sunday, weather permitting. Depending on the storm's movements, that schedule may have to be revised.
Aboard the amphibious ships are 1,900 sailors, plus 650 family members of the crew, including children, who joined the ships for a ``Tiger Cruise'' to Norfolk.
Also delayed from returning from local operations is the 2nd Fleet command ship Mount Whitney. It remains at anchor in Hampton Roads with its 600-member crew and is now scheduled to dock at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday. The Mount Whitney is undergoing an engineering inspection and will attempt to get under way this weekend, rather than return to port.
Meanwhile, two ships that had been scheduled to get under way for the Mediterranean Sea will remain in Norfolk until Monday. The destroyer tender Shenandoah and salvage/rescue ship Edenton were to have left Friday. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by BILL TIERNAN, Staff
With its loudspeakers blaring the ``Superman'' theme song, the
carrier George Washington approaches Pier 12. A crowd of more than
2,000 soaked but cheering family members and friends welcomed the
crew Friday morning.
KEYWORDS: U.S. NAVY HOMECOMING by CNB