USS Ronald Reagan docks in Guam following Valiant Shield

The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan docked at U.S. Naval Base Guam on June 19 to provide the crew time to tour the island, get some rest and relaxation, and participate in several community service events following Valiant Shield.

Aviation Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class Adam Garcia, from Porterville, California, secures the national ensign on the flight deck as the U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan, pulls into Naval Base Guam for a scheduled port visit, June 19. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Heather McGee.

This is the USS Ronald Reagan’s first visit to Guam since 2022. According to Journal files, the Reagan’s last visit to the island was as part of the Valiant Shield military exercise together with the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Groups, the USS Tripoli, the 94th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, the I and III Marine Expeditionary Forces, Andersen Air Force Base’s 36^th Wing, and other forces.

This year’s Valiant Shield military exercise took place from June 4 to June 18 in Guam, Palau, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

The USS Ronald Reagan has been forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan, for the past nine years. This year, Ronald Reagan is returning to the mainland United States for maintenance and will be replaced as America’s forward-deployed aircraft carrier by USS George Washington, according to officials.

USS Ronald Reagan conducts flight operations in support of Valiant Shield 2024. Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Kazia Ream.

During this port visit, the USS Ronald Reagan is joined by the Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS Robert Smalls. During the port visit, sailors will participate in community relations events throughout Guam. mbj

Panel reflects on 50 years since Operation New Life

Scholars, community leaders, veterans, and former refugees gathered at the Guam Museum Theater in Hagåtña on July 26, for a public forum marking the 50th anniversary of Operation New Life, a massive U.S. military-led evacuation effort that brought more than 110,000 Vietnamese refugees through Guam in 1975 following the fall of Saigon.

USS Ronald Reagan docks in Guam following Valiant Shield