Archives: Media Photo

An aerial view of Newport News Shipbuilding on June 30, 2013. The aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) is under construction in the foreground. The carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) arrives in the background for inactivation. Photo by John Whalen.

An aerial view of Newport News Shipbuilding on June 30, 2013. The aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) arrives in the foreground for inactivation. The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) is completing her refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) at the adjacent pier. Photo by John Whalen.

Susan Ford Bales, President Ford’s daughter and ship’s sponsor, visited the shipyard in August 2010. Here she is pictured helping Newport News Shipbuilding Rigger Mike Jordan secure a lift. Photo by Ricky Thompson

Susan Ford Bales, President Ford’s daughter and ship’s sponsor, toured Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) in August 2010 and participated in hands-on demonstrations, including a weapons elevator door installation, a large module unit transit to the dry dock and preparation of an air-conditioning unit. Photo by Ricky Thompson

Susan Ford Bales, President Ford’s daughter and ship’s sponsor, visited the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) in October 2011 for an update on the construction progress. Bales helped erect and position a section of the ship’s main deck, connect instrumentation wiring and operate watertight doors. She also observed mechanized welding operations. Photo by Chris Oxley

Susan Ford Bales, President Ford’s daughter and ship’s sponsor, visited Newport News Shipbuilding in August 2010. Here she is pictured helping check the alignment of units in Dry Dock 12 along with shipbuilders Chris Evans and Dave Stokes. Photos by Ricky Thompson

Susan Ford Bales, President Ford’s daughter and ship’s sponsor, visited the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) in October 2011 for an update on the construction progress. Bales helped erect and position a section of the ship’s main deck, connect instrumentation wiring and operate watertight doors. She also observed mechanized welding operations. Photo by Chris Oxley

Newport News Shipbuilding Structural Welder Robert Bowker displays the welded initials plate during the Nov. 14, 2009 keel laying ceremony for the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78). The initials SFB are those of Susan Ford Bales, the ship’s sponsor for the ship that will bear her father’s name. L-R: US Senator Carl Levin of Michigan, Susan Ford Bales, and Mike Petters, CEO of Huntington Ingalls Industries, the parent company of Newport News Shipbuilding. Photo by Chris Oxley

Nov 14, 2009 – Susan Ford Bales, daughter of President Gerald R. Ford, served as the ship’s sponsor and keel authenticator for the ceremony. Bales authenticated the keel by chalking her initials onto a metal plate. (Left to right) Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus; U.S. Senator Carl Levin, (D-Mich); Director of Naval Nuclear Propulsion, Adm. Kirkland Donald; Ship Sponsor Susan Ford Bales; and Corporate Vice President and President of Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding Mike Petters.

Feb. 9, 2015 – Pipefitter Trevin Wilson works outdoors on USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79). Photo by John Whalen