NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The crew of USS Gerald R. Ford earned some new hardware, as the 5,000 sailors on board got their hands on a big award.
Every year the Battenberg Cup, a symbol of operational excellence, is awarded to the best ship or submarine in the Navy Atlantic Fleet. And the USS Gerald R. Ford earned it for being first in its class.
“My crew literally carries on the legacy that President Ford left us, which was, work hard, be kind and don’t brag,” said Capt. Rick Burgess, commanding officer of the USS Gerald R. Ford.
Well, maybe today will be an exception.
“Oh, absolutely bragging rights, yes sir,” said Aviation Boatswainn’s Mate 2nd Class Jaylyn Moton. “A lot of ships don’t get it.”
Admiral Daryl Caudle, commander of the U.S. Fleet Forces Command, said that “the ship just performed brilliantly, met all milestones on or ahead of time, and then gets over to the Mediterranean [Sea] and just simply crushes the deployment.”
That’s no small feat on its first-ever full-scale deployment.