Facts about the USS Ronald Reagan
Nimitz-class nuclear powered aircraft carrier
Authorized in 1995 (on plaque)
Construction began in late 1996 at the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. in Newport News VA.
Christening date: March 4, 2001 (Reagan’s 49th wedding anniversary)
Expected commissioning date: December 2002 (on plaque)
Nine Nimitz class carriers in service, seven named after Presidents: Washington, Lincoln, T. Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Reagan. The other two are named after John C. Stennis and Carl Vinson. The USS George H.W. Bush is under construction.
Information from vertical file Library chron post-pres 1996 and plaque on model