Gal Sayers, retired Football Hall of Fame Running Back for the Chicago Bears (1965-1971), signs autographs for Sailors following a USO (United Service Organization) show held aboard the Aircraft Carrier USS NIMITZ (CVN 68). The Nimitz Carrier Strike Group is currently on a regularly scheduled deployment and is participating in Maritime Security Operations (MSO) in the Persian Gulf

Aircraft carriers are warships that act as airbases for carrier-based aircraft. In the United States Navy, these consist of ships commissioned with hull classification symbols CV (aircraft carrier), CVA (attack aircraft carrier), CVB (large aircraft carrier), CVL (light aircraft carrier), CVN (aircraft carrier (nuclear propulsion) and CVAN (attack aircraft carrier (nuclear propulsion). The first aircraft carrier commissioned into the United States Navy was USS Langley (CV-1) on 20 March 1922.