EVERETT — The public will be able to get a close-up view of the huge aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln over the Fourth of July holiday.
It’s likely one or more of the other ships at Naval Station Everett also will be open to public tours, station spokesman Rick Huling said.
The Lincoln was last open to the public during the Independence Day holiday in 2005.
Huling said the base is likely to issue tickets with appointment times to prevent people from standing in long lines.
The Lincoln, which has been at Naval Base Kitsap in Bremerton since September, is about to begin sea trials after a major overhaul.
After sea trials, the ship is scheduled to return to Naval Station Everett with a new commanding officer at the helm.
Capt. Patrick D. Hall took over as commanding officer of the Nimitz-class carrier on Monday.
He relieved Capt. Andrew McCawley, who was in command during the ship’s last deployment in 2006, and during the overhaul.
Hall is the ninth commanding officer of the nearly 1,100-foot-long ship that deploys with a crew of 5,500 and about 90 aircraft.
McCawley, who served as the Lincoln’s commanding officer for the last two years, plans to retire after 31 years in the Navy.
He thanked the Lincoln’s crew, the Snohomish County community and the Lincoln ombudsmen — the spouses of crewmembers who are the captain’s representatives when the ship is away.
“I want to extend my special thanks to Lincoln’s ombudsmen, who are unpaid contributors to the wellbeing of the ship’s crew, and to the communities that have supported Lincoln,” McCawley said. “Everett is the best homeport in the Navy. I have not experienced a better or more supportive home in my 31 years in uniform.”
Hall will be in charge of training and preparation for the ship’s return to operational status and a likely a deployment in early 2008 or sooner.
Before coming to the Lincoln, Hall served with the chief of staff for the U.S. Joint Forces Command, which combines the efforts and training of different military branches.
Among other jobs, he served in support of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts and a disaster relief center in Pakistan. In Afghanistan, Hall assisted in creating a headquarters for troops who dismantle deadly roadside bombs.
Hall attended the Naval War College and holds a master’s degree in national security and strategic studies.
Hall has served as commanding officer of Strike Fighter Squadron 87, a squadron of F/A-18 Hornets based in Oceana, Va. He also was the executive officer of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, and commanded the USS Seattle, a supply ship.
Hall received his commission in 1982 from the Navy ROTC unit at the University of Texas, where he earned a degree in civil engineering. He was designated a naval aviator in December 1983, and logged more than 4,200 flight hours in Navy aircraft.
Reporter Jim Haley: 425-339-3447 or haley@heraldnet.com.
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