Family and friends gather at the pier to greet Sailors aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) as it pulls into its new operating base Fleet Activities Yokosuka.

YOKOSUKA, Japan (Sept. 25 2008) Family and friends gather at the pier to greet Sailors aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) as it pulls into its new operating base Fleet Activities Yokosuka. George Washington's arrival from its former homeport of Norfolk, Va., marks the beginning of its role as the Navy's only permanently forward-deployed aircraft carrier. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Peter D. Lawlor/Released)