USS Nimitz (CVN-68) 1997-98 Cruise Sweatshirt

USS Nimitz (CVN-68) deployed on her 1997-98 cruise to the Western Pacific and Persian Gulf as the United States maintained pressure on Saddam Hussein's Iraq through Operation Southern Watch, enforcing the no-fly zone south of the 32nd parallel. Nimitz and her carrier air wing flew thousands of sorties in support of containment operations while simultaneously maintaining the forward presence across the Pacific that underpins American alliances and deterrence. This sweatshirt commemorates the 1997-98 cruise of USS Nimitz, honoring the Sailors and aviators who kept the watch during this demanding deployment.