PHILIPPINE SEA – For Sailors deployed on an aircraft carrier, there are endless variables that can change at a moment’s notice. Time seems to move slow or fast depending on the day or week. It’s important to “work hard, play hard” and find time for entertainment in order to escape the grind, unwind or express yourself. Sailors and civilians schedule events for fun and fitness – not just during port calls, but virtually daily out to sea as well. One special night on this particular deployment, Sailors got together and sat in the hangar bay to view a pre-screening of the movie Young Washington aboard Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73). while underway in the Philippine Sea, July 1, 2026.
Sailors walked away from their chairs smiling and talking about the movie, calling it inspiring, emotional, and cinematic.
“Very encouraging, very awesome, and inspiring to see our namesake in action,” said Air-Traffic Controller 2nd Class Marcos Hernandez, assigned to operations department.
Young Washington premieres in theaters July 3rd, 2026, just before Independence Day.
“Perfect timing for America 250,” said Machinist’s Mate Fireman Mark Vega, assigned to reactor department, talking about the celebration of the 250th birthday of the United States.
Young Washington is a historical war drama about young George Washington learning to lead the Army during the French and Indian War. It’s the rarely told story about Washington before the American Revolutionary War and his presidency.
“I didn’t know George Washington was that hardcore,” said Aviation Ordnanceman 3rd Class Nickiesha Allen, assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 77. “He’s a great definition of a leader, he set the standards as he set the foundation of the military.”
The carrier received a copy of the movie early from the Navy Motion Picture Service (NMPS), a Navy Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) program which mails movies for the crew to watch each month. MWR is a division on the ship and has civilian program coordinators who deploy with the ship.
The 100,000-ton warship has a museum dedicated to the history and heritage of its name, including articles commemorating America’s first president, displays for the other ships which share the name, and for his estate, Mount Vernon.
The crew of George Washington, along with embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, form a combined total of over 5,000 Sailors.
The George Washington Carrier Strike Group (GWACSG) is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. George Washington is the U.S. Navy’s premier forward-deployed aircraft carrier, a long-standing symbol of the United States’ commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific, while operating alongside allies and partners across the U.S. Navy’s largest numbered fleet.