USS George Washington raises the battle ensign in Philippine Sea

Quartermaster 3rd Class Enrique Rubio, from Texas, assigned to navigation department, raises the battle ensign aboard Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) while underway in the Philippine Sea, July 2, 2026. The George Washington Carrier Strike Group is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. George Washington is the U.S. Navy’s premiere 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. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jack D. Barnell)