USS Nimitz (CVN-68), the guided-missile destroyer USS John Paul Jones (DDG-53) sail in formation during a scheduled transit of the Strait of Hormuz on Nov. 9, 2020. US Navy Photo  

Kitsap News: Propulsion problems bring USS Nimitz home after 3 days at sea 

BREMERTON — The USS Nimitz returned home to Puget Sound Tuesday after problems with the ship's propulsion plant cut the first of its sea trials short. 

The warship, which returned from a more than 11-month deployment in March, made it only three days at sea in its initial voyage following work this year at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. 

On Sunday, the crew "identified a minor material deficiency" in the propulsion plant while the vessel was located in international waters off the west coast, according to Navy Cmdr. Zach Harrell, a spokesman for Naval Air Forces based in San Diego. 

"The ship's crew took action to address the deficiency and the ship returned to port," Harrell said.  

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Update #1: 'Minor material deficiency' in nuclear propulsion plant sidelines USS Nimitz (Navy Times) Update #2: USS Nimitz Back In Port After Finding Propulsion Plant's 'Minor Material Deficiency' (USNI News)  

WNU Editor: For a "minor material deficiency" we now have a US aircraft carrier back in port after three days.