Carter boards USS Nimitz to welcome, thank crew

President Carter marked Memorial Day Monday with a flight to the giant warship USS Nimitz to welcome her 5,000-man crew from six months of sea duty off the Iranian coast. Mr. Carter flew by helicopter to the two-acre flight deck of the battle-grey Nimitz as the ship steamed toward Atlantic Fleet headquarters in Norfolk, Va. The Nimitz left Norfolk Sept. 10 on what was to hve been a routine six month cruise to the Mediterranean was diverted to the Persian Gulf [Words Illegible] Jan. 4, and the crewmen have not set foot on land since. The Nimitz was the departure point for the eight Sea Stallion helicopters that played a key role in the unsuccessful attempt to rescue the hostages from Teheran in April.