Editing USS John C. Stennis (section)

===2012===
On 3 January 2012, Iranian General [[Ataollah Salehi]] warned ''John C. Stennis'' "not to return to the Persian Gulf."<ref>{{cite news |title=Iran army chief warns US aircraft carrier not to return to Persian Gulf in new tough rhetoric |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle-east/at-end-of-drill-iran-army-chief-warns-us-aircraft-carrier-not-to-return-to-persian-gulf/2012/01/03/gIQAnUWjXP_story.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120104075700/http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle-east/at-end-of-drill-iran-army-chief-warns-us-aircraft-carrier-not-to-return-to-persian-gulf/2012/01/03/gIQAnUWjXP_story.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 January 2012 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=3 January 2012}}</ref> The United States dismissed the warning.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/u-s-dismisses-iranian-warning-against-navy-carrier-in-gulf |title=U.S. Dismisses Iranian Warning Against Navy Carrier in Gulf |date=3 January 2012 |work=[[Fox News]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016050349/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/01/03/pentagon-officials-dismiss-iranian-warning-against-us-carrier-in-gulf/ |archive-date=16 October 2015 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

On 7 January, ''John C. Stennis'' led the rescue of an Iranian-flagged fishing vessel, ''Al Mulahi,'' following her seizure by pirates. The pirates ambushed the ship and Iranian flag to search for other ships to hijack, while holding the original crew hostage. When some of the pirates attempted to board a Bahamian-flagged cargo ship, ''Sunshine'', she radioed for assistance.  ''John C. Stennis'' dispatched a helicopter and cruiser to assist. A boarding party captured the pirates who attacked ''Sunshine'', fed them, then released them temporarily.  A helicopter then secretly followed the pirates back to their mother ship, ''Al Mulahi''.  Crew from the destroyer {{USS|Kidd|DDG-100|6}} then boarded the fishing vessel (upon permission in Urdu from the captain), and arrested all of the pirates with no casualties.<ref>{{cite news |title=For Iranians Waylaid by Pirates, U.S. to the Rescue |first=C. J. |last=Chivers |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/07/world/middleeast/for-iranians-held-by-pirates-us-to-the-rescue.html?_r=1 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=6 January 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161228174403/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/07/world/middleeast/for-iranians-held-by-pirates-us-to-the-rescue.html?_r=1 |archive-date=28 December 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

On 2 March 2012, ''John C. Stennis'' returned home from her 7-month deployment to homeport Bremerton, Washington.

On 7 July 2012, crew members were informed that ''John C. Stennis'' would be returning to the Middle East in August, much sooner than expected.<ref>{{cite news |last=Friedrich |first=Ed |title=USS Stennis going right back to Mideast |url=http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2012/jul/09/uss-stennis-going-right-back-to-mideast/ |work=[[Kitsap Sun]] |date=9 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120713032918/http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2012/jul/09/uss-stennis-going-right-back-to-mideast/ |archive-date=13 July 2012 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Parrish |first=Karen |url=https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/id/117633/ |title=Sailors: Early Deployment Tough, but 'We're Needed' |agency=[[American Forces Press Service]] |date=24 August 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150414215854/http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=117633 |archive-date=14 April 2015 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

On 27 August 2012, ''John C. Stennis'' departed to the Middle East originally for six months, but was extended to eight.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/where.htm |title=Where are the Carriers? |website=GlobalSecurity |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160130172825/http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/where.htm |archive-date=30 January 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>