CARRIER CRUISE (Part Six & Final Episode)

Perhaps one of the most unbelievable things about the whole trip, were the people. They were largely positive, despite harsh living conditions. Sure, there are a few that are arrogant, wayward or sloppy but generally I was impressed with the discipline and loyalty of the average sailor. They are performing a job that isn't easy and they are far from their homes and families. They work hard, under terrible conditions with little reward and yet they are firm in the belief that what they are doing is right or at least justified.

They have excellent equipment in a state of the art military. They operate complicated machines that are the envy of the world. Through it all, though, it is not the equipment or weapon systems or machines that are most impressive, but, instead, the rigor of the crew. How many of us non navy types could endure what they endure? Could we leave our comfortable homes and surroundings and go off to some foreign land to fight against an enemy that hates us? Are we willing to sacrifice our very lives, if necessary, in defense of our homeland? I wonder.

From the first day they leave home, they count the days till they can be home again. When I was in Vietnam, I thought of little else. Home...will I ever return? Is my family well? How I longed for "the States." They, likewise, miss their loved ones and dream of the day when they can come back. I hope we put ourselves in their shoes and feel their resolve. They follow orders and do their job the best they are able. May we be worthy of the sacrifice they make.

CARRIER CRUISE (Part Five)

Life on the carrier has a whole lot of ordinary little things that are common to even the newest sailor but are unusual to the everyday land bound citizen. I will mention a few of them. The picture on the left shows a pentagon shaped piece of metal on a side line. This line is part of the group of lines that secure the anchored carrier to the shore. But what's up with the piece of pentagon metal? Is it a way to mark the use of that particular line? Does it contain some sort of material that glows in the dark? Is it a splice? Does it strengthen the line?

These were some of my guesses and they were all wrong. It is a rat guard. Without it and guards like them, it wouldn't take long before the ship would be infested with rats, like many ships of bygone years. Plagues were spread from port to port that way. A simple piece of metal, but critical to ship hygiene and safety.

Later, I was privileged to see through a pair of very expensive night vision goggles during a late night demonstration. Not only is the view green, when peering into the lens but it has the appearance of white sparkles drifting down through the viewing area. The slightest bit of light, for instance, the glow of a burning candle, appears as a gigantic flood light and can obscure vision.

The carrier is a floating city with 5000 plus inhabitants. It must be kept clean and orderly to prevent accidents to machinery and most importantly, personnel. Drills and regular cleanup do at least a couple things. They encourage discipline, develop good habits and prevent mishaps. More than once I heard these words over the public address. "Sweepers, sweepers, man your brooms. Give the deck a good cleaning fore and aft." At which point those assigned grab their brooms and sweep the flight deck in a preset manner.

In a similar way, FOD (Foreign Object Damage) walks are periodically scheduled. This involves picking up debris off the deck that could eventually find its way to the intake of a jet engine or aircraft tire or piece of machinery and do serious damage. Debris like bits of wire, a screw, a nut, a writing pen and so forth. Little things that get dropped or ignored can find their way into a vacuum cleaner jet engine, can cause a fan blade to break off, setting up a chain reaction that may cause that jet engine to explode.

Where is the average sailor from and how old is he or she? I quote from a USS Stennis pamphlet that reads, "On any given day, Stennis Sailors represent all 50 states. With an average age of 19-years-old, these young men and women operate under some of the most strenuous conditions in the world...The air wing is capable of destroying enemy aircraft, ships, submarines and land targets...The USS John C. Stennis can provide a visible presence, demonstrating American power and resolve, at a moments notice."

In 1979, Senator John C. Stennis said, "It carries everything and goes full strength and is ready to fight or go into action within minutes after it arrives at its destination...there is nothing that compares with it when it comes to deterrence. The best way to avoid war is to be fully prepared, have the tools of war in abundance and have them ready."

CARRIER CRUISE (Part Four)

The military can be the career of a lifetime. It can train you, deliver you to exotic locations, provide formal education and train you in a vocation that may last a lifetime. Notwithstanding all this, it gives back what it gets. The harder you work to earn your way, the more it will provide monetary bonuses, prestige and special privileges. It may require sacrifice, you may be separated for long periods of time from friends and family, but this is generally compensated for if the service rendered to your country is honorable.

Still, it requires self discipline. Anarchy will not abide. There must be order and obedience. You must not cross the line into insubordination or dereliction of duty. Not all superiors are fair and just and the same goes with subordinates. One serious infraction, regardless of the talent of the offender, can ruin a military career and chance of promotion. Such is life, such is the U.S. Navy. The Carrier Group was given liberty at several ports of call prior to arriving in San Diego and then on to Bremerton, Washington. These included Singapore, Hong Kong and Guam.

As the USS Stennis approached the dock, we saw lines of seamen in their whites, standing on the flight deck, looking down on us as we awaited family and friends. We supposed that this was some sort of way they got to view the homecoming as a privilege. We were wrong. These were, by in large, those who had transgressed Navy regulations and were being made to observe the liberty of others while they stayed on board. Some were guilty of various infractions, such as drunk and disorderly, fighting, failure to obey orders and so forth.

Society must have a way to punish the law breaker and it also holds with the Navy. One such individual had been in the Navy for several years and served in the Admiral's Galley as a steward. He worked in an area that gave him pride in his Navy service. He had been promoted and looked forward to an honorable vocation. This was all dashed in a drunken binge while on ship's liberty. He indicated that what was saddest of all, was that not only was his military career over, but he couldn't even remember his actions that got him into serious trouble.

We took a tour of the ship's Brig or Jail and a feeling of foreboding arose the moment we entered. The upper level consisted of an administrative section where the Navy jailers were on duty. The walls were devoid of pictures or decoration, white washed and windowless. The stairs leading to the lower level ended with an electric gate and iron bars that were opened by a switch upstairs. There was a mechanical override, should power failure occur. Following the gate was a storage area that contained, pillows, blankets, handcuffs and other restraints and supplies.

This area was followed by three cells on the left, for serious rule breakers and those subject to bread and water rations for varying periods, depending on the severity of the crimes committed. These cells had a military bunk in the room and little else. At the end of the hall was another locked cell of about four times the size, with about four bunks. Outside the cells was a latrine and shower area. Once again the walls were bare. No books, TV, music players, videos and so forth were allowed, except a Bible for those requesting it. Time was to be served here in the contemplation of mistakes made and plans for improvement. Wake up times and lights out times were strictly enforced. Any breaking of rules downstairs meant extra punishment. It was a harsh, negative, cold place and we could hardly wait to go back upstairs.

Life can get pretty rough in the military sometimes, but if you become a visitor to the brig, you're looking from the bottom and staring up.

CARRIER CRUISE (Part Three)

One of the primary advantages of a carrier is the ability to launch all sorts of aircraft off the flight deck. This involves bringing the plane to the launch pad, connecting the nose steering gear to the catapult, running the engines to full afterburner with the brakes on, checking to make sure all systems are go and then launching the bird for takeoff. The aircraft goes from a dead stop, to 300 mph flying, within a few hundred feet. This whole procedure is scary enough but does not even compare with the aerial ballet that must be performed on landing.

A flying machine traveling at 300 mph on landing needs to come to a complete stop in less than 400 feet. Reverse thrust and brakes are not enough. A pilot must have tremendous skill and timing to bring his aircraft on glide path to a landing strip that is moving and frequently subject to cross winds. If the "driver" is too high or too low, too fast or too slow, the pilot must be ready to go around and try again. Critical to all this is the arrestor cable. It is about four inches in diameter (see adjacent picture, by clicking to enlarge) and attached to a huge machine below decks that allows the cable to stretch and give, as force is applied. There are four such cables on deck that stick up a few inches, to allow the plane's tail hook to catch on the cable and bring it to an abrupt stop.

So many things can go wrong with this procedure, but, surprisingly, it works rather well. We were shown a safety film, however, where an F-18 was landing, the tail hook caught the cable, stretched but then the cable suddenly snapped and broke. The cable whipped back with tremendous force. The slow motion camera recorded the result. An alert sailor saw the cable coming right for him and jumped in the air so that it missed him and yet another sailor, farther down the flight deck, was looking the other way. He was not so fortunate. The cable immediately took off his legs, just below the knee. The aircraft went over the bow but the pilot, following training procedures, used his ejection seat to parachute into the ocean and was rescued.

Arrestor cables are now routinely changed long before they reach metal fatigue failure. And yet, perhaps the most hazardous times occur while landing. It is a tribute to the men and women that man the flight decks and put their life on the line every day they work.

CARRIER CRUISE (Part Two)

Scott, gave my Dad, my brother, Bob, and I a tour of the ship before we left the harbor and showed us some of the more common areas of interest. Perhaps one of the most unusual was what I mistakenly had called the gang plank, where the ship is boarded. This turns out to be an improper use of the word. "Gang plank" is actually the connecting point of two ships in close proximity. The carrier is more properly boarded at the "brow." There are several brows, depending on your rank. When you are few steps from stepping on board, you pause, face the flag at the stern of the ship, come to attention and if in uniform, salute.

The brow opens up into the hangar bay which is a storage point for aircraft, equipment and supplies. The sheer size of the hangar dwarfs all around. The ceiling is perhaps 50 feet high or more, with helicopters, folded wing fighter planes, wooden pallets, motorized aircraft pull dollies and people, all within inches of each other. Every space is carefully used. Chances of tripping or accidentally banging into something are all around you. Major areas are marked with bulkhead number designators to help you determine your level, above and below decks, your bulkhead and so forth so that you can find your position if you ever become lost. The details of this system were explained to me right at first, but of course, it helps if you have your locale number written down or memorized and if you happen to remember what numbers represent what.

If you don't remember, you pay, which I promptly did. I asked Scott how to get to the nearest latrine. He told me and then instructed me to meet him back at his office. No problem, I thought. When done at the latrine, I attempted to return to his office but somehow made a wrong turn or was on the wrong level. Anyway, after several rights and lefts and ups and downs, I was very much lost. Right in the middle of my confusion, the loudspeaker breaks into a "man overboard" exercise. When this happens, the tiger is supposed to stick by his sponsor so that each unit sponsor can report all tigers and personnel are accounted for.

Fortunately, I did remember one bit of instruction. "Dad if you every get lost, it is easy to find the hangar bay. You know how to get to my stateroom from the hangar bay. Go there and I'll call you to make sure you are not lost." After several minutes of panic, I found the hangar bay, found the stateroom, received the call and was rescued. Another crisis averted!

CARRIER CRUISE (Part One)

The adventure began on the 20th of August 2007 and continued seven days. It was an experience never realized before and one which I will probably never witness again. For sea going Navy types, it was probably pretty routine but to an old U.S. Air Force retired guy, it was a once in a lifetime journey.

The U.S. Navy calls it a "Tiger Cruise" and its an event that happens yearly. I called it a reality check. We are far too comfortable in our ordinary lives to appreciate what the military sacrifices for us that allows us to live those ordinary lives. Much of the world may not like us; we may not ever be able to bring peace to troubled lands, despite our efforts, we may disagree on whether we should even try. Nonetheless, I would much rather see us encounter our enemies in their land than fight them on the cities and streets of the United States.

Life aboard the U.S.S. John C. Stennis (CVN 74)was anything but comfortable and I was one of the "Tigers" that had it easy. The Stennis is powered by two nuclear reactors, which permit the ship to go more than a million miles before refueling. The flight deck is over a thousand feet long. (Almost four football fields long.) It is nearly a football field wide at the flight deck. From keel to mast it is equal to a 24 story building. And yet, as huge as this vessel is, it can still speed at an amazing 30 plus knots or about 35 miles per hour plus!

Members of the Navy on board the Stennis were permitted to sponser others, usually family, to ride the last few days of their current sea duty. Our son, Scott, a Navy LT, (0-3) sponsored me and we were sort of glued at the hip while I was on board. The ship has a combat load displacement of 97,000 tons and can carry 80 plus tactical aircraft. We walked all over the vessel and I took hundreds of pictures. As might be imagined, there are many levels above and below the flight deck, with steep ladders to be negotiated. It easy to fall or get lost, which I proved,repeatedly. Empty space is scare and it is easy to trip over, slam against or bang your head against a number of protrusions.

The most common inconveniences are noticed first. For instance, mealtime. I ate once with the lower ranked enlisted men and women. (Perhaps one in ten members on board is female). But I also ate twice at the middle grade cafeterias, commonly called chow or mess halls and also, on other days, ate at the Admiral's Mess. The food, the food preparation, and the food servers all got better as the rank got higher.

When eating with the lower grades, the lines are long, the dining area crowded, with low ceilings, the heat and steam almost stifling. Fixed tables with attached chairs are fastened very near to each other. Small, divided tin trays are your plate. The noise is deafening and the elbow room sparse. The food is poorly prepared and therefore much less desirable. However, it's a grand place to work on your diet.

By contrast, the Admiral's Mess is spacious. Seating is by assignment only an there is plenty of room to spread out. Salads and Soups begin every meal. Your main course is served to you as you sit. If you want dessert, it is also brought to you. You may choose your favorite beverage. Your tableware is fine china and silverware with pressed, cloth napkins that match the decor. This is where the visiting V.I.P. eat their meals. Beautiful pictures of ships and Congressmen, Capital buildings and Memorials, line the beautiful walls. There is a huge, flat screen TV at the entry to the dining room with soft, stereo music piped in. Sumptuous couches and couch chairs are made of the best and most expensive material. The food is expertly prepared, with menus that outdo a five star hotel. The military maxim is ever present, that is, R.H.I.P. (Rank Has It's Privileges) Your waiters wear fine uniforms and are more than congenial. In short, you overeat and don't want to leave. Less than 10% of the crew of 5,200 plus get to eat this way.

Sleeping quarters are not for the claustrophobic or light sleepers. Noise from normal ship functioning can be horrendous. Takeoffs and landings, just two decks above, outdo the snores of a thousand spouses. The four catapults that launch aircraft with engines at max power and full afterburner, not to mention the huge machine that attaches and regulates the four flight deck arrestor cables, that help stop the aircraft on landing, produce enough noise to wake the dead. This is combined with the stirring of your shipmates, coming in and out at all hours of the day and night, since the carrier is manned 24 hours a day.

Open bay sleeping areas feature narrow, short bunks. There is not enough room at the shoulders to roll over in bed. To do so, you must get out of the bed and climb back in on your other side. Group latrines are primitive, smell bad and are crowded. Water to the showers is not always hot and the showers are turned off at certain hours to operate the steam machinery of the flight deck. Officers latrines fare little better except that not so many are assigned to one latrine. Shower shoes, robes, personal towels and toilet article bags are a must. It's sort of like camping out for many days at a time.

Officers sleeping areas are somewhat better. The bunks are bigger and you can roll over inside of them without getting out but you cannot sit up. Six F-18 pilots shared a room about the size of the average American living room. Other officers may qualify for three or two to a stateroom, but still must share the latrine down the hall. A very few have private staterooms, such as the ship's captain or the Admiral.