Experience of a Lifetime
Continued from page three.
This room helped me understand the Admiral's comments as related to the mission of the Navy in the world, today…in that they are protecting the commerce of the United States around the world. He said that 33 percent of all world cargo goes through the Straits of Malacca (between Singapore and Sumatra), and that 79 percent of the cargo goes through 10 ports around the world…none of these in the US. He said that 22 percent of the "hub ports" handle 96 percent of the global transshipment of containers!! If you have read The World is Flat, it helps you understand these facts. Our borders are no longer walls!
There is a hospital (with pharmacy), operating room, emergency room, radiology, dental, and optometry departments. They make dentures and glasses on board. We saw an office for a psychologist, also.
A visit to the Eisenhower Museum on board displaying things donated by the Abilene Eisenhower Museum, was included in our tour, as was a visit to enlisted crew quarters (which were quite cramped, but very nice).
A visit to the ship's store (about 25' x 35' est.) showed us what the sailors had available to buy on board (no credit cards). Inventory included watches, cameras, T-shirts, food and snacks, a few gifts, etc.
A tour of the anchor and tie-up area in the very bow of the ship showed us the size of the anchor chains (and there are two areas from which anchors are deployed). Size cannot be emphasized enough. The braided ropes also used to tie the ship to the dock are about 6' in diameter and tightly braided. The ship always ties up on the right side.
The control tower and the bridge are located high on the "Island." The bridge is above the control tower which "controls" the aircraft activity. A constant observation team and a navigator are on duty all the time flying takes place. I believe there were six sailors plus the officer, who was the navigator. This is about 50' above the flight deck and you can see the whole deck, fore and aft. The bridge, from which the ship is operated, appears to rely a great deal on computers for commands, which are shouted by a young seaman, who told me he had been in the Navy about four years (he was 22 years old). This young man was running this billion dollar ship carrying about 3,000 people. What a responsibility that was! The helm was about 10" in diameter and was operated by this seaman.
After dinner with the Captain on Tuesday evening, we were taken to the flight deck to observe night operations. This was almost frightening to some of us, but the sailors took good care of us! We came up from the ready room (where pilots are briefed) and the "shooters" took us up on the deck on the opposite side of the ship. We stood there that night in our life jackets, head gear, goggles, etc., and watched planes landing right in front of us, with tailhooks dragging and sparks flying when they hit the deck! We left the flight deck and went to the control tower where we could see the planes coming and going from above. The lights, sparks, and noise were very, very memorable.
The trip back to Norfolk began after lunch on Wednesday. We were given the same equipment to wear that we wore flying to the ship—Mae West, head gear, goggles, etc. We donned all and proceeded to the COD. Again, we entered from the rear and faced the back. We were all strapped in with shoulder belts and lap belts. There were three crewmen in our area; they checked all the belts, raised the ramp off the deck, and we started our taxi for our catapult takeoff! The plane was lined up on the catapult and after doing the regulation checking, engines were revved up, and we were released. I am told we went from 0 mph to 105 mph plus in 2 seconds.. The force made my glasses imbed themselves in my face—or at least it felt that way. What a thrill that catapult takeoff was!!
After an hour plus of flying, we landed at Norfolk NAS, where were met by staff and taken to our hotels, after our gear had been removed from the COD.
This has been a bit long, but I tried to pick up the highlights. It was an experience of a lifetime, and I feel so fortunate to have participated in the Distinguished Visitor Program on the USS Eisenhower while it was at sea. It makes me so proud to be an American and to know that we have such qualified men and women serving our country on land and sea—all protecting our freedom. Let's remember: Freedom is not free!!
John has provided video footage of an A-6 aircraft in its approach to land on a carrier. "The sound and turbulence you hear and feel is very similar to the COD (carrier-on-board delivery aircraft)," he says, "so you can see what we were experiencing in flight and landing."