Roosevelt crew sleeps to shift to night operations

AP ^ | 3-19-03 | George Jahn

[doug from upland]

Roosevelt crew sleeps to shift to night operations
By GEORGE JAHN, Associated Press
© March 19, 2003
Last updated 10:45 AM Mar. 19

ABOARD THE THEODORE ROOSEVELT -- War preparations are in full swing aboard the carrier Theodore Roosevelt -- most of the crew is asleep.

Combat pilots and most of crew aboard the Norfolk-based aircraft carrier were ordered to snooze through the day Wednesday so they could shift to night operations. The other carrier in the eastern Mediterranean, the Norfolk-based Harry S. Truman, will stay on day duty -- thus providing round-the-clock combat capability.

Some sailors on the Roosevelt still had day assignments. Lt. Matt Arnold, 33, of Virginia Beach oversaw a crew that was equipping bombs with precision electronics.

``It's time for us to do what we were trained to do,'' he said.

The Roosevelt and the other five other carriers on Iraq duty will act as the platform for combat aircraft if Saddam refuses an ultimatum from President George W. Bush to leave Iraq with his sons.

The Navy won't reveal its plans. Typically, however, those planes strike right after cruisers and destroyers deliver the first blow. The pilots would fly deep into Iraq to attack targets in concert with ground assaults from troops amassed on Iraq's doorstep.

Iraq's air defenses are thought no match for the U.S. fighters and fighter-bombers, but the pilots refuse to allow themselves to be cocky, saying danger is as near as a lucky hit.

And pilots on the Roosevelt and the USS Harry S. Truman face an additional hardship -- distance.

With Turkey still withholding overflight rights, they would have to fly farther to strike than pilots on the three carriers deployed in the Gulf. Nobody is saying how far, or what the route may be, but the pilots say they are prepared.

``It's going to be a little bit longer, but it's nothing we're not used to,'' said Cmdr. Sean Clark, 39, a pilot from Forth Worth, Texas.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

	Pilots walk across the flight deck upon their return from flight operations aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt on Tuesday March 18, 2003. President Bush (news - web sites) in a speech gave Sadam Hussein and his sons 48 hours to leave Iraq (news - web sites) or face war. The Roosevelt and its battle group are currently on deployment in the eastern Mediterranean Sea in preparing for a strike on Iraq. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel) - Mar 18 3:55 PM ET
	Crew members scramble to collect lettuce which spilled from a crate while supplies were loaded onto the USS Theodore Roosevelt, during a RAS (replenishment at sea) with the USS Lenthail supply ship on Tuesday March 18, 2003. The Roosevelt and its battle group are currently on deployment in the eastern Mediterranean Sea preparing for a possible strike on Iraq (news - web sites). (AP Photo/Richard Vogel) - Mar 18 10:01 AM ET
	A flight deck safety observer gives the 'thumbs up' to launch an F/A-18C Hornet from catapult #2 aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt in the Mediterranean Sea Monday, March 17, 2003. (AP Photo/HO, U.S. Navy, Photographer's Mate 2nd Class James K. McNeil) - Mar 17 10:37 PM ET

[BobP]

Ready to Rock and Roll

[Conservababe]

May Turkey rue the day that they did this to our troops.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

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