Posted on 02/24/2006 8:25:22 PM PST by Former Military Chick
Jets from the USS Ronald Reagan officially joined the fight in Iraq on Wednesday as two F/A-18E Hornets launched from the flight deck and dropped ordnance on enemy targets, Navy officials said.
“We launched our first combat sorties two days ago and have had great results supporting the Operation Iraqi Freedom and our maritime support obligations,” the carrier’s commanding officer, Capt. Terry Kraft, said in an e-mail Friday.
The Reagan, the Navy’s newest and most advanced nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, is on its maiden operational deployment. It recently arrived in the Navy’s 5th Fleet area of operations to support the U.S. military’s ongoing missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“Our air wing is comprised of the most advanced aircraft in the world and is a key player in deterring aggression from the insurgency within Iraq,” Rear Adm. Michael Miller, commander of Carrier Strike Group 7, said in a statement.
In addition to having the best aircraft, the carrier has all the state-of-the art bells and whistles that make it a superior fighting machine, sailors said.
It’s those quality-of-life perks that make living on board all that much better, sailors say. Perks like the 800-ton air-conditioning plant that keeps sailors comfortable, Petty Officer 1st Class Chip Land, a hull technician, said in a phone interview Friday.
“We’re the only ship with one, and it’s great,” said the 10-year veteran. “Everyone is really pleased with it. The temperature is right, and it’s easy to control. It really improves the quality of life.”
And if it weren’t for the other ships in the Reagan’s carrier strike group that need the service of the hull technicians, Land and his crew might not have too much to do during their shifts, he joked.
“This a great ship with the newest technology, and we don’t have to do many repairs on a brand-new ship. I once worked on a 30-year-old ship … and it needed a lot of maintenance, a lot of repairs. This is nice.”
The Reagan has state-of-art communication and computer systems sailors use for e-mails and browsing the Web, Petty Officer 1st Class Mario Fernandez said.
“Back on my first ship, we were lucky to have a 28,800 modem. People would put e-mails on a floppy (disc) and they’d be loaded onto one computer and we’d hit send. It took hours to send e-mails,” said the 12-year veteran, who first sailed aboard the guided missile frigate USS Jarrett.
“Now, we have technology to support having many people simultaneously using e-mail, searching the Web, and to top all that, conduct our mission. We’ve come a long way.”
Airman Rashawn Wright, 22, an aviation mechanic, said he sees just one thing he’d change about his maiden deployment. “I’d bring my family.”
Boooooo! I'm stuck here studying - bummer.
I loved to fish .. my dad was a great fisherman and he taught me how to cast fish which I would dearly love to be able to do again .. Aaahhhh! Someday!
But .. you have a great day of relaxation and enjoy yourself .. you have surely earned it.
What, and make alGoron prez?
With the ability to run for two more terms?
Perish the thought!!!
That's too scary to even trhink about!(shudders)
Thanks, I just "borrowed" your image for my new desk top background
You are welcome.
ACH! fatfingered again!
Trhink=think
(perhaps I should have a drink?)
I found one of the threads:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1177167/posts
That was a great weekend and would like to do it again. May have a chance to get down to San Diego in September. One of my old ships, the USS Higbee (DD806), is having a reunion in SD in Sept and I'd like to attend. I was transferred off the Higbee in 1996 (Woo Hoo! 40 years ago LOL) to go to IC "A" school at the San Diego NTC.
May God bless the USS Ronald Reagan and all who serve aboard her!!
Woo hoo!! Come on up!! Will be a grate time!!
Godspeed, CVN 76.
Hey, it's gotta be hot up here. How d'ya think we make all those raisins for your Raisin Bran? You think raisins grow on trees or what? C'mon up and enjoy the heat. We'll have plenty of beer iced down.
Pingaroo for You!
Thankfully, I only drink rootbeer. Pucker up, buttercup.
Sadly, yes.
There is also a ship named after Jimmy Carter, and eventually, there will be a ship named after Bill Clinton.
Don't bet on it. No USS LBJ or USS Richard Nixon. Congress wouldn't allow a SECNAV, even in a RAT administration, to name a ship after someone who dodged the draft and wrote of "loathing the military".
YES! Thank you, Jim, for finding that thread. Such wonderful memories of a most special day. I've sent the link to myself in FR mail for safe keeping, since I can never remember how to access my bookmarked threads...lol.
Your USS Higbee has a marvelous website that I have just enjoyed, complete with music..."Anchors Away" on the main page and a real ship's whistle on the crew's roster page when the mouse is placed over the graphic of the "swabby swabbing." I love it!
http://www.usshigbee.com/HomePage.htm
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