020628-N-3228G-002 Pearl Harbor, HI (Jun. 28, 2002) -- The amphibious assault ship USS Tarawa (LHA 1) leaves Pearl Harbor to participate in exercise "Rim of the Pacific" (RIMPAC) 2002. RIMPAC 2002 is designed to improve tactical proficiency in a wide array of combined operations at sea, while building cooperation and fostering mutual understanding between participating nations. Countries participating this year are: Australia, Canada, Chile, Peru, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the United States. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 1st Class William R. Goodwin. (RELEASED)
National Geographic Television Spotlights USS Tarawa
Story Number: NNS021125-04
Release Date: 11/25/2002 12:35:00 PM
By Journalist 2nd Class Crystal King, USS Tarawa Public Affairs
ABOARD USS TARAWA, At Sea (NNS) -- Heads turned and eyes darted towards a film crew aboard USS Tarawa (LHA 1) recently, as the amphibious assault ship's Sailors and Marines became the major focus for the video cameras of a National Geographic television documentary team.
The four-member film crew came aboard Tarawa from Nov. 14-21 during Fleet Exercise operations, the second-to-last phase of the Tarawa Amphibious Ready Group’s training exercises in conjunction with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, off the Southern California coast.
“We’re making a documentary about the Sailors and Marines preparing for deployment, potentially towards the Arabian Gulf,” said production correspondent Michael Davie. “We want to paint a television portrait of these people, particularly the young adults, about their feelings and the lifestyle aboard ship, and what they think about the possibility of going to war.”
Throughout the week, various crew members allowed the National Geographic team to look at their daily lifestyle, as well as their roles in a variety of training exercises, including a mass casualty drill, well deck and flight deck operations, and a search-and-rescue drill.
“We do this because we want to, not because we have to,” said Aviation Structural Mechanic 3rd Class Michael Garcia, one of Tarawa’s search-and-rescue swimmers.
“I think this will make citizens of the United States of America realize how hard the American Sailor and Marine work during a normal work day, and how well trained and prepared they are in case they have to go to war,” said Capt. Jay Bowling, the ship’s commanding officer.
The documentary does not have a scheduled air date yet.