Monday, February 9, 2004 Vert reps: Routine, dangerous By Scott Schonauer, Stars and StripesEuropean edition, Monday, February 9, 2004 Scott Schonauer/ S&S Navy aircraft directors guide a helicopter during a vertical replenishment operation aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan on Thursday in the Mediterranean Sea. ABOARD THE USS BATAAN — The helicopter drifted above the ship’s flight deck and hovered within feet of Pvt. John Purcell’s helmet.His mission: Latch a piece of cargo to the belly of the MH-60 Night Hawk and get out of the way quickly — without getting killed, of course. Fighting off hurricane-strength winds, Purcell...