The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower got underway this morning at 1000 to begin a six-month (183-day) deployment to the Mediterranean and Adratic Seas, and the Persian Gulf.
I write this as we exit the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay preparing for four days of carrier qualifications for the pilots and aircrews of the embarked air wing.
Six months 'til I again tread upon the shores of Virginia, see my son and kiss my woman. ::Sigh::
On the bright side we had spaghetti for lunch…
For excessive smiley useage:
“Cancel the kitchen scraps for widows and orphans! No more merciful beheadings!! And cancel Christmas!!!”
Have a good time, Chief! You lucky devil, going on a six-month cruise. Flying fish zooming by under the stars, the phosphoroscent wake of the boat, the dolphins jumping by to greet you, the wind flapping through the sails… I can see the moon smiling down on you (oops! almost put a smiley in there) as you pen witticisms to share with the SDMB regulars…
Your typical day:
Canasta on the bridge, a quick dive in the pool before lunch, and then a groaning buffet charged with the bounty of the sea. Afterwards, siesta on the deck chair with the sun gently caressing your face…
And then the mediterranean! Lounging on the quay in Capri, munching grapes to the lazy sound of plucked guitars…
Chief, add me to the list of people who appreciate what you do. One question: I’m assuming that you are going through the Suez Canal. How does that work? Don’t carrier groups try to avoid restricted waters?
Chief, I saw a pic of the canal at night last year when my bud on the Enterprise went through. If you can take a pic and post it that would be great… it was really beautiful. He sent it just a few minutes after taking it.
For those of us who dont see the world as you do its quite the experience.
We are, each of us angels with only one wing,and we can only fly by embracing one another
Listen, I know it’s not as exciting as actually getting to wander around in the water, but maybe, since you’re all :::sigh::: in love and sappy stuff like that, you might consider staying on dry land and being a recruiter or something.
Good on you Chief. My last deployment was in '83 on the oil-powered, bad karma having, accident-prone, broke down and now decommissioned USS “danger” Ranger. <hock-pitooie!> Sorry, I have to spit whenever I say that name. We collided with the Wichita while unrepping fuel the second day out and things went downhill from there. We almost succeeded in burning the ship down a few times during the cruise and lost more men than we ever should have in peacetime. Please have a much better cruise than we did and see to it that all your shipmates come back in one piece and healthy.
I’d like to thank you, Chief, for doing your job. Takes a special kind of person to do that kind of thing, and I appreciate you and your colleagues more than I can really say.
We’ll tip one for ya at the Toledo Dope Fest, 'kay?
Changing my sig, because Wally said to, and I really like Wally, and I’ll do anything he says, anytime he says to.
Hey Padeye!
I was on the USS Yosemite, anchored off Masirah, Oman when the Ranger had the main space fire in '83.
My fire team was heloed over to her (along with gallons and gallons of AFFF and hundreds of OBA canisters.
Quite the afternoon. You guys got the fire under control before my team made access to the space.
By the way, Chris bites Brithael dick.
“Though I hate 'em, I’ll defend to my death your right to use smilies.”
Forward deployed until 18AUG00
All the best on your latest voyage, Chief. I trust you’ll take it the right way when I express the hope that it’s uneventful. Just make sure you don’t miss the mail buoy – GBS’s letter might be on it!