USS Philippine Sea Rescues Brilliante Virtuoso Crew off Aden



Liberian merchant ship Brilliante Virturoso on fire/US Navy

From Combined Maritime Forces Public Affairs

GULF OF ADEN (NNS) -- USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) responded to a distress call issued by the Marshall Islands-owned, Liberian-flagged, motor vessel Brilliante Virtuoso at approximately 3:30 a.m. (local time) July 6.

Brilliante Virtuoso, a 144,000-ton very large crude carrier, was approximately 20 nautical miles southwest of Aden, Yemen when they issued the call which stated they believed they were under attack by suspected pirates and required assistance. The motor vessel was travelling eastbound from the Suez Canal through the Gulf of Aden at the time of the attack.

Shortly after the suspected attack, Brilliant Virtuoso reported a fire on board which was beyond their control and that their intention was to abandon ship.

Philippine Sea, operating under Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), responded to the distress call. Upon their arrival, they observed smoke coming from the superstructure of the ship and that the crew had abandoned ship in a life-raft. They found no evidence of pirates and concentrated their efforts on assisting the crew members.

The owner of Brilliante Virtuoso has confirmed that all 26 Filipino crew members have been recovered safely by Philippine Sea.

 Hello everyone, just wanted to make a little note in my blogs since I haven't worked on them basically since Jan 24th when I went to the hospital, and since then there has been a lot going on, I am healthy enough now that I am back in college, for the summer semester I am at South Western college, normally I am a student at San Diego City college, but because it is a public school with the largest percentage of their income to keep the school open and students in class and California is having a serious budget problem, all summer classes at San Diego City where cancelled because the state and the city of San Diego it's self are broke.

Map of the Gulf of Aden/Photo Worldatlus.com

At first I about had a heart attack because besides my navy retirement the 9/11 GI Bill is my main source of income, however luckily City farmed out the veterans attending class there so we wouldn't loose our GI Bill income.  The good thing is that we didn't have to do the normal transferring of records, all we had to do is get a Parental letter from our original  school.

Now that I am back on me feet completely and going back to school, you should see more posts from me in all my blogs.  God Bless everyone of you and I pray everyone is doing well.

Landing Ship Heavy (L 50) HMAS Torbruk From Australia Assisting In Japan

HMAS Tobruk (L 50) is a Landing Ship Heavy (LSH) of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), based on the design of the Round Table class of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.
Laid down in February 1979, Tobruk was the first purpose-built amphibious vessel of the RAN, and was intended to provide the Australian Defence Force with a sealift capability. She was commissioned into the RAN in April 1981, but was afflicted by several engine and sewerage treatment plant problems during the early part of her career; the latter causing a death on board in 1981.
While the Government intended to retire her in the early 1990s, this did not go ahead, and Tobruk remains in service with the RAN as of 2011. It is planned that Tobruk will remain active until 2012, when she will be replaced by one of the Canberra class Landing Helicopter Docks.
n the late 1970s, it was decided that the Australian Army needed to be provided with a long-term sealift capability, preferably through the acquisition of a dedicated cargo ship. The chartering of civilian ships to provide this capability when required—as had been done with the merchant vessels Jeparit and Boonaroo during the Vietnam War—was considered and rejected, because Australian National Line was unable to provide the necessary level of support. It was decided that a purpose-built ship would be constructed for the role, and would be operated by the RANWhile the Army did not require that the ship be capable of beaching, the RAN set this as a requirement, to maximize the ship's flexibility. In 1975, the Navy successfully convinced Australian Military's Force Structure Committee to endorse this requirement over the Army's opposition, and the committee authorised the purchase of a Landing Ship Heavy (LSH) on 19 March 1975.

HMAS Torbruk Landing On Beach/Photo US Navy

HMAS Tobruk beaching during an exercise in 2006

The ship's name was selected in 1976 and refers to the Siege of Tobruk during World War II, in which the RAN's so-called 'Scrap Iron Flotilla' supplied the besieged 9th Australian Division. She is the second RAN ship of this name; preceded by the Battle class destroyer HMAS Tobruk (D37).
Two designs were considered for Tobruk; a modified Sir or Round Table class landing ship logistics, in use with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary at the time, was selected for construction. Tobruk’s design was based on RFA Sir Bedivere, the second of the class, which had been modified following the Royal Fleet Auxiliary's experience with operating the class' lead ship, RFA Sir Lancelot. The Australian modifications to the design were kept to a minimum to simplify construction; the most significant changes were to improve the ship's ability to operate both large and multiple helicopters, fitting an operations room, and adding a derrick with a lift of 70 tonnes. Most of the other changes related to bringing accommodation conditions into line with Australian requirements. Like the other ships of the Round Table Class, Tobruk was built to commercial rather than military standards, and is unable to sustain as much damage as warships. The ship was fitted with different engines to those used in the British ships, which were proven unreliable early in Tobruk’s career.
Tobruk was built by Carrington Slipways Pty Ltd at Tomago, New South Wales. The company was selected following a competitive tender in May 1977, with contract negotiations completed on 3 November 1977. Construction of Tobruk formally began on 7 February 1979, when the ship's keel was laid. Tobruk was launched on 1 March 1980 and left the dockyard for the first time in December 1980. The ship's construction had been delayed by over four months by industrial disputes and her final price of $59 million was 42 percent more than originally estimated. The ship's sea trials were conducted in early 1981 off Newcastle and Port Stephens by a joint Navy-Army-civilian crew and fitting out was completed on 7 April 1981. Tobruk was handed over to the Navy on 11 April 1981 and was commissioned at Newcastle on 23 April.
Tobruk has received a number of modifications during her service. These include the removal of her two 40/60 Bofors guns in the mid-1990s

Capabilities

Tobruk was the first purpose-built amphibious vessel in the RAN. She is designed as a multi-purpose, roll-on/roll-off heavy lift and transport vessel - the ship can be loaded via ramps at both the bow and stern, and can be purposely beached.^[13] The ship is classified as a Landing Ship Heavy by the RAN.^[14]
Tobruk can carry the Army's M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks and 40 M113 or ASLAV armoured personnel carriers. Before they were retired from service, Tobruk was also capable of carrying up to 18 Leopard 1 tanks.A pair of LCM-8 landing craft can be carried in specially designed cradles on the ship's vehicle deck, while a pair of Australian-built LCVPs are mounted either side of the superstructure.^[13] The ship also has two landing platforms, one behind the superstructure and one in the well deck, which are rated for helicopters up to and including the size of the Chinook. Tobruk has a standard capacity of 300 troops, with an overload capacity of 520.

Operational history

1980s

Following her commissioning, Tobruk proceeded to her initial home port of HMAS Moreton in Brisbane, Queensland for the first time, then undertook further sea trials. These trials were conducted during the winter of 1981, and were intended to both test whether the ship met her design specifications and develop procedures for landing helicopters and beaching. The trials were generally successful, although Tobruk’s engines continued to be unreliable and problems were encountered with the sewage system. The ship undertook its first tasking in the spring of 1981 when she transported elements of the 16th Air Defence Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery from Adelaide to Port Alma, Queensland. Following this Tobruk proceeded to Port Phillip Bay and suffered a serious engine malfunction while approaching Station Pier. While the engines were repaired, the main engine control mechanism was later found to be entirely unreliable and had to be redesigned and reconstructed at Brisbane. During trials following this repair the ship's sewerage system seriously malfunctioned, fatally gassing one of the Australian Navy Cadets who had been embarked for seagoing experience. The cadet's death led to an inquiry into the ship by the Commonwealth Government's Auditor General which concluded that she should not have been accepted by the RAN at the time she was commissioned due to the number of defects still present.

HMAS Torbruk Underway/Photo US Navy

HMAS Tobruk in 1987

Tobruk conducted her first trips outside Australia in the early 1980s. On 15 February 1982, the ship left Brisbane to transport eight Royal Australian Air Force UH-1 Iroquois helicopters and supporting stores to join the Australian contingent to the Multinational Force and Observers in the Sinai Peninsula. Tobruk arrived in Ashdod, Israel on 19 March, becoming the first Australian warship to visit the country, and arrived back in Brisbane on 30 April. The ship transported cyclone relief stores to Tonga in May and spent the remainder of the year undertaking tasks in Australian waters. These included supporting the 1982 Commonwealth Games, which were held in Brisbane. In early 1983, Tobruk travelled to Malaysia to assist the RAAF in withdrawing units from RAAF Base Butterworth. In February 1984, Tobruk took part in exercises in New Zealand, before travelling to Tuvalu in August, where she provided support and accommodation for delegates to the South Pacific Forum. In late 1985, the naval base HMAS Moreton was decommissioned into reserve, prompting the disbanding of the Amphibious Squadron (which had consisted of Tobruk and the six Balikpapan class landing craft) and the relocation of Tobruk’s homeport to Fleet Base East in Sydney.
In May 1987, Tobruk formed part of the Australian military force which deployed to Fiji following the 1987 Fijian coups d'état. The goal of this deployment, which was designated Operation Morris Dance, was to evacuate Australian citizens if necessary. Tobruk left Sydney carrying Army stores and five helicopters on 21 May and embarked 'B' Company of the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR) at Norfolk Island on 23 May. Tobruk joined HMA Ships Sydney, Parramatta and Success off Suva on 26 May. By this time it had become clear that there would not be a need to evacuate Australians from Fiji and Tobruk proceeded to support the South Pacific Forum meeting at Apia, Samoa after cross-decking the troops and their supplies to the other ships. Operation Morris Dance revealed serious shortcomings in the Australian Defence Force's ability to deploy forces outside of Australia, with the Army unit having no previous experience of amphibious operations and the naval helicopters being unable to carry Army supplies.
After Operation Morris Dance, Tobruk returned to mainly routine duties. She travelled to New Zealand on a training cruise in early 1988 and was placed on alert to carry an Army force to evacuate Australian civilians from Vanuatu in April 1988 following a political crisis there. While Tobruk was loaded with stores and three Sea King helicopters, this deployment did not eventuate and the ship was unloaded on 24 May. The ship transported the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment's vehicles and supplies to the west coast of the United States in early 1989 and participated in a joint Australian, British, Canadian and United States amphibious warfare exercise at Monterey Bay. The ship then visited Canada before returning to Australia. In December 1989, Tobruk was forced to undergo unscheduled repairs at Newcastle to repair damage caused by excessive vibration, which had possibly been caused by her engines revving at a higher rate than the ship had been designed for.

1990s

Tobruk began the 1990s with another deployment at short notice to the South Pacific. On 26 January 1990, she was tasked to assist with evacuating Australian citizens from Bougainville in Papua New Guinea; this operation was cancelled in early February while the ship was travelling to the island from Sydney. On 5 March, Tobruk left Sydney bound for Gallipoli, Turkey in company with HMAS Sydney to participate in ceremonies marking the 75th anniversary of the landing at Anzac Cove. Tobruk carried vehicles, stores and support personnel for the ceremony on 25 April, with many of the ship's crew also going ashore to visit the battlefields on Anzac Day.

HMAS Torbruk With HMAS Adelaide/Photo US Navy

Tobruk with HMAS Adelaide underway as part of an Australian/U.S. Navy task group commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1992

In late December 1992, Tobruk was selected to take part in Operation Solace, Australia's contribution to the international peacekeeping effort in Somalia. The ship left Sydney on 26 December, embarked much of 1RAR's equipment at Townsville and departed for Somalia on 1 January 1993. The loading process had been delayed by another serious toxic gas incident in one of the ship's sewerage plants. She arrived at Mogadishu on 19 January and was ordered to remain in the area after unloading the battalion's equipment on 23 January. The ship remained off East Africa for four and a half months, and transported humanitarian supplies from Kenya as well as providing 1RAR with a communications link to Australia. Tobruk re-embarked 1RAR's equipment at Mogadishu on 14 May and returned to Sydney via Townsville on 21 June. The ship was awarded the Gloucester Cup for 1993 for her service off Somalia and subsequent operations during the year.^]
In 1993, the Australian Government decided to purchase two ex-United States Navy Newport class tank landing ships to replace Tobruk and the navy's training and sealift ship HMAS Jervis Bay in 1994. Plans were developed to place Tobruk in reserve or lease her to the Royal New Zealand Navy. While the New Zealand government was interested in obtaining a sealift ship, the RNZN did not feel that it could afford to crew and operate Tobruk and the negotiations with New Zealand ended unsuccessfully in September 1994. The unexpected difficulty of upgrading the two LSTs led to the date of Tobruk’s retirement being postponed to mid-1996, with the ship continuing normal operations.^[25] After the negotiations with New Zealand ended, the RAN opened negotiations with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, which was considering scrapping one of their LSLs and replacing it with Tobruk. A British team travelled to Australia to inspect the ship in December 1994, but this sale did not eventuate. The Portuguese Navy expressed interest in buying Tobruk in 1995 and sent a team to Sydney in 1996 to inspect the ship. During this period Tobruk remained in active service, and in 1997 the new Liberal Party government decided to retain her until 2010 as the two LSTs could not fully replace her ability to carry heavy equipment. The period of uncertainty about the ship's fate led to a deterioration in her material condition, as she did not receive a major refit during the period she was up for sale.
Tobruk played an important role in efforts to end the civil war in Bougainville during the 1990s. In September 1994, she transported an Australian peacekeeping force to Bougainville to protect peace talks which were attempting to end the civil war on the island. These talks were not successful and during the deployment one of the ship's Sea King helicopters was damaged by small arms fire; the first damage sustained by a RAN unit since the Vietnam War. A peace agreement was signed in October 1997, and Tobruk returned to Bougainville in November of that year to deploy a peace monitoring group. The ship made several voyages to the island during the first four months of 1998 to support the peace process. Further voyages to Bougainville took place in September 1998, February 2000 and August 2003; the last of these was to extract the peace monitoring group following the successful conclusion of this mission. Tobruk also participated in a major international exercise in South East Asia in 1999.
In 1999 and 2000, Tobruk took part in the international peacekeeping effort in East Timor. On 30 August 1999, the day the referendum which led to East Timor's independence was held, she left Sydney for Townsville to load elements of the 3rd Brigade in case there was a need to evacuate Australians and other foreigners from East Timor. The referendum was followed by widespread violence and the Indonesian government agreed to an international peacekeeping force (the International Force for East Timor (INTERFET) being deployed to East Timor in mid-September. Tobruk left Darwin on 18 September under escort by HMS Glasgow, and arrived at Dili on 21 September. The ship made six further voyages between Darwin and East Timor in September and October 1999, and continued to make an important contribution to the peacekeeping operation until November, when she returned to Sydney for maintenance. Tobruk made two further trips to East Timor in March and April 2000. Tobruk was later awarded the battle honour "East Timor 1999" in recognition of her contribution to INTERFET.

2000–present

In mid-2000, a civil war broke out in the Solomon Islands; Tobruk was ordered to the Islands' capital, Honiara, to evacuate Australian citizens. She arrived on 8 June and embarked 486 civilians, who were then transported to Cairns, Queensland. After a brief maintenance period, Tobruk returned to the Solomons in late June, where she served as the venue for peace talks. She spent almost all of July at anchor off Honiara and returned to Australia after a cease-fire agreement was signed on-board the ship on 2 August. Tobruk made a further voyage to the Solomons in December 2000 to support the International Peace Monitoring team which had been established there. A peace treaty ending the conflict was signed on-board the ship on 7 February 2001 and she returned to Sydney on 15 February Tobruk took part of Operation Relex in late 2001 and early 2002 where she transported would-be refugees to Nauru and Christmas Island. She also made a further voyage from Darwin to East Timor in April 2002 to deliver supplies to the Australian Defence Force units there.

Tobruk unloading an ASLAV/Photo US Navy

In April 2005, HMAS Tobruk left Sydney to transport 20 ASLAVs to Kuwait, where they would equip the Australian Army's Al Muthanna Task Group in Iraq. The ASLAVs were embarked at Darwin on 18 April and the ship arrived at Kuwait on 9 May. She returned to Australia via India, arriving back in Sydney on 22 June. Tobruk undertook a second voyage to the Middle East in late 2006 to transport the equipment for the Army forces in Army and the Reconstruction Task Force in Afghanistan and arrived home via the Philippines in April 2007.
Tobruk travelled to Nias Island in Indonesia in March 2006 to support ceremonies commemorating the anniversary of the crash of Sea King helicopter Shark 02 there on 2 April 2005. Following this deployment, she took part in Exercise Croix du Sud off New Caledonia, then proceeded to the Philippines where she was to embark an OV-10 Bronco aircraft for the Australian War Memorial.
In mid-May, Tobruk was recalled from her voyage to the Philippines to embark elements of the 3rd Brigade for an urgent deployment to East Timor following fighting caused by unrest in the country's military. She proceeded to Dili in company with the Navy's two Kanimbla class landing platform amphibious ships. This was the first time that an Australian amphibious readiness group had been formed since World War II. The Group departed from Townsville on 23 May and arrived at Dili a few days later. After unloading her cargo, Tobruk returned to Townsville where she embarked a second load of vehicles and supplies for the Australian forces in East Timor, arriving back at Dili in the first week of June. She returned to Sydney in late June.
In November 2006 it was reported that while the Department of Defence had engaged a specialist to supervise the removal of large quantities of asbestos from Tobruk, her crew were concerned that the ship was continuing operations during the overhaul. The report also stated that removal of the material had been delayed for several years due to the ship's high operational tempo.
In late December 2007, two groups of 60 Australian Navy Cadets and staff were embarked aboard Tobruk for the final part of the ship's deployment with Operation Resolute and the return voyage from Darwin to Sydney. This was the first time cadets had been embarked. The first group remained aboard until Tobruk arrived in Cairns, where they were replaced with the second group for the return to Sydney.

In 2008, Tobruk formed part of the Australia Defence Force's contingent during the annual RIMPAC exercise off Hawaii. She left Sydney on 10 June and returned on 18 August. During the exercise Tobruk embarked and landed United States Marines Amphibious Assault Vehicles. In October Tobruk and HMAS Brunei supported the Army Aboriginal Community Assistance Program (AACAP) by transporting equipment from Kalumburu, Western Australia at the end of an AACAP project.
On 22 February 2009, Tobruk was used as the venue for a Fall Out Boy concert^.. From 3 April to 24 June she operated off northern Australia as part of Operation Resolute. On 16 April she was one of the ships which responded to an explosion onboard the refugee ship '. During this operation she provided medical treatment to people wounded in the blast and her embarked Sea King helicopter flew the more badly injured to Mungalalu Truscott Airbase. Tobruk subsequently carried 136 refugees to Christmas Island in early May.^[ During the period 3 April to 24 June she spent 79 days at sea and only four in port, steamed 16,867 nautical miles (31,238 km) and embarked more than 250 asylum seekers. In October 2009 she sailed to Samoa to conduct relief operations after the islands were affected by the 2009 Samoa earthquake.
Tobruk completed a period of extended maintenance in April 2010. As of late May that year, she had sailed 823,587 nautical miles (1,525,283 km) during her service with the RAN. During the first week of September 2010, Tobruk and two other RAN amphibious ships participated in the United States-led Pacific Partnership 2010 deployment in Papua New Guinea.
In early 2011, Tobruk was at Garden Island Naval Dockhard for heavy repairs to the propeller shaft. As a result, she was not available to participate in Operation Yasi Assist following Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi and, due to both ships of the Kanimbla class being out of service due to mechanical problems, the Navy did not have an amphibious transport capacity at the time. Minister for Defence Stephen Smith stated afterwards that he was misinformed about when Tobruk would be ready to put to sea if required. Temporary repairs were completed by 7 March, and the ship has been returned to "48-hours deployment notice" status, although more permanent repairs will be required in the future. Following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami on 11 March 2011 Tobruk and Sydney were placed on alert to transport supplies and Australian Army engineers to Japan if this was requested by the Japanese Government.

Replacement

Tobruk will be replaced by a Canberra class Landing Helicopter Dock in 2012.

About This Blog

Chilean frigate Almirante Lynch/Photo courtesy wikipedia

Hello everyone, I truly hope I haven't let anyone down by not posting for awhile, however I had good intentions when I first started this blog then the holidays hit, and my health went down some, but now I am back and I am going to try and keep up the posts, I start college again on Jan 24th so I want to get in the habit of posting again before all that starts.

My plan with this page is of course since I am retired from the US Navy there will be allot about our sea service, however the other navies of the world fascinate me as well, especially the navies of third world countries.  My fascination with the other navies started right after 9/11 when I was on board the USS Dubuque, LPD-8 when we arrived off station in Pakistan and there where ships from Germany, Italy, Spain, Great Britain, France and a few others there, each time we would pass by one of them their sailors where holding up the United States Flag and signs letting us know they where standing by us to get those who attacked and killed not just Americans, but hundreds from all over the globe.

So that's my plan for this blog, and I plan on sticking to it, but of course life changes but I will try to keep you all up to date.

USS Kitty Hawk, CV-63

I served on board USS Kitty Hawk from 1993-1997

Named for: Kitty Hawk, N.C., and for Kill Devil Hill, the site approximately four miles south of the village of Kitty Hawk, where Orville and Wilbur Wright made the first successful sustained powered flights in a heavier-than-air machine on 17 December 1903.

Ship name number: II. The second ship to be named Kitty Hawk. The first Kitty Hawk (ex-Seatrain New York), an aircraft transport (APV-1) (later aircraft supply ship AKV-1) (1941-1946), operated in the Pacific theater during World War II, playing a key logistics role in the timely buildup of defenses at Midway and Guadalcanal in 1942.

Specifications: Displacement 80,000 (full load); length 1,047'; beam 129.4'; extreme width at flight deck 252'; draft 35'; speed 30 + knots; complement 4,582; armament: two twin Terrier surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems aft (MK 10 Mod 3 starboard side for RIM-2F; MK 10 Mod 4 port side for RIM-2D), two 40 mm saluting guns, 80–90 aircraft, four C-13 Mod 0 steam catapults, AN/SPS-8B, AN/SPS-12, AN/SPS-39 “3-D,” and AN/SPS-43 radars, four AN/SPG-55 fire control, TACAN (Tactical Air Navigation System).

Built by: New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J.

Keel Date: 27 Dec 1956.

Launched: 21 May 1960.

Sponsor (Christened): Mrs. Camilla F. McElroy, wife of Secretary of Defense Neil H. McElroy (9 Oct 1957–1 Dec 1959).

Commissioned: 29 Apr 1961 [Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Penn. ADM Arleigh A. Burke, Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), delivered the principal address].

Redesignated: CV 63, 29 Apr 1973.

Decommissioned: Jan 31, 2009.

Recommissioning date: (n/a)

Strike Date: (n/a)

Final Disposition:The navy will maintain Kitty Hawk in reserve until 2015, when the USS Gerald R. Ford is commissioned.

USS Constellation's History The Year I Was Born: 1966

Jan–Mar 1966: “Frequent periods of low ceiling in the I Corps area” and “non-availability of Forward Air Controllers” handicapped operations following the stand down observed due to the Tet (Vietnamese lunar holiday) truce.

31 Jan 1966: Linfield 402, an F-4B (BuNo 152233), LT William F. Klumpp, II, and LT(JG) Joseph N. Stineman, VF-114, was hit by North Vietnamese automatic weapons fire while on an armed reconnaissance mission, 17º23’N, 105º43’E. Klumpp attempted to maintain control but when still four miles out, Linfield 402 suffered a “complete hydraulic failure” and crashed at sea. A Kaman UH-2 Seasprite planeguard, HC-1 Det 1, Unit C, Kitty Hawk and a Sikorsky SH-3A Sea King, Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron (HS)-2, embarked in antisubmarine warfare support aircraft carrier Hornet (CVS-12), rescued the men at about 1500.

1 Feb 1966: Arab 513, a Douglas A-1H Skyraider (BuNo 142038), LT(JG) Brian S. Eakin, VA-115, was shot down by 12.7 mm fire while strafing Pathet Lao automatic weapons emplacements in Laos, 17º29’N, 105º38’E. Following a “compulsory egress,” Eakin escaped from his pursuers on the ground for about 35 minutes, long enough to enable a USAF Sikorsky HH-3C Jolly Green Giant CSAR helo to recover and transport him to Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai AFB, Thailand.

3 Feb 1966: “Bad weather” reduced aerial operations until this date, when the elements “opened for a few hours.” Aircrew took advantage of that window of opportunity and flew 170 sorties, 49 of them attack.

3 Feb 1966: Flint River 605, an RA-5C (BuNo 151625), LT Gerald L. Coffee, and LT(JG) Robert T. Hanson, Jr., RVAH-13, was shot down by AAA while making a photo reconnaissance flight near Cap Bouton, North Vietnam, 19º12’N, 105º45’E. The SAR resulted in a vicious mêlée as destroyer Brinkley Bass (DD-887) and guided missile destroyer Waddell (DDG-24), the latter “straddled” by enemy salvoes, “slugged it out” with communist batteries. A total of 33 Navy and USAF aircraft were “diverted to suppress enemy fire” while a USAF Grumman HU-16 Albatross attempted to locate the downed crew. Coffee survived but was captured, not returning home until 12 February 1973.

18 Feb 1966: Buckeye 812, an A-6A (BuNo 151797), LT(JG) Joseph V. Murray, and LT(JG) Thomas A. Schroeffel, VA-85, was lost during a low level run on the Xom Lom Barracks, North Vietnam, 20º54’N, 104º32’E. Pulling out of its dive too late, Buckeye 812 struck the ground in a “nose high attitude” approximately 500 yards beyond its initial two 1,000-pound bomb blasts, triggering the explosion of its remaining four 1,000 pounders.

22 Feb–5 Mar 1966: Aircrew “averaged 100 direct air support sorties per day.”

Mar 1966: Flying “just off the deck” through heavy rain while encountering poor visibility, A-1Hs from VA-115 “tore into” Cap Chao radar site, eight miles southwest of Than Hoa, with air-to-ground rockets.

5 Mar 1966: Linfield 413, an F-4B (BuNo 152224), LCDR Malcolm N. Guess, and LT Ross E. Pile, VF-114, crashed due to probable communist AW fire that caused a “loss of hydraulic pressure and control effectiveness,” South Vietnam, 10º24’N, 106º06’E. Both men were rescued by USAF CSAR helos and flown to Vinh Long Airfield, and thence on to the 3^rd Field Hospital.

10 Mar 1966: Aircrew flew close air support in support of the “beleaguered” Special Forces camp, A Shau, South Vietnam, which was under attack by the communists.

14 Mar 1966: SAR helo crews conducted the “daring rescue” of two USAF aircrewmen after their aircraft was shot down, both being extricated from their predicament within range of enemy shore batteries.

Apr 1966: During JunkEx, daily strikes against North Vietnamese waterborne traffic in the Vinh area supplying communist forces in South Vietnam hit over 200 craft.

3 Apr 1966: LT Felix E. Templeton, VF-114, flying an F-4B, became Kitty Hawk’s first triple centurion by making his 300^th arrested landing on board. LT Templeton had also made the ship’s 16,000^th trap, in Aircraft No. 401, an F-4B, on 17 Aug 1963.

12 Apr 1966: Holly Green 3, a Douglas KA-3B Skywarrior (BuNo 142653), LCDR William A. Glasson, Jr., LT(JG) Larry M. Jordan, ATR2 Reuben B. Harris, and PR2 Kenneth W. Pugh, Heavy Attack Squadron (VAH)-4 Det C, failed to reach the ship en route from NAS Cubi Point, due to undetermined causes, near Hainan Island, China, approximately 21º8’N, 111º17’E. Enterprise assisted in the SAR.

15 Apr 1966: Aircrew responded to a SAR for a downed USAF F-4C Phantom II, silencing one 57 mm and two 37 mm AAA sites nearby.

15 Apr 1966: The crew endured one of the ship’s deadliest accidents. Angel 38, a UH-2B, (BuNo 150162), LT(JG) Michael R. Zerbe, LT Richard C. Cline, and ADJ1 Hugh E. Coleman, HC-1 Det C, launched at 1017 to test their Seasprite following an “engine and azmiuth assembly change.” While lifting off from the flight deck, Angel 38 apparently experienced its “left wing down with a slight yaw rotation counter clockwise and slight at drift.” Suddenly pitching forward and “violently” rolling left, the helo struck the deck, disintegrating the rotor blades, with fragments flying across the deck and felling sailors. Going over the port side, the helo rolled over and turned “about” 150º, settling “rapidly” into the water, the survivors swimming to the surface. LT(JG) Zerbe, and AN David J. Underhill, VF-213, died in the tragic mishap, while LT Cline, ADJ1 Coleman, AN R.H. Boone, VF-114, AN T.S. Jones, ship’s company, and AN Walter D. Needham, VF-213, suffered injuries.

17 Apr 1966: Aircraft dropped the second and third spans of the five span steel Hai Duong Railroad and Highway Bridge, about 30 nautical miles east of Hanoi, into the channel of the Song Thai Binh, also “cratering” the eastern bridge abutment and approaches. Flak suppressing aircraft “silenced” one 37 mm and six automatic weapons sites with multiple rocket hits. This was considered a major success in the war on North Vietnamese lines of communication.

17 Apr 1966: Arab 511, an A-1H (BuNo 135398), LT(JG) William L. Tromp, VA-115, went down following a night attack on coastal targets, near approximately 18º18’N, 106º10’E. Arab 506, his wingman, overheard LT(JG) Tromp shout “cockpit emergency” on his radio, a SAM alert causing the remaining pilots to disengage and “head out to sea,” however, the cause of LT(JG) Tromp’s loss was undetermined, though “combat associated.” Anti-submarine warfare support aircraft carrier Yorktown (CVS-10) assisted with the SAR.

17 Apr 1966: Buckeye 814, a Grumman A-6A Intruder (BuNo 151794), LCDR Samuel L. Sayers, and LCDR Charles D. Hawkins, Jr., VA-85, was shot down by 37 mm AAA while en route to hit a North Vietnamese SAM site. LCDR Sayers attempted to fly to Da Nang Air Base (AB), South Vietnam, but hydraulic failure forced the crew to eject at sea, both men being recovered after 20 minutes in the water by a USAF HU-16.

18 Apr 1966: Intelligence revealed that the North Vietnamese were repairing the damage at Uong Bi Thermal Power Plant, and a pair of A-6As, VA-85, executed a surprise midnight attack against the factory. Making radar system deliveries, the Intruder crews placed 26,000 pounds of ordnance on target, “sending showers of sparks and raging fires leaping into the air.”

19 Apr 1966: Aircraft hit the Cam Pha Port Facility, North Vietnam. The “precipitous” departure of a Polish merchantman, and subsequent protests from the Polish government, indicated the strike’s “inhibiting effect” on East Bloc logistical support for the North Vietnamese. That same day, an RA-5C, LCDR Raymond C. Vehorn and LT(JG) John H. Hurlburt, RVAH-13, accomplished the 50,000^th arrested landing on board.

20 Apr 1966: Battle Cry 314, an A-4C (BuNo 148512), CDR John N. Abbott, VA-113, the division lead of an attack element of an eight plane strike, was shot down by AAA while making an armed reconnaissance over the Vinh Son Highway Bridge, North Vietnam, 18º53’N, 105º37’E. Abbott was captured by the enemy but died in captivity. While orbiting Battle Cry 314 to protect Abbott after his crash, Battle Cry 303, another A-4C (BuNo 149495), LT(JG) Harry G. Welch, VA-113, was hit by probable 37 mm AAA. Welch was able to return to the vicinity of Kitty Hawk after his initial fire went out, subsequently losing throttle control as the flames burst forth afresh, forcing him to eject at 1500, 18º22’N, 107ºE, being recovered by the ship’s planeguard helo.

21 Apr 1966: Buckeye 806, an A-6A (BuNo 151798), CDR Jack E. Keller, and LCDR Ellis E. Austin, VA-85, was shot down by possible AW fire during a night systems attack in the vicinity of Tan Loc Barracks and Supply Area, North Vietnam, 18º49’N, 105º4’E. Buckeye 813, his wingman, observed a “bright flash near target.”

22 Apr 1966: Buckeye 805, an A-6A (BuNo 151785), LCDR Robert F. Weimorts, and LT(JG) William B. Nickerson, VA-85, was leading a two-Intruder strike mission against the Vinh Complex, North Vietnam, when it was shot down by possible AAA, crashing into the water near 18º33’N, 106ºE.

26 Apr 1966: Linfield 414, an F-4B (BuNo 152241), LT Norman W. Smith, and LT(JG) Roger Blake, VF-114, was hit by AAA (possibly target debris) during its “run-in to target” over North Vietnam. Returning to the ship streaming fuel and with “hung” [unexpended] ordnance, both men ejected near Kitty Hawk and were recovered by her planeguard UH-2A.

27 Apr 1966: Buckeye 811, an A-6A (BuNo 151788), LT William R. Westerman, Jr., and LT(JG) Brian E. Westin, VA-85, was shot down by AAA “during retirement from target” on an armed reconnaissance mission. Both men ejected over water near 18º40’N, 106º5’E, LT Westerman being “seriously wounded,” recovered by an SH-3 and flown to Topeka. On 21 June 1966, LT(JG)Westin was later awarded the Navy Cross for his intrepidity and courage during the battle.

28 Apr 1966: Black Lion 111, an F-4B (BuNo 150645), LT Raymond A. Schiltz, and LT(JG) Douglas C. Lewis, VF-213, was shot down by AAA while on an armed reconnaissance against cargo junks, making a rocket attack against nearby AW emplacements. The crew ejected about five minutes after being hit, while returning to the ship, at approximately 19º21’N, 106º45’E  Fetch 68, a Navy SAR helo, recovered both men and flew them to Topeka.

18 May 1966: Black Lion 113, an F-4B (BuNo 152257), LCDR Carl W. Sommers, II, and LCDR William K. Sullivan, VF-213, was shot down by Pathet Lao automatic weapons fire while searching for Gomby 19, a downed aircraft, near Mugia Pass, Laos, 17º11’N, 106º6’E. Ejecting, both men were recovered by a USAF Jolly Green Giant and taken to Da Nang.

2 Jun 1966: CTF 77 and ComCarDiv-5 staff transferred to Constellation, Kitty Hawk’s “relieving carrier” in WestPac. During the recently completed deployment, aircrew flew 9,223 combat and 1,485 support sorties (over 2,000 during the initial line period) in Rolling Thunder, Blue Tree, Barrel Roll, Steel Tiger, Yankee Team, and “in-country support” missions. Major communist targets included Cam Pha Port Facility, Vinh Son Highway Bridge, Uong Bi Thermal Power Plant, and Hai Duong Railroad-Highway Bridge. Lesser targets included Nam Dinh Boat Repair Facility, Thanh Hoa Petroleum-Oil-Lubricants (POL) Storage Area, Thanh Hoa Railroad-Highway Bridge, Hon Gay Army Barracks, “Multiple Waterborne Craft in the Vinh area,” and lines of communication in the Mugia and Nape Passes, inland waterways, and Routes 1, 1A, and 15. Kitty Hawk faced continual “harassment,” however, by Soviet intelligence gathering trawlers (Auxiliaries, General, Intelligence, or AGIs). In most instances, the trawlers “deliberately” interposed themselves in “burdened” positions, disregarding International Rules of the Road.

29 Jul 1966: VADM Bernard F. Roeder relieved VADM Lawson P. Ramage, Commander, First Fleet, in a ceremony on board Kitty Hawk.

29 Aug–2 Sep 1966: The Grumman C-2A Greyhound underwent extensive carrier suitability tests, two Greyhounds operating on board Kitty Hawk in the Southern California Operations Area.

13–20 Oct 1966: Kitty Hawk participated in Baseline II, a “major” First Fleet exercise.

5 Nov 1966–19 Jun 1967: During Kitty Hawk’s second WestPac tour of the Vietnam War, the ship spent 117 days on Yankee Station. CVW-11 aircraft flew 5,466 combat and 4,887 support sorties, dropping 11,780.64 tons of ordnance on a “resourceful and determined enemy.” “On the line” for 117 days, Kitty Hawk conducted key strikes–a total of 38–against North Vietnamese targets near Haiphong, Kep, Bac Giang, Hon Gai, Van Dien, Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa, and Ninh Binh, together with 15 mining missions.

16–17 Nov 1966: Soviet Tupolev Tu-95 Bear and Myasishchev Mi-4 Bison bombers overflew the ship. Normal occurrences when carriers deployed near foreign shores, such overflights heightened Cold War tensions.

18 Nov 1966: Kitty Hawk crossed the International Date Line, entering the Seventh Fleet’s AOR, arriving the next day at Yokosuka, to relieve Constellation as flagship of RADM David C. Richardson, Commander, Attack Carrier Striking Force, Seventh Fleet.

Dec 1966: Despite “poor weather,” Intruders “maintained steady pressure on NVN targets…both day and night.”

9 Dec 1966: A C-2A, LCDR Jack M. Wilbern, Fleet Tactical Support Squadron (VR)-50, made the first Greyhound carrier onboard delivery (COD) in the combat zone on board Kitty Hawk, from NAS Cubi Point, Philippines, in the Gulf of Tonkin.

17 Dec 1966: An A-6A, VA-85, participated in an Alpha [maximum effort] strike against the Haiphong SAM Assembly Area.

20 Dec 1966: Two F-4Bs, LT Hugh D. Wisely and LT(JG) David L. Jordon, VF-114, and LT David A. McRae, and ENS David N. Nichols, VF-213, intercepted and shot down a pair of North Vietnamese Antonov An-2 Colts with AIM-7E Sparrow air-to-air missiles. Both Phantom IIs scrambled during the early morning hours in response to unidentified aircraft on radar screens, tracking the Colts to a position 25 miles east-northeast of Thanh Hoa, North Vietnam, where the F-4Bs downed them. “I saw the missile explode,” Wisely later recalled, “and saw an explosion as the plane erupted.”

21 Dec 1966: War Paint 303, an A-4C (BuNo 148507), LT(JG) Danny E. Glenn, VA-144, was shot down by AAA during an armed reconnaissance mission over North Vietnam, 18º9’N, 106º9’E. Glenn shouted “I’m hit!” over his radio, War Paint 316, another Skyhawk, transmitting “Eject, you’re on fire.” Glenn was captured and did not return home until 4 April 1973.

23 Dec 1966: Destroyer O’Brien (DD-725) on patrol about 21 miles north of Dong Hai, North Vietnam, came under heavy fire by enemy 57 mm shore batteries at 1046, receiving three direct hits that killed DC3 Antone Perry, Jr., and FA Thomas L. Tiglas; and wounded BT1 Clayton C. Olsen, BT3 Robert H. Scudder, FN William C. Wehunt and FA Ronald D. Henson. Aircraft from Kitty Hawk and Enterprise diverted from their primary targets to aid O’Brien, and, along with the destroyer’s guns, silenced the batteries

The USS Kitty Hawk While I Served Aboard Her: 1993-1997

13 Jan 1993: CDR Kevin J. Thomas, CO, VFA-97, embarked on board Kitty Hawk, led 110 coalition aircraft, including 35 from the carrier, together with USAF and Allied aircrew, on a night strike against Iraqi SAM and command and control sites, southern Iraq. The strike was in response to repeated Iraqi violations of UN resolutions.

18 Jan 1993: Kitty Hawk launched F-14As, F/A-18As, and E-2Cs in support of a USAF strike against Iraqi targets in northern Iraq. A planned strike by 29 aircraft from the ship was aborted, however, when the Iraqis moved mobile SAM targets in southern Iraq.

23 Jan 1993: Iraqi AAA fired on an A-6E, VA-52, and two F/A-18As, all from the ship, over southern Iraq. The Intruder crew blasted the artillery gunners with a 1,000-pound bomb.

3 Feb 1993: Winds gusting over 30 knots generated a sand storm, preventing Kitty Hawk from departing from Jebel-Ali, United Arab Emirates (UAE), during a scheduled four-day visit. The ship was unable to leave until the 5^th.

14 Mar 1993: Kitty Hawk transited the Strait of Hormuz, departing the Arabian Gulf.

18 Mar 1993: The ship turned over to Nimitz in the northern Arabian Sea, departing the Commander, Naval Forces, Central Command, AOR.

11 Oct–1 Nov 1993: Internal vibrations in No. 4 Main Engine forced the ship to preempt Tailored Ship’s Training Availabilities (TSTA) in the Southern California Operations Area, returning to NAS North Island. Removing the 8-ton turbine casing on the engine revealed damage to the turbine rotor, on 15 October, which was replaced on the 1^st. Initial evidence indicated that the rotor shaft was severely damaged, possibly by industrial debris left over from SLEP.

5 Jun–7 Sep 1993: The ship conducted an SRA costing approximately $30 million.

Flyover, c. 1993.

19–20 Feb 1994: A motion picture crew embarked to shoot a portion of the movie Clear and Present Danger. Included in the filming was a “B-Roll” by an F/A-18A Hornet, VFA-303, with an inert “smart” weapon.

11 Jul 1994: While approaching the “severely” pitching flight deck, Aircraft 102, an F-14A, VF-51, struck the ramp, breaking in two and exploding into a “fireball.” Part of the Tomcat slid off the port side. Both men ejected and were rescued, however, the pilot landed in the “inferno,” suffering severe burns. The mishap occurred about 250 nautical miles south-southwest of NAF Atsugi, Japan.

20 Jul 1994: The ship began operating with Japanese forces, followed by South Korean, the latter on the 24^th. Due to the death of North Korean President Kim Il Sung, on 8 July, and North Korean intransigence regarding inspection of their nuclear program, the Korean peninsula trembled in a state of turmoil, with possible scenarios ranging from a North Korean attack against South Korea, to a coup within rival factions in Pyŏngyang. As a result, the ship operated at a high state of alert throughout this period, and later received commendation by AirPac and ComCruDesGru-5 for providing “the stability in the region” for successful negotiations that defused the crisis. Also during this deployment, Kitty Hawk led the first anti-submarine warfare prosecution of a Chinese Han-class sub contact, as well as a Russian Oscar II-class boat, the latter 7–8 July, both equipped with SSMs posing stand off threats to the carrier.

20–23 Jul 1994: Kitty Hawk participated in RaidEx 94, embarking “several hundred” marines from SPMAGTF with their CH-53 and UN-1N helos as a launching platform to demonstrate the capabilities of marines on board carriers. The ship’s marines acted as “protagonist terrorists” on Ie Shima, near Okinawa.

3 Sep 1994: A Seahawk, HS-4, impacted the water and sank in the East China Sea. All four crewmembers escaped uninjured and were recovered by the plane guard helo and by a rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB).

12 Sep 1994: A South Korean entourage led by President Kim Young-sam visited the ship, while she was underway off that country. CVW-15 flew an air power demonstration.

18 Sep 1994: Kitty Hawk conducted the first test of the Threat Ballistic Missile Defense (TBMD) system on board a Pacific Fleet carrier.

15 Oct 1994: Secretary of the Navy John Dalton visited the ship, presenting awards to five crewmembers responsible for rescuing the pilot of Aircraft 102 (See 11 July 1994).

17 Oct 1994: The ship broke all of her existing records by recording 401 arrested landings on a single day, a grueling tempo hitherto unmatched since commissioning.

6 Dec 1994: Kitty Hawk recorded her 300,000^th trap.

4 Mar 1995: British Prince Michael G.C. Franklin of Kent visited the ship.

22 Mar 1995: Kitty Hawk hosted a reunion by 300 survivors and their families of escort carrier Ommaney Bay (CVE-79), sunk by a Japanese Kamikaze (suicide plane) in the Sulu Sea during the liberation of Luzon, Philippines, 4 January 1945.

25 Jun 1995: EM1 Alesia Hall reported on board Kitty Hawk, beginning the integration of women into the ship’s company.

7 Sep 1995: Secretary of the Navy Dalton visited the ship.

9 Sep 1995: Kitty Hawk hosted the WWII memorial ceremony for the veterans of carrier Bunker Hill (CV-17), followed by the crew’s reunion for escort carrier Chenango (AO-31/ACV/CVHE-28), on the 12^th, together with a visit by Saudi Prince Abdul Kassir.

3 Nov 1995: Former President George H.W. Bush visited the ship at North Island.

16 Mar 1996: Secretary of Defense Dr. William J. Perry visited the ship, NAS North Island.

5–19 Aug 1996: Kitty Hawk participated in JTFEx 96-2, Southern California Operations Area .

22 Aug 1996: ADM Jay L. Johnson, CNO, visited the ship, NAS North Island.

20 Sep 1996: The Supply Department installed “Sailor Phones,” telephone card and stamp machines, for the crew to remain in contact with familes while deployed.

17 Nov 1996: The carrier transited the Strait of Malacca.

27 Nov 1996: Kitty Hawk transited the Strait of Hormuz, entering the Arabian Gulf.

29 Nov 1996: Secretary of Defense Dr. William J. Perry visited Kitty Hawk.

3 Dec 1996: ADM Johnson held an “all hands call” on board, accompanied by a party led by VADM Thomas B. Fargo, Commander, Naval Forces, Central Command, and Fifth Fleet, 1030–1250.

16 Feb 1997: Kitty Hawk transited the Strait of Hormuz, departing the Arabian Gulf. During her deployment in the Arabian Gulf, her Surface Watch Team supported expanded UN sanctions enforcing Maritime Interception Operations (MIOs) against Iraqi smuggling, locating, tracking and identifying over 2,500 vessels.

21 May–15 Dec 1997: The ship completed Phase 1, FY 97 Complex Overhaul, NAS North Island.

14 Jul 1997: LTGEN Wu Quanxu, Deputy Chief of Staff, Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), visited Kitty Hawk at North Island.

Kitty Hawk left Yokosuka on 28 May 2008 to begin the decommissioning process. However on 22 May, a fire seriously damaged George Washington, causing the ship to go to San Diego, Ca. for repairs. Kitty Hawk participated in the RIMPAC exercise near Hawaii in George Washington's place. The turnover between the two carriers was postponed and took place in August. After the turnover, Kitty Hawk arrived at Brementon, Washington in September and was informally retired on 31 January 2009. Kitty Hawk was finally decommissioned on 12 May 2009

Navy Snapshot today12/01/2010

Don't Tread On Me/ Photo Hoarded Ordinaries Navy Personnel
Active Duty:   328,428
		Officers:   52,327
		Enlisted:   271,555
		Midshipmen:   4,546
Ready Reserve:   101,252 [As of 10 Oct 2010]
		Selected Reserves: 64,981
		Individual Ready Reserve: 36,271
Reserves currently mobilized:   6,374 [As of 23 Nov 2010]
Personnel on deployment:   43,838
Navy Department Civilian Employees:   202,821
Ships and Submarines
Deployable Battle Force Ships: 288
		Ships Underway (away from homeport): 146 ships (51 % of total)
		On deployment: 108 ships (38% of total)
		Attack submarines underway (away from homeport): 25 subs (46%)
		On deployment: 20 subs (37%)
Ships Underway
				Carriers:
USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) - Pacific Ocean
USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) - 5th Fleet
USS George Washington (CVN 73) - Pacific Ocean
USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) - 5th Fleet
USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) - Atlantic Ocean
				Amphibious Warfare Ships:
USS Peleliu (LHA 5) - 3rd Fleet
USS Essex (LHD 2) - East China Sea
USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) - 5th Fleet
Aircraft (operational): 3700+

My United States Navy Career



USS Dubuque, LPD-18 and USS Peiliu, LHA-5/Phot US Navy



Well I thought I would get this blog truly up and running by disclosing the illustrious history of my career. As I said in my introduction I served 20 years in the United States Navy, retiring as a AS1 on 31 Dec 2005.  An "AS" is what is called an Aviation Support Equipment Technician.

My job description as an "AS" was as follows:

Aviation Support Equipment Technicians operate, maintain, repair and test automotive electrical systems in ground equipment, gasoline and diesel systems, and associated automotive, hydraulic and pneumatic systems. They also maintain gas turbine compressor units, ground air-conditioning units, perform metal fabrication, repair and painting of tow tractors and other aircraft servicing units.

Their duties include:

• automotive electrical and mechanical repair;
• inspect, test and repair electric generators, motors, hydraulic, pneumatic, and transmission systems;
• gasoline and diesel engine repair and tune-up;
• manufacture and install belts and hoses;
• body work, minor welding and painting;
• brake service and repair;
• service and repair refrigeration and air conditioning systems;
• train and test people in vehicle operation.

This was what I did until about the time I made Second Class Petty Officer or an AS2, after making second class I attended instructor training and that's when I found my true passion, teaching.  For about my last 10 years or so I became a navy instructor teaching Aviation Support Equipment Techs from the US Navy, US Marine Corp, US Coast Guard as well technicinas from other nations such as India, Kenya and Saudi Arabia to name three how to maintain and operate aviation support equipment.

Briefly my commands in chronological order was as follows:

• Boot Camp at Recruit Training Command San Diego, Comapny 001 of 1985.
• Aviation Support Equipment Mechanical "A" School at Naval Air Technical Training Center Memphis, Tn.
• Aviation Support Equipment Technicain "C" School  at Naval Air Maintenance Training Group 3033, Naval Air Station North Island, Ca.
• HSL-31: Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron (Light) 31, Naval Air Station North Island, Ca 
• USS Constellation, CV-64, Naval Air Station North Island, Ca 
• Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department, 900 Divison, Naval Air Station Lemoore, Ca
• USS Kitty Hawk, CV-63, Naval Air Station North Island, Ca
• Naval Instructor School, Naval Station San Diego, Ca
• Naval Air Maintenance Training Group 3033, Naval Air Station North Island, Ca. However this time as an instructor.
• USS Dubuque, LPD8, Naval Station San Diego, Ca
• Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department, 900 Divison, Naval Air Station North Island, Ca as a Support Equipment Operator Instructor.
• Honorably retired from the United States Navy, 31 Dec 2005.

So that's my career in a nutshell, most likely I will go in more depth on some of these activities, for example I will eventually have a blog entry on my duties on board the USS Dubuque where my job description was a bit different than any of my other ships where I became a Helicopter Landing Signalman, Crash and Salvage Supervisor on the Dubuqe's flight deck and probably the most exciting a Landing Signalman for the Navy's AV-8B Harrier II jump jet, directing the jets takeoff and landings on a flight deck about the size of a medium size house.

I hope all my readers enjoy my posts, and if there something specific you want to know about the Navy's of any nation feel free to ask and I will do my best to researc the answer.