{"id":1762,"date":"2020-04-14T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-04-14T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/?p=1762"},"modified":"2021-10-16T14:07:57","modified_gmt":"2021-10-16T18:07:57","slug":"25-living-the-dream-life-aboard-an-aircraft-carrier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/25-living-the-dream-life-aboard-an-aircraft-carrier\/","title":{"rendered":"#25 – \u201cLivin’ the Dream:\u201d Life Aboard an Aircraft Carrier"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Trivia Questions (Answers @ end)<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. In what movie (and who said it) did we hear, \u201cYour ego is writing checks your body can\u2019t cash.\u201d<\/em>?<\/li>
  2. Who said, \u201cI have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.\u201d<\/em>?<\/li>
  3. What song (and who sang it) contains the following lyrics?
    When I’m watchin’ my TV and a man comes on and tells me<\/em>
    How white my shirts can be<\/em>
    But, he can’t be a man ’cause he doesn’t smoke<\/em>
    The same cigarettes as me<\/em><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n
    <\/div>
    Blog #25 (Audio)<\/div><\/div>
    <\/div>

    Listen to the audio of this blog, read by Andy Adkins. Click the \u201cAudio<\/strong><\/em>\u201d button below.<\/p>\n<\/div>

    Published: <\/span>October 16, 2021<\/span><\/div>
    <\/div>Audio by Andy Adkins<\/a><\/div><\/form><\/span>0<\/span> Downloads<\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div>
    <\/div>\n\n\n
    \n\n\n\n

    I was <\/em>going to blog this week about a liberation<\/em> that happened during WWII…<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    April 14, 1945 \u2013 75 years ago today<\/em><\/strong>, my father was one of many who helped liberate the Buchenwald<\/strong> Concentration Camp, near Weimar, Germany. It was<\/em> my intent to blog in detail about that liberation, of what he and others did, what they saw, and what they came away with. I wanted to honor the Allies and the men of the 80th Infantry Division<\/strong>. In fact, I had already written the blog and was ready to post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/a>
    Buchenwald (2010)
    (Click to enlarge)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    However, because of everything we are all facing during this current pandemic crisis, I’m going to hold off posting about Buchenwald at this time. Even though these events happened 75 years ago, it\u2019s something that we should Never Forget<\/em><\/strong>. Instead, I\u2019ll just post a photo I took of the main gate when Becky & I were there a few years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    And now, to this week\u2019s blog post\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Aircraft Carrier Flight Deck Operations<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    I was watching Top Gun<\/em><\/strong> last night\u2026 well, to tell you the truth, I really only watch the first 15 minutes<\/em>, since that part involves fighter aircraft, launches & recoveries off a carrier, and other awesome random flight shots. After that, well… let’s just say I’ve seen it. The best <\/em>part of the movie is the first 15 minutes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In fact, my wife now knows everything<\/em> there is to know about flight deck operations by listening to me explain every little minutiae, every time Top Gun<\/em> comes on. It finally got to the point where I quit pushing \u201cpause\u201d after a short 3-second clip and spending the next 5 minutes telling her about the holdback bar, the shuttlecock, the \u201cShooter\u201d signals, and why there are so many men with different colored jerseys on the flight deck. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    After a dozen or so times of glancing over to her \u201crolling eyes,\u201d (you know that<\/em> look) I figured the first 15 minutes of the movie was enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Am I the only airdale that does that?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    There are plenty of movies and documentaries about flight ops aboard an aircraft carrier. But, what else does a sailor do aboard the ship at sea, when not<\/em> on duty? In my case, when outside of flight operations. I know it varies among all of us, but here are a few things I remember most during my personal \u201cdown time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Bow Flying<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Even though I spent most of my working days on the flight deck of USS Kitty Hawk<\/em><\/strong>, I also spent a lot of my “off time” on the flight deck. One of the things I remember vividly, and I\u2019m sure most everyone did the same at one time or another, was to stand on the bow and lean forward over the safety nets. Back then, we called this “Bow flying.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I\u2019m sure there are several of you that \u201caccidentally\u201d fell into the safety nets, especially at night, but I never had the nerve. There\u2019s something about having that fresh, clean, salty air in your face. And, if you were wearing a foul-weather jacket, you could unzip it, hold the bottom out like wings, and almost \u201cfly\u201d over the water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Even today, when I’m walking outside and a stiff wind blows in my face, I close my eyes and… I remember<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When my wife & I went on a cruise a few years ago (my first, since leaving Kitty Hawk<\/em>), I tried to demonstrate the technique on the bow of the cruise ship. It just wasn\u2019t the same, since there was a 4-foot rail in the way. But, it did bring back some great memories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/a>
    Titanic YouTube Video
    (Click to watch 2:45 video)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    When my kids were younger, I tried to explain the \u201cflying\u201d sensation, but they just rolled their eyes. However, when the movie Titanic<\/em><\/strong> (1997) came out and the scene\u2014you remember that<\/em> scene\u2014when Jack<\/em> (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose<\/em> (Kate Winslet) were on the bow, hanging out over the railing\u2026 flying\u2026 My kids finally understood what I\u2019d been trying to explain to them for years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Poker?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    A lot of my buddies played poker during their down time. I was never any good at it. I\u2019d play Hearts or Spades, but not poker. I know some guys would come off the flight deck, play almost all night, get a couple of hours sleep, then be back on the deck for another day of flight ops. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    My tall, lanky friend, \u201cStretch,\u201d a fellow Yellow shirt director, told me one time he played poker all night and lost $2,000. Then the next night, he\u2019d win it all back. And hence the term, \u201cIt\u2019s not just a job, it\u2019s an adventure.<\/em><\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Smoking Lamp is Lit!<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    I read somewhere that on a good day, you can see about seven miles to the horizon at sea level<\/em>. When you’re on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier, about 60 feet above the waterline, you can see about twelve miles. At night, we used red lights in the compartments that opened up to the outside of the ship, thus reducing the amount of ambient light. We didn’t want to alert any “non-friendlies” who may be shadowing the ship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I also read that at night, you can spot a lit cigarette at two miles, but I don’t know that for a fact… I didn’t smoke. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When you heard the announcement, \u201cThe smoking lamp is lit,\u201d it was like a 1MC alarm for people to scatter about the ship to the various designated <\/em>smoking areas. Yeah, right. I know guys smoked in the catwalk\u2014there were those \u201cdesignated\u201d hidden spots. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Fortunately, for me, I never picked up the habit. I\u2019m thankful for that, especially since both of my parents died way too young of smoking-related diseases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Forecastle<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"<\/a>
    USS Midway Museum – Forecastle
    (Click to enlarge)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    I know most people want to pronounce this, \u201cFour castle,\u201d but for the life of me, I can\u2019t\u2026 I just can\u2019t. It\u2019s the \u201cFokes hole,\u201d dadgummit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    And, it is one of the most interesting places aboard the ship. I spent a little time in the forecastle, peering out through the portholes where the anchor chains pass. That was quite a sight, watching the bow cut through the water like a knife through warm butter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I didn\u2019t realize it until I researched for my Navy book<\/a> that each link of chain on Kitty Hawk<\/em> weighed about 360 pounds and there was enough room for more than a thousand feet of anchor chain. That\u2019s a lotta chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Bomb Farm<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"<\/a>
    The “Bomb Farm”
    USS Kitty Hawk<\/em>, November 1967-June 1968
    Photographer unknown.
    (Click to enlarge)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    On the starboard side of the island, just outside of the Crash compartment, there’s an area designated as the \u201cbomb farm.\u201d This is where the aircraft squadron ordnance crews stored their armament. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    It took a little while for me to get used to walking out the Crash compartment and seeing dozens of these 700-pound bombs side by side, next to Sparrow and Tomahawk missiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Sparrow missiles were about ten feet long and about six inches in diameter. The nose cone was made of ceramic material that could take the heat of friction during supersonic flight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    They were also great for sharpening knives and since I always carried a four-inch Buck folding knife with me, I would stop every now and then and sharpen my knife on the missile nose cone. Of course, no one was around to tell me not to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/a>
    My “custom” knife sharpener
    (Click to enlarge)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Before<\/em> I got to Kitty Hawk<\/em>, one of the Crash crew decided he wanted a “personal” knife sharpener. The rumor was that he walked outside the crash compartment one night and whacked the nose cone of a Sparrow missile with a ball-peen hammer, cracking it into several large pieces. He never got caught for it, but when he left, he forgot to take his \u201csouvenir\u201d with him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I was assigned his locker when I first checked into Crash, so I was the proud owner of a piece of a Sparrow missile. I still use it as a knife sharpener, too. The curvature of the piece of cone fits right on my thigh\u2014perfect for sharpening knives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Sunrises, sunsets<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Perhaps the most special memory I have of being at sea (not <\/em>including flight operations) is the beauty of watching a sun rise or sun set from the flight deck. When you\u2019re at sea in clear blue ocean water, it\u2019s easy to lose yourself in the beauty of God\u2019s world. On clear, calm days, the cool breeze coming over the bow, the slight smell of salt in the air, and watching the sun in the background\u2026 I just get lost trying to describe it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/a>
    (Click to enlarge)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    There are tons of photos on many of my Facebook Navy groups and they\u2019re all better than mine, but nothing will replace the feeling of being there, on the flight deck of Kitty Hawk<\/em>, taking it all in. Those are probably my best memories that I can easily \u201cpull back\u201d from years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Stay safe, my friends. We\u2019re all in this together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Until we meet again,<\/em>
    Andy<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"NEVER<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Andy Adkins is a US Navy veteran (\u201973-77) and the author of several books. His newest novel, NEVER FORGET, is the story of A Vietnam Veteran\u2019s Journey for Redemption & Forgiveness. NEVER FORGET is FREE (eBook, PDF) for all veterans. Download your FREE<\/strong> copy HERE<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Answers:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. Top Gun<\/em><\/strong> (1986); James Tolkan (\u201cStinger\u201d)<\/li>
    2. Thomas A. Edison<\/li>
    3. I Can\u2019t Get No Satisfaction<\/em><\/strong> (1965); The Rolling Stones; written by Keith Richards & Michael Jagger<\/li><\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Trivia Questions (Answers @ end) In what movie (and who said it) did we hear, \u201cYour ego is writing checks your body can\u2019t cash.\u201d? Who said, \u201cI have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.\u201d? What song… Read more#25 – \u201cLivin’ the Dream:\u201d Life Aboard an Aircraft Carrier<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[60,59],"tags":[20,11,124,17,127,3,7,4],"class_list":["post-1762","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-army","category-navy","tag-80th-infantry-division","tag-aircraft-carrier","tag-buchenwald","tag-flight-deck","tag-germany","tag-navy","tag-uss-kitty-hawk","tag-veteran","content-layout-excerpt-thumb"],"yoast_head":"\n#25 - \u201cLivin' the Dream:\u201d Life Aboard an Aircraft Carrier — A Veteran's Journey<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\""Livin' the dream" - one of those common phrases used in the military. 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