As the F-35 fighter jet shot off the deck of the USS Carl Vinson, I heard the keyboard and guitar riff to Kenny Loggin’s 1980’s enormous movie soundtrack slammed loudly in my ears…
Dun dun dun dun dun dun dun!
Wah-wah-wah-wah!
But the super hit song was quickly drowned out by the immense roar of the jet swooshing off the runway. It was breathtaking to sight to stand mere feet from these birds of war leaving and landing on this floating runway. Incredible!
A F-16 lands on the deck of the USS Carl Vinson. July 2024/Reuters Pictures
Reuters News Agency assigned me to spend the day on the aircraft carrier during the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercises held in Hawaii. Countries from around the globe send their militaries to participate in the multi-day event taking place on land and at sea. This year the military’s public affairs office took select media to the USS Carl Vinson to embark on the carrier while at sea.
We started at MCBH with a V-22 Osprey flight about 90 minutes out to sea where we made a landing on the deck of the USS Vinson. We wore cranials, the Navy’s word for helmets with attached goggles and hearing protection, life preservers, and stacked our gear on our laps. The air crew strapped us in, shoulder to shoulder, making it feel like we were really packed in like sardines. I didn’t have much faith that I would know how to unbuckle my harness let alone know how to exit the plane in the event we had to ditch as sea.
The Osprey flew with its nose up tilting us into a strange angle making the rather short ride slightly uncomfortable. The back of the plane stayed open and the tethered airman who manned the back of the Osprey sat on the ramp as if it was just another day at the office.
As we landed on the deck of the aircraft carrier, flight crew wearing colorful shirts weaved around us in a choreographed dance with each person having one particular task at hand. The runway was active and everyone had their part to do.
Flight deck crew aboard the USS Carl Vinson. July 2024/Reuters Pictures
Once on the ship, we were escorted about, met the Admiral, taken to the bridge and different departments where we saw the inner workings of the carrier. Much of our time was spent crawling up and down narrow ladders to access different floors. By the end of the day, my health app claimed I had climbed 34 flights of stairs. I am unsure if that is accurate but my quads and calves were sore for days after.
We had the opportunity to eat in the ship’s galley and lunched with the crew. The meal was an all-you-can eat affair with fish being the main course but they had offerings of everything from chicken wings, all sorts of veggies, and desserts. They even had a few Hawaii local dishes like spam musubis and what I think was a loco moco, a beef patty over rice topped with a fried egg and smothered in gravy…Hawaii’s famous heart attack in a bowl. After being stuffed to the gills, we were given a safety briefing, donned cranials and heavy vests and escorted onto the active runway.
The vests had what appeared to be open pockets in the back where the safety officer or PAO could quickly grab and redirect you if you ride into the danger zone. We were given strict orders of where to stand and how to move. If you crossed a line, you were pulled back as it was extraordinarily dangerous to be around all these moving parts. Our Public Affairs Officer assigned to us gave me one heavy tug from that pocket after I crossed the line. It is serious business out on the high seas.
And just like the movies, F-35 Lighting and F-16 Fighting Falcon jets launched off the deck while others landed moments later.
Dun dun dun dun dun dun dun!
Wah-wah-wah-wah!
The aircraft carrier catapults the jets off the deck using a steam system while the huge cabled called an arresting wire snags the tailhook from the back of the jet to help it land. We got to see jets taxi around the deck and witness other aircraft land and go. The runway is shorter than an average American football field and it is unreal to think these pilots can fly and land off a moving platform as such.It is marvelous to see this invention and how precise it works along with the trained crew. Absolutely amazing.
A couple of the pilots who realized the media was aboard grinned for the camera and flashed shakas and peace signs at us as they were just about to take off. I’m not sure how they could keep their concentration. Many of the jets had the names and ranks of the pilot and copilot stenciled on the side of the cockpit. One name I made out on a F-16 was Major Tom something or another and his jet cruised about the runway.
A co-pilot from a F-16 jet mugs for the camera. July 2024/Reuters Pictures.
Afterwards, we were taken back into the hull where several jet pilots wearing their green flight suits and crainals walked by us in the narrow hall.
Dun dun dun dun dun dun dun!
Wah-wah-wah-wah!
While this was just my imagination to some extent, it felt like the varsity quarterbacks of the best teams from around the country swaggered by us. But instead of the lettered varsity jackets, they wore their flight uniforms. All that was missing were black aviators and porcelain veneers. I likely were very humble men and women serving their nation who, if they had the time, would have chatted with us. But I am not sure how humble I would be if I was an ace who got to fly trillion dollar machines for a living.
After saying our goodbyes, we were shoved back into an Osprey and flown back to Oahu. Because of our positions I really couldn’t see the USS Vinson and lamented that I wasn't able to get an iconic picture of the aircraft carrier from above. That day proved to be thrilling as expected but left most of us exhausted.
Many years ago, I was able to embark the USS Stennis in the early 2000s to see jets land and take off. We actually were allowed to stay overnight and were given quarters. I think I might have slept maybe an hour or so as I was so wired to be on a working aircraft carrier. And with the active runway going on all night long, sleep was nearly impossible anyway. That trip was incredible as well as I got to see night operations with much younger eyes and so little experience. Around 5am the jets continued to take off so I snuck out of my quarters and walked up a flight of stairs and found myself on the edge of the runway. I ran back down and grabbed my camera to take some amazing sunrise photos with the jets. I was such a maverick.
F-16 fighter jet aboard the USS Stennis at dawn. 2004.
I should mention after Osama Bin Laden was allegedly killed by US Navy Seals, his body was allegedly taken aboard the Vinson and buried at sea. I did not know that before embarking and regretted not asking our media handlers about it. I guess you could say that was the closest I’ve ever been to someone that notorious if you can believe that.
There are some unrealized opportunities for me to possibly board the Vinson again but only time will tell if this works out in the future.
Be sure to check back to see if I can make this happen.