The Alert Helicopter stands ready for any emergency. These birds are launched before any aircraft takeoff or land.

            In preparation for our deck tour, we were issued and required to wear float coats, goggles and cranials, as was everyone else on deck.  In addition, we were required to remove anything like jewelry, pens, coins, lighters, keys, etc., from our persons because, if lost on deck, they could be ingested by a jet engine as fod and ruin our day.  Our chaperon guides positioned us so we would be right on the edge of the action.  We were on deck to watch the 2 standby rescue helicopters launch in preparation for F-18 Hornet and C-2 Greyhound takeoffs and landings.  Watching the choppers take off and hover above the deck was a beautiful thing to see because they had to be moving forward to maintain a stationary position above the moving ship.

            For the aircraft cat shots we were immediately next to green shirters inputting weight adjustments.  The power of each catapult is determined and set by the weight of the aircraft it will launch.  From our vantage point we could see a pilot's eye color as he saluted the cat launch seaman indicating he was ready to go.  It is one thing to see a film of an F-18's after burners kicking in, but it is quite another thing to personally experience the orange flame glow and grow longer, the engine noise increase in intensity and to feel the heat and wind of the jet blast as it deflects from the raised blast wall.  Incredibly, there is more that follows; the launch seaman salutes back to the pilot, he drops to his left knee with the right leg extended forward as he motions and points to the Truman's bow as a signal to his cat crew to fire the catapult.  Then, in less than a blink of an eye, the F-18 is being hurled off the deck only to be followed by rising steam from the catapult track.  A momentary calm then returns to the deck as the F-18 flies further from the ship and the deck crew prepares for another shot.  Unbelievable as it might seem, this all happens at the same time another F-18 is landing at Truman's aft.

Viewing the landing or recovery of a F-18 is just as exciting as a launch of one.  The fighter is observed in a tight left down wind, then a sharp left breaking base turn is made which is followed by the turn to final.  The approach speed is high as is the aircraft's nose.  The pilot pays constant attention to the Landing Signal Officer (LSO) and the ball (a carrier electronic vasi light system).  Noise increases as the Hornet nears the ship's aft and then "bam" and "whack" are heard as the sounds of the wheels hitting the deck and the trap wire being yanked out to a stop.  The noise then subsides as the jet's engines are idled.  Amazingly, all this arresting action happens within 400 feet and in less than 1 ½ seconds.  Moreover, this all happens under the watchful eyes of the red shirters, some of which are standing by in their silver fire resistant clothing just in case they are needed.

Green shirters then secure the plane and immediately direct it to another deck location where it is met by blue and purple shirters for chalking and refueling.  They also cause the wire to be retracted for the next landing.  We were fortunate enough to watch both Marine and Navy pilots show they had the right stuff over and over again.  Seeing the trap process really does give meaning to the saying "Navy pilots don't land, they arrive!"  Truman can launch a plane every 20 seconds and can recover one every 45 seconds.

After CQs were completed and the rescue helicopters were recovered, we were escorted to our quarters for a short rest.  Lt. Jones and Master Chief Star soon gathered us together to tour the entire ship. Again, we were allowed to go anywhere so long as we did not interfere with safety or ship operations.  Although it was all interesting and entertaining, the standouts were the "Truman Room", the hangars, dental and medical facilities, pilot briefing room, Electronic Weapons Center, flight operation and the Captain's Bridge.

The "Truman Room" is a namesake of the ship.  This is a round room with mural walls which replicate President Harry S. Truman's White House Oval Office.  This room is complete with the oval office furniture and personal photographs and belongings right down to the desk plaque "The Buck Stops Here".  Former President Truman's writings also added to the ship's spirit.  In particular, his quote "It is better to go down fighting for what is right then to compromise your principles" was one taken to heart by all the crew in their daily activities.

The hanger deck runs almost the entire width and length of the ship.  It acts as a social meeting place for crew, a gym, a walking and running track, and plane and boat storage and repair facility.  At the bow of the Truman is its anchor room which uses two recycled anchor chains, one from the USS Saratoga and the other from the USS Forestall.  Incidentally, the chains are repainted after each use.  Each chain is more than 1000 feet long and is made up of 684 links each weighing 365 pounds.

The ship's dental and medical facilities are on par with any civilian dental/orthodontist office and hospital.  Indeed, the latter has operating rooms and intensive care quarters.  The pilot briefing room is reminiscent of that seen in W.W. II carrier movies like Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo complete with the folding desk tops.

Unquestionably, the Combat Direction Center and Flight Operations are the brain centers of Truman.  Both are located in the center of the ship and are kept darkened and cool.  Electronic screens and status boards are back lighted for easy viewing under the room's low red lights.  Being in these rooms for twenty minutes was like being in a Star Wars episode, it was science fiction come true.  These rooms were alive with headsetted  crew members  speaking into microphones, working on computers interacting with one another, other computers and aircraft in flight.

The Captain's Bridge, the main location where the ship is steered from, has electronics akin to the Combat Direction Center and Flight Operations - especially at night.  It is here that Captain David Logsdon spends the major part of all his days and nights.  In fact, this is where the captain sleeps and takes most of his meals.  He only leaves this area when relieved by one of his senior officers.  This bridge is no less impressive than that of the "Enterprise" on Star Trek.  Although the Truman's bridge windows are not t.v. screens,, they show just as much action.  The view here is the best on the ship.

We were fortunate enough to be on the Captain's Bridge during both day and night hours.  To be sure, nighttime on the bridge was incredible for several reasons.  First, the bridge was blacked out except for red light night lighting and the lighting from electronic data and radar screens.  Second, the bridge was quiet except for necessary orders and confirmation of those orders.  In this regard, our night visit to the Captain's Bridge was during C.Q.'s where there was a great deal of flight activity.  Accordingly, the fact that the horizon was non-existent and that planes were being launched into complete darkness and recovered off a pitching and rolling deck made the atmosphere both tense and exciting.

Nighttime carrier launches and recoveries, although mechanically the same as daytime ones, are very different.  First of all, the sounds are very different as at night it appears that everything is louder.  Maybe this is so because one's vision in the darkness is not as sharp so the ears  compensate by more acute hearing.

Second, at night, at least on the deck, everything on the deck is done so as to enhance the pilot's night vision.  To accomplish this purpose all non-essential lights are turned off and all essential lights are dimmed.  Therefore, flash photos were strictly prohibited for both the safety of the pilots and deck handlers.

Interestingly, in all that darkness on the deck, watching the exhaust flame from the F-18's jet's engines, especially when the after burners kicks in, can only be described as exhilarating.  Indeed, the flame continues to brighten the entire deck area around it as it stretches back not only to the blast barrier, but also, extending some 20' left and right as it is reflected off of the barrier.

We were lucky enough to watch approximately ten night cat shots and traps from the Captain's Bridge.  Each shot and trap were different in some way and each was incredibly exciting.  This was especially true when the landing signal officer (LSO) waived off two planes on final for safety reasons.  These bolters simply came around again and were recovered.  From my conversations with Navy pilots and from my own experiences being on the Truman, I can think of no greater challenge for any pilot then to make a carrier deck landing on a dark at night.

 Following the completion of the night CQ's, we retired to our quarters to reflect upon our adventure and for some rest.  At 10:00 p.m. taps was played and one of the ship's chaplain's gave the evening blessing.  I especially appreciated the blessing for it made me better appreciate and understand that the ship and her crew were like a big family and that each depended upon the other to perform their respective missions.  Having God's blessing, we guests felt like we belonged to the ship and crew, albeit only for a short time. 

As I relaxed in my lower bunk and closed my eyes, I could still hear sporadic recoveries and cat shots being made.  Moreover, I was finally able to take inventory of the day's events and of my senses.  As I feel asleep, I came to realize that even then, it was common to not only hear the ship's engines, but also, to feel their vibration and the Truman's movement.

At 0615 hours I instantly opened my eyes with a wake up knock at my door by Master Chief Starr and Lt. Jones.  My adrenaline rush had never subsided so I was ready to go within minutes.  Later I found that this was also true with the rest of the DV's as we were all dressed, packed, and accounted for in our meeting area well before schedule.

We again journeyed through the Truman's halls, decks and stairs to the aft mess deck to eat breakfast with the crew.  Absent a map or a guide it would be very easy to get lost on the Truman for a long time.  Worthy of mention I must commend the crew for their good manners.  Any time when we were walking the hallways the entire crew made it a practice to step aside and let us pass and always with a "good morning, afternoon or evening" greeting.

At breakfast we were informed that our departure would be delayed as our COD had been delayed to wait on necessary supplies.  To the person, no one was disappointed with the delay because it gave us additional time to further tour the Truman.

Breakfast with the crew confirmed that these young men and women were indeed very mannerly.  They were proud of their ship and excited about being in the Navy.  Incidentally, our conversations with the crew were unmonitored by our escorts so what we got were their real thoughts.

The Truman website contains many photos of the ship, the air group, the crew, the weapons and many other aspects of life aboard the ship. This photo is from Truman's website.

Some looked at the Navy as a means to an education or a job in the private sector.  Others were there to see the world and that is exactly what they had done and would do.  Surprisingly, most expressed the notion that the Navy was their family now and it was up to them to take care of it and it would take care of them.  Further, all displayed a team spirit and voiced they were each an intricate part of Truman's mission, i.e., to get the aircraft where they needed to be for the purpose of serving and protecting the United States and its interests.  To these sailors, the planes and pilots were theirs to protect and take care of.  Real patriotism was abundant on the Truman.  It was becoming clear that these fine, young sailors were growing in maturity to meet the daily dangerous challenges and demands the Navy and democracy had to offer.

Later, after leaving the mess to tour the galley, we DV's all expressed to each other our pride and appreciation for these fine young Americans.  Indeed, I felt regret that I had not joined the Navy before attending college.  In retrospect, I think the Navy family and opportunities would have been good for me and me good for the Navy.

The final part of our stay included tours of the brig, the chapel and the ship's store.  The brig was empty and was one of the few places where there was privacy.  The chaplains and chapel were a big part of Navy life because it is a place sailors can come for spiritual, social and psychological comfort and guidance.  The Truman has three chaplains who often double as counselors, financial advisers, and friends to both the officers and crew.

The ship's store was the last stop on our tour.  It was there that the crew can purchase snacks and ship memorabilia.  My Truman souvenirs were a belt buckle and bathrobe that both of carry the ship's name.

Regrettably, like all good things, there must come an end.  Our final briefing occurred on the Flag Bridge where we said our farewells to our hosts and they said theirs to us.  It was there that we received three gifts, a Truman ball cap, a photo album of our tour and a certificate proclaiming each of us an "Honorary Naval Aviator".  All of us DV's regretted we were leaving but we were not saddened that in doing so we would experience a CAT shot.  Suffice to say it was similar to an old candy commercial for a Peter Paul Almond Joy bar, i.e., it was an indescribable blast - our COD was up and flying in 1 ½ seconds.

Looking back at a successful cat-shot of an F-18. This photo is from the Truman's website.

The flight back to Norfolk was great and the weather was CAVU (clear above and visibility unrestricted).  I had the good fortune of being able to visit the cockpit during the flight and speak to the Rawhide pilots.  They, like the rest of the Truman's crew, were professional and patriotic and they made me feel proud to be an American.  In closing, I hope this short story leaves you feeling the same way.  By the way, my "Honorary Naval Aviator" certificate, evidencing my "cat and trap", is proudly displayed on my office wall.  I support our Navy and I encourage you to do so too!

J. Gary Trichter is a lawyer who lives in Houston.  He is a 2000-hour pilot who holds an airplane CFI, CFII, MEI, LOA's for T-28's and HA200 as well as a helicopter private pilot rating.

Cockpit of an F-18? No, it is that of the Navy's first North American T-28C which is owned by the author.