Haze Gray and Underway - My life as a wog in the United States Navy.
I think many of you know I am serving in the United States Navy. Once December 19th rolls around my four years of active duty service will be completed, and I'll be officially a civilian. My experience travelling across the country and the world abroad, the things I did, and the people I served with is something that I'll remember fondly for the rest of my life.
I'd like to use this thread to share photos of my home away from home. Most of the photos taken are from all around the ship and throughout the last six months from start to finish of my ship's maiden deployment. There's hundreds of photos I'm going through so this first post will just be an intro. I'd like to share some navy slang and words that we use today whose etymology is of navy origin. I also don't mind answering any questions but there's probably some things I can't discuss because of A) that was something I never learned as a part of crew qualifications or my job or B) operational security risk aka OPSEC.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART 1 - My Life as a Wog (this post!)
http://madpinorage.com/virgins/var/a...g?m=1323045182
The USS George Herbert Walker Bush Nuclear Powered Aircraft Carrier or USS GHWB (CVN 77) at a length of 1092 feet (without the spire and going to the top floor the Empire State building in New York is 1200 feet), with a beam(width) of 252 feet, displaces 100,000 tons, and cuts through the water at a estimated max average speed 35 miles per hour though she definitely can go faster than 30+ knots. She can travel anywhere in the world, last 20 to 25 years before refueling, expected in service for 50 years, carries 90+ combat aircraft, and is the comfortably and lofty home to anywhere from 3000 to 6000 crew.
Here is the inside of a hangar bay. I can't tell if this was taken at night or day because the lights are never very bright. Also, before anyone asks, those oval things attached to the jets aren't bombs they are fuel tanks. You can see some attached to the roof of the hangar bar on the left side of the photo way in the back.
http://madpinorage.com/virgins/var/a...g?m=1323045184
This is a M61A-2 Vulcan Cannon. She fire's 6600 rounds per minute using 20 mm caliber (about 3/4th of an inch) ammunition. Right now this guy, an Aviation Ordnanceman, is just doing some routine maintenance.
http://madpinorage.com/virgins/var/a...g?m=1323045195
This here is a really cool shot of the catapult. This is what launches the jets. The F/A-18 has an empty weight of 7000 lbs and a max of 15000 lbs(full payload). So imagine a really powerful slingshot powered by steam to make sure jets and other aircraft are launching tens if not hundreds of times a day. The heaviest aircraft to ever launch was an 90,000 lb (sometimes maxed to 120,000 lb) Hercules in 1963 on the USS Forrestal (CVA 63). Think about how much more primitive their catapults are compared to today.
http://madpinorage.com/virgins/var/a...g?m=1323045208
And finally, here is a Boeing F/A-18 Supert Hornet in action!
http://madpinorage.com/virgins/var/a...g?m=1323045206
http://madpinorage.com/virgins/var/a...g?m=1323045207
http://madpinorage.com/virgins/var/a...g?m=1323045210
Also, a high five and points on your annual evaluation for whoever has good eyes.
