USS
USS KENTUCKY WAS PREPARING FOR THE NEXT DEPLOYMENT, THE
PHOTOGRAPHER AND I WERE INVITED
ALONG FOR A TOUR.
>> WE ARE 560 FEET LONG, WHAT
YOU CAN SEE FROM THE SURFACE IS
ABOUT 1/3 OF THE SUBMARINE,
THERE'S ABOUT 2/3 OF IT
UNDERWATER.
UNDERWATER. >> Reporter: WHEN THIS SUB GOES
TO SEE, THERE WILL BE 15
OFFICERS AND 145 ENLISTED CREW
ONBOARD.
ONBOARD.
ONBOARD. WITH THE GOLD CREW RECENTLY
INTO PORT, IT IS THE TURN OF
THE BLUE CREW TO SHIP OUT LED
BY COMMANDER KEN NOLAND.
>> YOU GOT HERE, SUBMARINE
DOLPHINS, THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE
QUALIFICATION PROGRESS, TO GET
YOUR DOLPHINS, WE HAVE YEARS OF
TRAINING TO TAKE PLACE THAT
BUILD UP TO THAT, YOU BECOME AN
EXPERT ON BOARD THE BOAT.
>> Reporter: EACH MEMBER OF THE
CREW HAS A SPECIFIC ROLE.
>> WORKING AS THE DIRECTOR IS
NOT A SIMPLE PROJECT.
>> Reporter: PETTY OFFICER
JUSTIN IS A NUCLEAR MECHANIC
FROM HUNTINGTON BEACH,
CALIFORNIA STATIONED AT BANGOR
THREE YEARS, LIKE EVERYONE ELSE
ON BOARD, HE STAYS BUSY.
>> REBUILDING VALVE, DOING ALL
KINDS OF MAINTENANCE, PULLING
ALL KINDS OF THINGS APART.
>> Reporter: AS WE WORK OUR WAY
THROUGH THE SUB, YOU NOTICE NO
SPACES WASTED, EVERYTHING HAS
BEEN LAID OUT WITH THE PURPOSE
AN JUST DOWN THE PASSAGEWAY IS
THIS IS SICK BAY AND ROMERO IS
THE GUY YOU COME TO SEE IF YOU
DON'T FEEL WELL.
>> WE CARRY EVERYTHING FROM THE
COMMON COLD MEDICINE, WE'VE GOT
COUGH DROPS, TYLENOL,
IBUPROFEN, THE USUAL STUFF, WE
ALSO HAVE NARCOTICS ON BOARD AS
WELL.
WELL.
WELL. >>
WELL. >> Reporter: IS ALSO TRAINED ON
USING EVERYTHING FROM AN IVY TO
A SCALPEL.
A SCALPEL. >> PEOPLE HIT THEIR HEADS ON
THINGS.
THINGS.
THINGS. >> Reporter: THIS MEANS BEING
TALL MEANS BEING VIGILANT,
ESPECIALLY AS WE MAKE OUR WAY
DOWN STEEP STAIRS TO THE THIRD
LEVEL, WHERE THE CREW SLEEPS.
>> THIS AREA IS THE BIRTHING
AREA, THIS IS FOR THE CREW.
>> Reporter: OBVIOUSLY CLOSE
QUARTERS ON A SUB THE SIZE,
NINE PEOPLE LIVE IN THIS ROOM,
ALL OF THEIR STUFF IS STORED IN
ONE OF THESE CABINETS OR THE
SMALL SPACE UNDER THE RACK.
SPEAKING OF THE RACK OR BED,
THEY'RE NOT VERY BIG,
ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE A GUY MY
SIZE.
SIZE.
SIZE. THAT'S IT.
THAT'S IT. RIGHT THERE.
RIGHT THERE. WE RETURN TO THE FORWARD
COMPARTMENT AND DOWN TO LEVEL
FOUR, THE TORPEDO ROOM.
>> I'M THE LEADING FIRE CONTROL
CHIEF PETTY OFFICER.
>> Reporter: AS IN FIRING
WEAPONS, THE CHIEF HAS CALLED
PUGET SOUND HOME 19 YEARS, HE
RUNS THE SHOW ON THIS FLOOR AND
IS THE ENLISTED ADVISOR FOR THE
ENTIRE WEAPONS DEPARTMENT
ONBOARD.
ONBOARD.
ONBOARD. >> SHOOTING, TUBE ONE!
>> Reporter: IN OUR PREVIOUS
STORY, WE SHOWED HOW CREWS
TRAIN ON BASE WITH A MOCKUP
TORPEDO ROOM, 40 HOURS WORTH
BEFORE EVERY DEPLOYMENT.
THAT TRAINING CONTINUES
ONBOARD.
ONBOARD.
ONBOARD. >> SO, THE TRAINERS, A WAY TO
CERTIFY A TEAM WITHOUT USING
LIVE ORDNANCE, FOR LONG PERIODS
OF TIME, BETWEEN ONE TRAINER
PERIOD IN THE NEXT, IF WE DID
NOT HANDLE, WE WOULD LOSE
PREVENTIVELY.
PREVENTIVELY. >> Reporter: UNDISCLOSED AMOUNT
OF TORPEDOES KEPT IN THE BELLY
OF THE BEAST.
>> ADEQUATE SUPPLY TO DEFEND
THE SHIP IN ALL SITUATIONS.
>> Reporter: LOWERED INTO A
HATCH ON THE CENTER TRAY, SOME
CAN BE STORED BELOW OTHERS TO
EITHER SIDE.
EITHER SIDE. >> ONCE WE GET THE WEAPON INTO
THE TORPEDO TUBE, WE CAN
CONVERT IT TO DIFFERENT
CONFIGURATIONS, CLOSE AND
LOCKER BREACHED DOOR IN THE
WEAPON IDEALLY IS READY FOR
LAUNCH.
LAUNCH.
LAUNCH. >> Reporter: TOP TO BOTTOM, THE
SUB AND ITS GROUP ARE PREPARED
FOR BATTLE.
FOR BATTLE. >> THERE DEDICATED, MOTIVATED
PROFESSIONALS.
PROFESSIONALS. >> Reporter: ALSO ARMED WITH
THE KNOWLEDGE A SUCCESSFUL
MISSION NEVER MEANS FIRING A
SHOT, EVERYONE ON BOARD KNOWS
THEIR ROLE AS A PEACEKEEPER.
TONS OF TRAINING WITH DAILY
DRILLS TO ENSURE AN AMERICAN
WAY OF LIFE.
WITH STAKES IS HIGH, LIFE ON
THE BOOMER CAN BE STRESSFUL,
BUT ALSO REWARDING.
>> PEOPLE WANT TO COME IN AND
TRY HARD, GIVE A GOOD EFFORT,
WE WANT TO BE PART OF A TEAM.
>> THERE YOU HAVE IT.
WOW.
WOW.
WOW. >>
WOW. >> THEY SEVERAL MONTHS AT A
TIME.
TIME.
TIME. >>
TIME. >> EACH DEPLOYMENT IS THREE AND
HALF MONTHS, MORE THAN TWO
MONTHS OF THAT, THE TIME
VARIES, THE AVERAGE IS 70 DAYS,
BUT IT CAN BE LONGER IF NEED
BE, IF THEY RUN INTO TYPES OF
SITUATIONS.
SITUATIONS. BASICALLY, THEY CAN KEEP GOING
FOR A LONG LONG TIME, THEY DON'T
NEED TO REFUEL EVERY 20 YEARS,
IT IS WHEN THEY RUN OUT OF FOOD.
THEY ARE OUT ABOUT TWO MONTHS,
70 DAYS.
70 DAYS.
70 DAYS. >> EARLIER, WE TALKED ABOUT HOW
THEY CAN'T USE SOCIAL MEDIA OR
TWEET HOME.
TWEET HOME. >> NO SOCIAL MEDIA, IT'S MY
UNDERSTANDING, I DON'T KNOW IF
THEY HAVE EMAIL, THAT MAY
DEPEND ON THE MISSION.
AND NEED TO REACH BACK OUT AND
FIND OUT WHETHER THAT IS TRUE,
I THINK THEY HAVE SOME
CORRESPONDENCE, DEPENDING THIS
I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE.
>> SACRIFICE FOR BOTH FAMILIES
--
--
-- >>
-- >> IT'S NOT FOR EVERYBODY, 560
FOOT BOAT, IT IS PRETTY CRAMPED
AS YOU SAW.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THE
EXTENDED INTERVIEWS OR THE
GRAPHIC WE CREATED TO TELL YOU
MORE ABOUT THE SUB AND THE
ARMAMENT, THE NEW CONTACTS THE
KEYWORD SUB