ANTHONY: AND AIRCRAFT CARRIER IS AN UNCEASINGLY DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT.
CREWS AND MACHINES IN CONSTANT MOBILITY.
BELOW DECKS, QUARTERS ARE TIGHT, AND EVERYONE MOVES WITH A NECESSARY ISSUE SEE THROUGH A DIZZYING ARRAY OF STAIRS, LADDERS, AND HATCHES.
FROM SUNUP TO SUNDOWN, AND BACK TO SUNUP, FOUR WEEKS AND MONTHS ON END.
THE WORK AND THE TRAINING CONTINUE.
AIRCRAFT CARRIERS ARE NUCLEAR POWERED SO THEY DON’T NEED THEIR OWN FUEL, BUT THEY DO NEED FUEL FOR ALL THE JETS, HELICOPTERS AND OTHER EQUIPMENT ON BOARD.
THE SHIP’S COSTLY BEING RESUPPLIED.
EVERY THREE WEEKS OR SO A SUPPLY SHIP DRAWS ALONGSIDE.
SOME PROVISIONS ARE AIRLIFTED BY HELICOPTER.
A SHOP LINE IS FIRED SHIP TO SHIP, EVENTUALLY BRINGING HEAVIER TRANSFER LINES FOR WHEN IS BEEN OF THE CARRIER.
IT IS A DELICATE AND DANGEROUS OPERATION.
AGAIN, CAREFULLY CHOREOGRAPHED THROUGH CONTINUOUS TRAINING.
THE CAPTAIN ESPOUSES A WORK ETHIC FROM A FAMOUS PATRIOT.
>> DO YOUR JOB.
DO YOUR JOB.
WHEN YOU COMBINE AN UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO THE MISSION IS WELL AS TO YOUR ALOE SAILORS WITH THE TECHNICAL ABILITY TO DO YOUR JOB, THAT’S WHERE THE MAGIC
HAPPENS.
ANTHONY: WE MEET THREE MASSACHUSETTS SAILORS DOING THEIR JOB.
JEFFREY EGAN FROM GRAFTON WORKS BELOW DECK, BELOW THE WATERLINE, AS PART OF THE NUCLEAR REACTOR TEAM, SPECIALIZING IN PROPULSION OF THE SHIP.
>> WOULD PROBABLY TURNING AHEAD ONE THIRD OR TWO THIRDS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
ANTHONY: HE TAKES US TO SHAFT ALLEY, WHICH HOUSES THE DRIVE SHAFTS THAT TURNED THE PROPELLER.
ALL AND MUCH MORE POWERED BY TWO NUCLEAR REACTORS.
>> WE SUPPLY ALL THE STEAM FOR THE CATAPULTS AND ALL THE ELECTRICITY ON BOARD IS GENERATED BY US.
THE CONSTANTLY HOLDING TRAINING AND DOING DRILLS.
WE DON’T ANYONE TO -- WHERE CONTROL OF TWO NUCLEAR REACTORS.
>> WE DON’T NECESSARILY KNOW THE SEVERITY OF THE TYPE OF MEDICAL EMERGENCY WE MIGHT BE SEEING FOR THE DAY.
ANTHONY: CHRISTOPHER MCCARTHY OF SOUTH AUSTIN ALSO KEEPS A SHARP, PROFESSIONAL EYE, NOT ON THE SHIP, BUT ON THE CREW.
HE HAS BEEN IN THE NAVY FOR EIGHT YEARS.
>> ALWAYS PLAN FOR THE WORST.
THE CONSTANTLY TRAIN AND PREPARE FOR MASS CASUALTIES AND MEDICAL EMERGENCIES.
WE CONSTANTLY DRILL AND PRACTICE SO THAT WE ARE READY AT ALL TIMES TO HANDLE WHATEVER MEDICALLY THAT MAY GO WRONG ON THE SHIP CAN BE TAKEN CARE OF.
>> I’M UP WHERE THE ACTION IS ALL THE TIME.
ANTHONY: CHRISTOPHER IS AN AVIATION EQUIPMENT MECHANIC, MAINTAINING THE MACHINES THAT MOVE AND ASSIST THE AIRCRAFT ON BOARD.
>> WE HAVE FLIGHT DECK SCRUBBERS OVER THERE.
ANY TIME ANY OF ISSUE, THE SQUADRONS COME TO US WITH THOSE ISSUES AND WE FIGURE OUT WHAT THE ISSUE IS AN SOLVENT AS EFFICIENTLY AS WE CAN.
ANTHONY: A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY.
THEY ARE COMING IN AND THEY WANT TO GET BACK UP IN THE AIR.
AS YOU CAN HEAR.
HE ALSO MANS THE MASSIVE FLIGHT DECK CRASH CRANE WHICH CAN QUICKLY REMOVE DAMAGED OR DISABLED EQUIPMENT FROM THE DECK . THE SAILORS AND AIRMEN WORK LONG
HOURS AND DEPLOYMENTS CAN LAST SIX MONTHS OR MORE.
THERE ARE SOME COMFORTS OF HOME.
A LIBRARY, SHOULD STORE WITH EVERYTHING FROM SNACKS TO CLOTHING, INTERNET CAFÉ, NUMEROUS GEMS, AND THE CAMARADERIE OF THE MESS HALLS.
EVEN THE HANGAR DECK SERVES AS A COMMUNAL GATHERING SPOT AND WORKOUT AREA, AND THERE IS THE BOND FORMED OF SHARED SACRIFICE AND SHARED RELIANCE.
>> IT’S A TEAM EFFORT ON BOARD.
EVERYBODY TOPSIDE AND EVERYBODY IN ENGINEERING, THEY ALL WORK TOGETHER.
YOU CANNOT CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OR THE PLUMBER, YOU RELY ON EACH OTHER.
SHAYNA: THEY REALLY SEEM COMMITTED TO EACH OTHER AND TO THEIR SERVICE.
ANTHONY: THEY’RE ALL VERY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT WHY THEY’RE SERVING AND PASSIONATE ABOUT THEIR ROLE IN THE GREATER COMMUNITY OF THE SHIP ITSELF AND OF THE COUNTRY AS WELL.
SHAYNA: VIDEOGAME WIZARDS ARE WANTED IN TODAY’S NAVY.
>> F