Reasons Why US Navy Sailors Never Get On The Flight Deck Of An Aircraft Carrier
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 มิ.ย. 2024
- Modern aircraft carriers are widely referred to as a "city at sea." This is certainly accurate, given that 6,000 people are working, relaxing, eating, and sleeping on board for an extended period. However, it is not like any city that you would find on dry land, where you can go anywhere without little or no restrictions. There are some areas on an aircraft carrier that you might not have access to even if you are a crew member. One of such areas is the flight deck. Why do most Navy crew members never get on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier?
Most people who live aboard an aircraft carrier have little opportunity to see the outside world. Only a small number of people are permitted access to the flight deck, hangar, and fantail. Even though the views of the sky and sea from each of these areas are breathtaking, they are the most dangerous places to work on an aircraft carrier. The island's upper levels are secure enough, but due to sensitive operations and a lack of available space, few persons can come and go at once. A sailor who works below deck may go several days without seeing daylight.
The flight deck of an aircraft carrier is the surface from which its aircraft take off and land, essentially a miniature airfield at sea. The flight deck is possibly the most dangerous location to work on the planet. The Navy crew that works on the flight deck are in danger of dying, being struck by a propeller, having engine intake ingestion, ordnance explosion, fuel fire, arrestor cables cutting limbs, aircraft losing control, and so on. Approximately once every five minutes, an aircraft weighing 35,000 pounds lands on the deck. There is a constant presence of flame, heat, ear-splitting noise, gases, poisons, and danger. On top of all this are layered strong winds, pouring rain, and a swaying deck. It’s not a place that anyone can just go to.
#aircraftcarrier #usnavy #sailors - วิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยี
Retire Navy here, served on 4 aircraft carriers, any sailor can go up to the flight deck jogging or walking in the morning before flight ops. Also, anyone can get some air at the fantail unless the Marines or security personnel doing firearms training. I had access to the flag bridge (1 deck below the bridge) because I was attached to the battle group admiral's staff.
@@lifesabeach5405 people getting off the mid-watch do go up to the flight deck in the mornings to get some air, run or jog. I know some of my shipmates back then do that too before their watch due to PRT issues.
@@lifesabeach5405 I did a tour on Ranger and wouldn’t have dared to go to ‘the roof’ before flight ops, unless joining the FOD walk down. The Boss or MY Boss would’ve chewed me a ‘new one’! After Flight Ops OK, but NOT before.
@@lifesabeach5405 What are "stairs"?
@@randykelso4079 You find stairs on a U.S. Army or Air Force base -- those things with steps you climb up or down. Never saw one on a Navy ship, though. We did have many ladders. 😉
@@johnc2438 ladders, passageways, and knee knockers,
My job wasn't on the flight deck but I spent a lot of time up there. When flight ops weren't going on, we could be up there day or night. Beautiful at night, no light pollution and billions of stars visible. Stunning.
Perfect opportunity for some Pink Floyd and a joint.
For the record, served 3 years (67-70) on the USS Forrestal, CVA-59, most anyone could go to the flight except during air ops. The hangar deck was always accessible to everyone.
Also Magnesium burns at 5610 deg F and white Phosphorus at about 1300 deg F. Hardly "tens of thousands of degrees". Do your research.
@@johng9399 Why you telling people to do their research when they were doing their job there? Sounds retarded
Agreed I was on the USS Forrestal CV-59 ( 82-83) and I had access to flight deck and hanger bay !!!
@@anthonyalves3993 You guys had to over come that terrible accident and your loss of friends... That sucked...
I was in 90-95 on both the Independence and the Kitty Hawk and agreed, the hanger decks were not restricted spaces most times. Only when special operations were being undertaken on the hanger deck, such as practicing loading special weapons, were the hanger decks restricted.
Sorry for the error in the video regarding ''boatswain”. For the record, "boatswain" is pronounced "BO-sun," never "boatswain." We have a professional team, but fortunately not a perfect team yet because otherwise it would be boring and we cannot develop, haha. We are learning every day and want to thank everyone for the comments! We love the world at sea and want to tell about it. Let's do this together and let's keep the responses constructive and respectful. Thank you! 💙
Sure, in English not a single word is pronounced like you write it. The written form can be centuries old. Naval language is very interesting, I'm Dutch, we have our share. And a fun fact is that British officers often did not start their carreer as a deck hand. Result? Each British navy ship had a sailing manual for these landlubber officers. These manuals are a great source, you can simply read and learn every detail on the rigging. Did they split a certain sail in an upper and a lower one? Or not? What did the boatswain actually do? Read the manual and you know such things for sure. Happy historians in London.
it was very interesting!
It really would be nice if those who wrote the script were actually experts in the subject, and those reading the script actually knew the subject so they could at least pronounce the word correctly. Maybe subject matter experts should be asked to review the script and the video before they are published.
As an ABE (green shirt) you had it right-ish. prounounced Boatswins spelled Boatswains. A Bos'n is an officer generally in charge of the Boatswains mates in some form. For instance the ABE's have a Bos'n AKA maintenance officer which is ultimately responsible and in charge of ALL launch and recovery equipment, i.e catapults and arresting gear, and all equipment involved in their operation.
What about the Green Shirts??? What are they about?
To all veterans, thank you for your service!🇱🇷
Thank you for your patriotism.
Thank you, thank you. "Rat" #4MMR P1Div MM USS KITTY HAWK CVA63
May she now serve an equally important service to this country in her dismantling.
Please contact your senator and congressman and tell them to fix the VA. Thanks.
Yes, totally agree!!
@@joevignolor4u949 as a social worker I tried.
While every ship is unique, it is common for the flight deck to be available to the crew regularly for exercise, 5K and 'steel beach'. The flight deck is normally open to the entire crew once a week for a short time for these activities.
Even being on a frigate we had steel beach day. We just had ours on the helo flight deck.
Almost every morning people can run and exercise on the flight deck, hangar is not off limits except areas when aircraft is turning either engines or apu.
That's true Aaron, but if you're a nuke, those events always seem to align with the 23 hours 59 minutes and 59 seconds you have assigned to other responsibilities.
Everyone on the carrier has the opportunity to go on the flight deck at least twice a day. "All hands are cordially invited to assemble on the bow for FFFFOOOODDD walk down. Float coats and cranials are not required. Check yourself FOD free before entering the flight deck."
@@trplankowner3323 It's been awhile but we worked 12 on 12 off. Of course there are drills that might cut into your off time.
My son is an AE and a PC working on the flight deck on the new FA/18 sent out aug 10, this year cvn-77. He tells me stories constantly of some of the mishaps if that head isn’t on a 24/7 swivel. They also just had a lightning strike hit a tow bar that blew cranials and goggles off the blues/yellows carrying it. There’s a lot of danger up there and I thank anyone who is on any part of those carriers! He couldn’t do his job without those who did it before him. Thank you all for your service whether it was 4 or 44!
over 10 years in the Navy, I loved every minute I worked the flight deck between the USS Coral Sea and the USS Dwight D Eisenhower.
Boat-swain ? This guy's obviously NOT a Navy guy and probably never been around Navy personnel. If he had been he'd know that it's pronounced "BOSUN" (bow-sun). I can only imagine how he'd butcher forecastle (pronounced "foke-sul"). Guy needs to do his homework . . .
I thought it’s called boatswain….
He probably never seen a fo"castle either!
It's not hard to grasp how history gets distorted oye. Not naval but they taught us reading writing derision and pronouncification
Amen……👍🏼
The Boatswain's Mate (BM) has a rich history of honored traditions. As a BM, you will supervise the maintenance of your ship inside and out, in addition to a diverse roster of other responsibilities: Standing watch as lookout or Boatswain Mate of the Watch. Repairing, maintaining and stowing equipment.
Hmmm, "Never"? While it wasn't quite like "Hot Shots" on the flight deck, (BBQ'ing HotDogs in an afterburner), it's far from what this guy is spouting (pun intended). As others mentioned, when no flight op's are going on, the deck is actually pretty accessible, which I did regularly. Even not stationed on deck, I usually had no trouble finding a place to watch flight ops that was safe and authorized. I also walked the hanger deck everyday, saw sun, fog, rain, clouds, moon everyday. Showing my age here, but one peculiarity was knowing it was Sunday only because the day on my Seiko calendar watch was "red", as we did work 7 days a week at sea. However....very correct in how dangerous it can be, and this is especially during ops. Dangerous? Tiring? Long Hours?...yes. Trade if for anything?...Never! Now I have to go find a "boat-swain's mate" to write this guy a letter about correct Navy terminology!
I mean we did have steel beach picnics every once in a while. Filled up the jet engine tubs with water and ice and soda. Grilled some stacks, chicken and dogs.
Give Up, Jerry Gregg...the guy is probably a robotic voice!
Bo'sun's mate?
@@likeorasgod Must've been a peacetime cruise, I guess. We never got to do that on CVA-43.
@@edwardweeden8837 I guess we need to find a robot with hash marks on its sleeve.
I was a blue shirt on the USS Constellation CVA 64 from '71-73 Yankee station. Our "average" day was 14-16 hrs. This included night launchs/recoverys. I appreciate being recognized for all our efforts. Our longest deployment was 49 days---straight. Was a lot then, think fondly of it now.
I was a part of the Constellation battle group for her last deployment.
Aviation ordnanceman here, the flight deck is a very specialized environment. The majority of the time the people up there are doing intense and potentially very dangerous work. One flat ops are happening and launching and recovering everybody up there has a specific job and everyone's head is on a swivel watching out for hazards and making sure your shipmates aren't missing some hazard coming at them. It is organized chaos practice to the highest degree. You are too busy to be chit-chatting. Most of the personnel up there are usually 19 to 21 years old and they are doing the most dangerous job in the world. I am proud to have been part of it, nothing else has measured up since. 👍🏻🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲
I was an AO in G1 Flight Deck.
It was fun during those years, but I'm sure you've had good times since.
Damn, I just signed my contract for AO, making me nervous right now 🤦🏾♂️😅
@@treyxo3819
Don't worry about it. You'll first go to Pensacola Florida after bootcamp, and then be assigned to a ship. If you are top of your class in A school (most people don't even try), then you'll most likely be automatically bumped up in rank, and you'll have your pick of ship.
It's a fun rate, and it'll give you plenty of time for college pace courses while you're deployed.
It's a decent way to start your life. Just make the best of it. The sky is the limit from there.
@@pharma37 thanks for the insight brother, I'ma make sure to do my best. I'm pretty much washed up at this point lol (26 married with 2 young boys). If there's anymore advice you could give me It would be greatly appreciated 👍.
@@treyxo3819 If you go in now, don't expect your marriage to be unharmed, but your children will have a better life. In the bigger picture that's what's important. I would give everything up for my own.
As far as what to do, just be the best. You'll be competing with immature 18 year old's who don't care about anything yet.
Go after every qualification you can.... before anyone asks you to. It won't be hard for you to progress in rank/ pay faster than those around you.
Your life is long (80+ years). You're only 26. Use the best of what you have, and be the father that you know you are. You may have little right now, but your future is only starting. It's a strict life, but loaded with possibility if you utilize the opportunities that the kids around you will never go after.
You've got this.
*lastly,
Think about your kids every day.
I worked in the engine room aboard the USS KITTY HAWK CVA63 1972 and spent countless hours on the flight deck during that cruise in '72. I used to lay face down on the safety nets and watch various ocean creatures such as whales, dolphins, flying fish, and even the very bottom of the ship. (approx 60ft) We occasionally played football on deck. One night the game ended unexpectedly.....ball overboard!
Did the same on the Nimitz. Safety nets were great place to chill out!
I was born in 71 an 92 i was part of the kittyhawk airman
I suppose you could always draw lots to see who's getting the ball back. 😁
Often plane guarded the Kitty Hawk in '72. Always enjoyed watching the planes coming in and snuggling up when refueling. Ship was gigantic from deck of a destroyer.
I was onboard during the fire in 1MMR, Dec 1973.
US Navy Sailor with exp on aircraft carriers here. First, the rating is pronounced Bo'sun mate [Bo (long oh sound) sun (like the big round bright object in the sky) mate.] Second, hanger deck and fantail are not off-limit areas for crew. Coming aboard you will enter the carrier via a gangway onto the hanger deck and then transition about the ship via ladder wells on the hanger deck either down into the compartments or up into the superstructure depending on where you need to go. There are areas with limited access based on security clearances required, areas in the superstructure where high powered microwave equipment is placed, and obviously weapons areas are of security concerns but for the most part crew can and do travel about the ship. Flight deck requires the wearing of special equipment (inflatable life vest, hearing protection and head gear) and certainly situational awareness but it is not an off limits area of the ship. Just know if you're on the flight deck you are under watchful eyes. In fact multiple times a day all crew are encouraged to come on deck and participate in FOD walkdowns as your job and time permits. FOD stands for Foreign Object Damage meaning anything which can be on the flight deck and possibly be sucked into an airplane jet engine and cause damage. The FOD walkdowns are called and performed before flight ops are begins, anytime there's suspicion FOD may be present on the deck and between flight operations to help prevent aircraft engine damage. The Crew spread out across the flightdeck and walk the entire deck looking for any FOD (nuts, bolts, objects that may have fallen from a crew members pocket etc) so it can be collected and removed from the deck before flight ops for the aforementioned reasons.
Yes it is a dangerous place but not off limits. Many do avoid the flight deck as it isn't part of their job area and they either don't care to be there or are just plain too tired to go there but not off limits. Hanger decks are areas frequently trafficked by ships crew moving around the boat. Fantail is a place people used to go out to smoke just as on the sponsons when the smoking lamp is lit. But I may be dating myself here as back when I was active duty many sailors smoked cigarettes. Do crew members have to go up on the flight deck, no if your job doesn't require it you could sleep, eat, work and play without ever going above deck. I have made Westpac cruises where some shipmates never saw the light of day until liberty call in a port. But that's another story. Just thought you might want some info from someone who has served.
Wow, your response is so valuable and interesting. Thank you so much for taking the trouble to provide a detailed response. This will be a pleasure for many people to read. I certainly did. Nothing but respect! 💙
@@navyproductions Thanks for your response. I just wanted to provide a more balanced approach to the information presented in the video. I must add though that my point of view presented here is based on my experience in the US Navy back in the 1980s.
Right there with you. I never remember the roof being off limits per se, but it's also true that many don't go up there because there's no reason to be up there or no interest. Those who did have an interest were welcome to go up there during flight ops but were attached at the hip to someone at all times but were discouraged to do it at night.
I spent most of my time up there and had zero interest in going into other spaces because I didn't have time, so like many airdales, it was roof, shop, hangar deck, galley, head, berthing, maintenance control, sometimes the laundry, the fantail and ready room on occasion, and that was about it. Well the library a couple of times and the barber shop. There are a LOT of other spaces where you were not allowed to go into and frankly I never even tried. I don't know about you but when I got done with my 12+ hours, I was done and the only thing I wanted to do was eat, shower, hit the rack...repeat.
As dangers as it is up there, especially since I worked at night, but I'd rather be up there than down below somewhere looking at haze gray walls all day. Give me salt air, spent JP5 and a constant breeze anytime.
I had many careers after the Navy because of the training and one job I was asked since I worked at a major sports broadcasting company was, "How well do you work under presure?" I told the gentlemen who later became my boss was, I worked on the Flight Deck of the IKE. He said, "That's good enough for me, could I start Monday?" 15 years later I retired.
For the record, “boatswain” is pronounced “BO-sun,” never “boat-swain.” We used to have cookouts for the crew on the flightdeck of the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) while on deployment in the 1980s.
Thank you, the mispronunciation was killing me. He also made is seem like flight operations were constant. There are times when underway in calm seas that things like cookouts and even swims in the ocean can take place.
I was looking for this comment. The mispronunciation was driving me nuts.
Sorry about this error in the video. We have a professional team, but fortunately not a perfect team otherwise it would be boring and we could not improve anything. Thanks for your comment, I appreciate it! It helps us. We continue to develop ourselves. Thanks for visiting my channel! 💙
"Boat Swain"...Tell me you've never been on a ship without telling me you've never been on a ship LOL
@@navyproductions Ok, so you're going to dub new audio in to fix the mispronunciation? It's very easy to do.
Other than during flight ops, Sailors are always all over the flight deck on any ship that has one.
Flight deck access largely depends on the deployment and flight schedule. Our CO was big into running and would open up the flight deck for exercise or open it for the weekly 5K. Additionally, you typically don't make port often so you might have a steel beach picnic on the flight deck. Just depends but yes, during flight ops, the flight deck is restricted to essential personnel.
Our SB Picnics were every 45 days and were a welcome deal..lol
@@stingerveteran1982 We somehow picked the worst days ever. Lol. I remember one being on a cold day with a Low vis detail and the bridge using sound signals for fog. Wonderful navy day.
Don't forget FOD walkdown, "all hands are invited to participate"
Oh yeah. FOD walk downs all hands were highly encouraged to participate. They sometimes would have some kind of all hands muster which they would not allow the opportunity to be wasted
@@jordanr6330 remember those on a few Frigates Simpson and Elrod
My father served aboard USS Essex in WW2 and worked everyday on the flight deck as an AOM and fought the kamikaze off Okinawa.
Respect!!
On British carriers there is a time either every day, or every weeks when the flight deck is open for everyone onboard either for relaxation or interdepartmental sporting events arranged by the Physical Training Instructors. The welfare of the crew are of major importance to the RN.
Same for US Carriers.
@@victoreous626 yeah, but your blokes are somewhat a lot larger
@Yummy Spaghetti Noodles Prisoners also have all of those things. You clearly have never been in a situation like that
@@peanuts2105 Only because the USN carriers are nuclear while the RN uses non-nuclear. RN probably can't justify the cost of building a nuclear carrier - not sure the US can justify so many of them (14 I believe) at several billion apiece.
@@minerran He wasn't talking about the size of your ships. He was calling Americans fat.
The whole premise of this video is B.S. I spent 3 years on the Ranger and 2 years on the Kitty Hawk. People walk through the hanger bay ALL the time. You can also go up on the flightdeck as long as air ops aren't in progress.
Person who made the video OBVIOUSLY NEVER SET FOOT ON AN ACTIVE CARRIER IF AT ALL ON A TIGER CRUISE AND WE ALL KNOW THOSE DON'T HAVE THE ROUTINE OF REGULAR UNDERWAYS
Same ships for me Gary. There’s always time and opportunity to ‘take the long way’ to get where you’re going so long as it doesn’t take too much time (common sense).
@@edwardweeden8837 oh yeah!!!
Smoke breaks on cell block 65
The BIG EVIL were a minimum if you hotboxed it 20-25 minutes.
There was usually a line to the Junior smoking sponson when underway.
A guy from security had watch in the hangar at the Doorway no hatch just the oval shaped entry where a hatch could have been installed but wasn't. Almost the same as the knee knockers on the 01 O2 and O3 levels. He was like the door guy at some Hot Club. When 1 or 2 left he or she would hold up 1 or 2 fingers the line would move. Ahhh!!!!
Memories🎶🎵
I understand that Frigate life is different. I was a Naval Aviator onboard USS Samuel B Roberts during Desert Shield and Desert Storm. It only took the first day at sea to determine that most shipboard personnel have no business being around an aircraft. They demonstrated their lack of understanding for our safety rules and procedures resulting in stray tools left lying around, cigarette butts, and yes, aircraft damage. From that day on, only Air Department personnel and designated and properly trained shipboard personnel with the correct colored coat was permitted on the flight deck or in the hangers. Aircraft carrier life could not be so different. Having a sailor who is untrained around aircraft, particularly one on their first deployment, is looking for a mishap.
Very true. I was in VF.154 attached to the USS Ranger for two Westpac cruises, 67-68 and 68-69, during the Vietnam war. The flight deck was open to all except during flight ops., as far as I know. We worked 12 hour shifts minimum, so we either had daytime flight ops or night flight ops. I think that rotation was every 2weeks.
I worked the flight deck as a brown shirt (F-14A Plane Captain) in the late 80s, and green shirt (Aircraft Maintenance). 2 west pacs, a rim pac and 2 sets of work ups on the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) The best job on earth and sea. I worked mainly nights.
Richard, agreed...the ONLY better duty was being on a
Fossil Fuelled carrier (back when the USN had some). We got more Liberty because of Boiler /. Engine Room maintenance!
Respect!! 👏💙
Left the Navy in November’86 from the medical dept of the Chuck Wagon🫡
I was in the US Army Green Berets, jumped out of all sort of aircraft, shot all sorts of crazy weapons, been a logger, a ranch hand, traveled the world and lived a life of adventure. I even rode in an IMSA GTO car with a professional driver at full speed. I now work in the entertainment industry and have worked with many of the biggest names in show business, but I gotta tell ya, nothing looks more bad-ass than the flight deck of a US aircraft carrier. Git er done, boys.
I agree with Eddie L. I served on the Bon Homme Richard (CVA-31) during the Vietnam war. Sailors had absolutely no trouble going up on the flight deck, except during flight operations.
Any sailor can hit the flight deck when the ship is not conducting flight ops.
Exactly.
Thank you for pointing this out. This is not a good video about sailors on an aircraft carrier.
The run portion of pt is usually conducted on the flight deck
Facts
FOD walk. I enjoyed FOD walk downs. He forgot vultures row. I was on the Ranger CV61, which has been mothballed.
I made 2 Westpacs and numerous other training cruises from 1962-1965 with VAH-10. I spent the biggest part of my working hours on the flightdeck because 1 of the other guys in my shop witnessed a cable snap and legs and bodies flying everywhere and wouldn't go up anymore. I believe that was on a training exercise in '62 so I volunteered. It was busy but you just had to have your head on a swivel and stay alert. But to say people aren't up there is bologna.
That was on CVA-64 USS Constellation by the way
@@jayfitzgerald8534 We sailed to Yankee Station with you in '65 aboard the Coral Maru, Jay. Thank you for your service!
I was with VAH-10 in 1962 when that happened shout down flight ops squadron personnel flown off the boat on a COD
The old school real Navy, much respect sir.
I'm old and my Westpacs were in the 80s! Thanks for the great share and your service.
I was one of the few who worked up top, and 80% of my time working the flight deck was at night. Glad I can look back on it with pride.
My Dad served as Flight Deck Officer on a number of aircraft carriers, back at the tail-end of WWII and during Korea. Funny thing is, I have no idea what color his jersey was, all the photos are black-and-white! As far as the Korean War was concerned, all he ever told me about it was that the flight deck was a great place to freeze your butt off; like most of his generation, he didn't talk much about what he did. Sure wish I could watch some of these great videos with him, that might've loosened his tongue!
Oh well, thank you very much for your response. How nice that would have been to be able to watch it with him. Too bad you can't hear his stories at sea anymore. I hope you have happy memories together. Respect to everyone who worked on an aircraft carrier!
I served in the Marine Detachment aboard the USS Ranger CVA 61 from 1973 - 1975. As part of our duty we were responsible for the security of some sensitive weapons. This did involve many times being on the flight deck during flight ops as planes were being armed and sent off on their missions. I remember having to shadow one Phantom at the brow at Catapult number 1. I had to stand so that I could safe guard my weapon and see it at all times. I also had to stand where the bomb crew could work without my interference. The ship was launching off all three catapults I had to stand just past the nose of my plane, only a few feet from the catapult rails. Every time I would see a plane captain winding up a bird to launch on that cat, I would stare strait ahead and remain as still as I could. I could feel the rush of the wind as the wing of the bird would pass within a foot of my head as it launched. I tried to act calm and business as useual, but inside I was one nervous marine.
amazing! epic work space
I was on the Ranger too during Desert Shield/Desert Storm.
@@EddieF14 MY boat, the USS Nimitz, relieved ya'll of your duties during ODS!
BZ, Well Done Razorbacks Fan! If you served onboard Ranger 73-75 my predecessor, Mr. Fulop, supplied you with all documentation and procedures for your job. He was the Command Tactical Materials Custodian and worked directly under the Flight deck on the 03 level. I was his successor and like him worked in a locked area called 'The Cage'. I and my 'Cage Rats' were responsible for all Classified Materials onboard the ship - which also included all Security Clearances and something called the PRP Program - which I will not define or explain here...if you worked anywhere near 'Crew Cut' or 'Sensitive' weapons, you were in the PRP. We reported directly to the Captain of the Ship. We worked most closely (daily) with both MARDET and the Weapons Department. My tour onboard Top Gun was Aug 1976 to Feb 1981. I found her to be a good ship with a great 'sense of humor'. Flew off 18 days after the Iranian Hostages were released (to another CV [66] and another 'Cage').
I served on the USS Cone DD866 ,69-73. I remember high lining fuel off the Ranger while under way at looking up at the huge deck thinking I was on a canoe compared to that ship. Thank you for your service!
As an old navy air wing sailor I was on deck constantly, don't remember anyone being barred after air operations.
Totally agree, fellow 'BirdFarmer'! Some examples: How about FOD walkdowns or Stand-Down days enroute across the 'ponds' - or Unrep/Vertreps with supply guys all over the deck??? Or crossing the line ceremonies? Or Tiger Cruises? Or Vultures' Row? YVMA didn't dig very deep on this one!!!
6 WESTPAC always on the roof.
@@BaffinSailor Did you say SIX WestPacs? Man, you are a SOLID Birdfarmer! Had a FD Bos’n friend that used to cross deck to a WestPac bound carrier every time we were enroute back to Hawaii from the P.I. Reason was simple. He and his Old Lady couldn’t STAND one another!
I agree other than during flight ops or ordinance movement, the FD was available to anyone, this was in the 80's. The only places I remember off limits were magazines and reactor spaces. And of course for us lowly enlisted, officers were a bit piacular about the blue tile areas.
V-2 Dept Bow catapult
Once I got married, I settled down in the Navy. Got some really good duty stations. I had a blast. Also some really hard times but it was well worth it.
That Zuni rocket that started the USS Forrestal disaster wasn’t “accidentally” launched by the pilot. It was a systems failure resulting in a short circuit that dropped & ignited the rocket. It’s worth noting that ruptured fuel tanks of aircraft on deck ignited obsolete & unstable WW2 500lbs the navy was ordered to use. Those bombs exploded in the flaming jet fuel, wiping out fire control crews & punching holes in the flight deck that allowed the flaming fuel to pour into the next deck… where munitions, fuel, & aircraft were located. The pilot of the aircraft that had the Zuni malfunction was future Sen. John McCain who also languished as a POW for 7 or 8 years after being shot down over Hanoi.
Yours is the only other comment I’ve seen that discussed the details of the Zuni. There’s an audio recording of McCain talking about that day that I’ve heard but can’t seem to find on the web.
You failed to mention white jerseys .I was a troubleshooter, 1965,Independence,VA 75, South China Sea,Operation Rolling Thunder,night ops.Any crew member could come up on deck unless launches were in progress.
hat tip to old school Sunday Puncher
'Twas the same aboard the Coral Sea; we were there with you: CVA-43, VF-154, AQF2, Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club, 1965.
The devastating class D fire was on the USS Oriskany.
The Forrestal fire was bombs and fuel.
What do ya expect from a guy who says "boat-swains' mate" insteada "bo-suns mate"?
@@DavidRice111 Good point.
I was not on either carrier, but know several survivors of each incident. The stories of each are devastating.
We all had to attend a three day fire fighting class after the Forrestal fire! They changed how flight deck fires were fought after that devastating fire!
I replaced one of the "dead" sailors on the Oriskany. The PAO office (Green shirt access to flight deck for taking photos or writing articles for the Navy) was under Number 1 elevator near where the fire was (In a flare locker). I was a JO and worked in the radio station and television studio. (Think "Good Morning Vietnam") Many of the dead were pilots who had just returned from a operation and suffocated in the fumes.
And about a year or so later was the USS Enterprise(cvn-65) fire. 1969 I believe.
Love you! Navy family here! One brother flight deck USS Constellation in Vietnam, and another brother, a Captain, Navy JAG officer.
As a military enthusiast I like all the experiences shared by you all. It definitely adds color to when I watch TH-cam scenes of operations on aircraft carriers.
Yes, I am amazed. And appreciate why we have rules, orders, different roles to culminate in the success of any mission.
Here is one for you. Do you now where the ships balls are? They are about 4" iron balls beside the main magnetic compass on the bridge, They are painted red and green and have a jacking screw in each one so you can move them to adjust for magnetic north variations due to drift or proximity to a pole.
We did get on the flight deck! Even a sparky like me did! Steel beach picnic and fod. Walks and even to jog to stay in shape!! Spent 4 years on the old coral Sea!!
Hello, shipmate! CVA-43, VF-154, AQF2, Nam, class of '65...
Wow awesome. Thanks for your comment! Respect.
Ya... Electrician Mate here Lighting Shop right under flight deck... Err... Sorta loud LoL... We could hang our laundry over the side... LoL.. Told the young guys if you wanta look "Salty" ya gotta do it... LoL.. The jeans were as stiff as boards and itchy as hell...
@@skeeskeeter6994 New guys didn't have a chance, being sent aft & below to fetch a new "fallopian tube" for the radar or a left-handed hammer or a metric crescent wrench or a length of chow line or a bucket of gland seal (steam).
'82-'85 on the USS Coral Sea (CV-43) as a photographer.
If you're on a carrier, you will ALWAYS pass through at least one hangar bay. Steel Beach picnic anyone?
My 11 months on the Enterprise all together I must of passed through at least one of the hanger bays somewhat over 1000 times, depending on what I was doing.
Grape Ape on the flight deck of the Kitty Hawk for 2 years loving every minute of it.Have lots of great memories from those days including a trap and launch off the deck.
JBDs going up and down, Hummers turning next to the island, the A-7E's dangerously quiet intake while in idle power, open power hatches in the deck, tie-down chains hiding in the darkness under Tomcats during night ops, huffer exhaust, sudden whistling jet blast from an A-6E taxiing out of its spot in FLY 2, hot pitot tubes on powered up birds, the hot oily slickness of the exposed metal plates on the cats, slippery worn down non-skid in the recovery area, FOD walkdown with the puny blue light from your filtered flashlight at night, F-14A afterburner heat mirage blowing down the deck from cat 1, dodging tow tractors, the roaring, the screeching, the intense vibration felt from head to foot, it was all just so goddamned awesome! God, I miss it!
I second that. I was a blue shirt on the FDR CVA 42 and I loved it. 77 now and.every time I smell kerosene it.reminds me of the flight
Same here as an AE2 in 1968! Don't forget tripping over external power cables and bashing shins on bomb cart handles! We had A-4 Skyhawks and F-8 Crusaders, the latter having
a huge air intake at belt-buckle level that you could get sucked into, or A-1E props ready to turn the unwary into instant confetti... Night Ops increased the intensity exponentially.
It's a half-century plus four years later and like you (and probably more than a few others) I STILL miss it! There's nothing else in the entire world like an active Flight Deck!
@@frankc.5430 My uncle was a gunner's mate on USS Hancock CVA19 during that time. He shot some 8mm color films of flight ops from the island, and everyone one of those birds you mentioned was in those films. That is too cool you got to work the flight deck with those classic Navy birds!
My uncle's battle station was a 5 inch gun mount on the port side, forward of the angle deck. An A-4 landed in his gun tub one day! I'm pretty certain they didn't allow crews out on the mount during flight ops, just for that reason.
I was in the Navy 1982 to 1988 with VS-41 and VS-33 two west pacs AZ2 and starting out I was a plane captain and worked the flight deck and it was a lot of hard work and I enjoyed it until I struck for AZ and went inside to maintenance control ..
I served on Independence, Kennedy, and 3 tours on Saratoga. To the guy putting out this video (those are all Aircraft Carriers) I appreciate this guys enthusiasm, but he is clueless when it comes to the actual life on board. He reminds me of drunk sailors in a bar who is fresh out of boot camp…never been on a ship in their life, just trying to impress some girl to get laid. Till you walk the deck kid, you will never understand what was so wrong and funny about this video. Raven
I did my time in V-1, know the deck well. Miss the smell, heat and confusion that went with every cruise. Connie (CV-64) 87-89
Unless your addicted to jet exhaust you weren’t on the deck.
@@PK-kr5bk Hi PK. It’s crazy, I have been retired 25 years now. But to this day when I sleep, I smell the paint, floor wax, braso on the bright work. The smell of jet fuel and birds on deck being washed. I can still hear the cable slapping the deck on landing, and the sound of a jet turning up for launch. There is no world like it. Raven
I got out in 89’
I can still feel how I felt when I came down for a box lunch after 8 hours of running around with those damn chains on my shoulders! Tow bars were the worst. The sound of a 14 turning, or the smells of tires. Burt grease from the cats. I don’t think we old salts could get the navy out of our blood my brother.
@@PK-kr5bk For all the hell that it was, I have no idea why I still miss it so much. Hell of a way to see the world. Thank you for your very kind response…brother. Raven
Raven, it’s pleasure to have a conversation with an old salty dog as you!
Yes you know I miss it just as much as you do although when I was in I was always looking for a way to get out. Now I see it as a source of pride!
Remember haze gray and underway my brother.
Former AB here. We absolutely bring up non-aviation rating sailors up on the flight deck, including during flight ops. We just gear them up properly and tell them where to stand. We do it because those non-aviation rating sailors have something we want in return. I got my entire DC book signed off by a HT who was very happy to be finally able to take pictures during flight ops so he could send them home to his family in the midwest. An MS who worked in the Chief's Mess got me a slice of cheesecake during a WestPac (Yeah, I had to hide to eat it, but so worth it). "Reciprocity" (aka "hook ups") is how the Navy functions. Oh... and it's BO-SUN. LOL
There’s nothing better than hustling and bartering when underway 😂 I would trade stuff that we collected on CAT 2 with a guy in the Officers Mess, and on most Fridays we would get delivered a few decent pizzas and a case of nonalcoholic Heineken, which made us feel like kings haha. Some of the best days of my lifetime.
For the gent below who commented on the Connie fire - I looked it up. It was real! Happened on 19 December 1960 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard as final touches were being finished on her construction. Apparently some heavy materials were shoved by a forklift onto a fuel line, breaking it. Fuel then descended to lower decks where it encountered ‘hot work’ igniting a blaze, took almost a complete day to extinguish. Killed 50, injured more than 300. RIP.
I WAS AN AVIATION STRUCTURAL MECHANIC E4 ON THE USS FORRESTAL 76/80 2 MED CRUISES 🤗🤗🤗
AND I'M GOING TO SHOUT ABOUT IT!!
@@dunruden9720 He earned the right. Much respect to all the tinbenders.
When The America CV-66 crossed the equator there were so many polywogs that both the hangar deck & flight decks were used to send us through the shellbacking ceremony. Hell of a day!
I crossed the equator on board the America back 1983. I remember this day very well. Go Navy@
Maybe the rules are different now, or it depends on the ship. But when I was in the Navy aboard the USS Constellation CVA64 we were allowed on the flight deck anytime flight operations weren't going on.
My first tour was in Japan on board the KittyHawk second tour as a squadron personnel that’s part of a Nimitz Battlegroup. That flight deck is the most dangerous workplace at night, you have to be really careful especially if your in the catwalks.
Served in a helicopter squadron stationed in NAS JAX back on the day, went to sea with the USS AMERICA whenever the ship went to sea. While I appreciate him trying, this guy needs to be schooled.
This guy HAS to be a robot, either that or he has NEVER been out to the internet OR TH-cam!!!
If he's not a robot, I think that one hitch in the Naval Service would school him nicely.
@@randykelso4079 thanks for letting me know you were on CVA-43. Never served aboard her, but KNOW she is TOPS. Why? Both my LCPO, my Dept Head and my last Comm O. We’re Coral Sea vets! They were all great people AND knew an ass from a hole in the ground (or deck)!
Helo squadron.
Nice video, thanks. I have a couple of comments. First, boatswain is pronounced without the "W" sound, as in "bosun". Second, it's not just the flight deck that has restricted access on a Navy ship. I was never on a carrier, rather I spent my time as an engineer (Machinist Mate) on FF's (old school sub killers) though I imagine there are similar restrictions on carriers as on other ships. For example, unless you are assigned to any of the engineering compartments (engine room, fire room, auxiliary machinery room, etc.) you are not allowed in them. Same goes for radio room, CIC, sonar room, etc. Even the bridge is off limits unless you are assigned a watch there or have some other legitimate business.
Thank you -- his pronunciation of 'Bosun' was driving me nuts -- --
Navy '72-'77 Never attached to anything that floated or flew -- wore out quite a few pairs of boots though.....
Engineering spaces on nuclear carriers have an addition restriction, you must have a TLD (dosimeter). Meaning you job must take you into the engine rooms and reactor rooms enough to justify the qualification time to get a dosimeter. They are all ionizing radiation work spaces. However my 4 years on Ike total dosage was less than if I spent a day at the beach.
Thanks for this too. 12 years as an OS in cic on tin cans. It's always bosun's mate or aviation bosun's mate.
Sorry about this error in the video. We have a professional team, but fortunately not a perfect team otherwise it would be boring and we could not improve anything. Thanks for your comment, I appreciate it! It helps us. We continue to develop ourselves. Thanks for visiting my channel! 💙
Any Sailor or Marine can use flight deck or hanger bay or any area on the ship. The only Restriction is for nuke areas and weapons storage area. Many people exercise on the flight deck. I remember one time they had a get together on the flight deck and they gave everyone beer. This was back in the Iran US Embassy hostage crisis. Our ship stayed in the area an extended period way past the time we were supposed to be home.
I was on the Coral Sea, CVA 43, & had a 7 pm - 7 am shift & we went to the fantail every night to dump our trash. I worked with guided missiles & only went to the flight deck a few times & their was no restrictions for being there. I just made sure I was not in the way & was very careful as to what was around me.
Were you a red shirt by any chance, I had a friend that died several years ago who was a red shirt on the Eisenhower
Like others are saying. I served 4 years in CVN-72, and I went to the flight deck, and fan tail numerous times. Hell the fan tail was my favorite hang out spot. The hangar bay is definitely not off limits. It is actually a major corridor through the ship.
I did close to 4 years on the Lincoln as well. Mid '05 to late '08.
I was G-1 flight deck.
I was a Photographers Mate on the USS Nimitz in the late 70’s - early 80’s. When I was assigned to the flight deck a yellow shirt always accompanied me and was always watching out for danger. Also I had clearance to almost all areas from the Bridge to the smallest work area. With proper clearance I even photographed the reactors and propulsion area. Very interesting job.
I was on a frigate behind you on plane guard duty.....
Is there any way I can see some of these pictures? I love seeing photos of that type of machinery and such
Sorry, US Navy properly…
@@roydrink Oh come on, Roy
My friends Ahmed and Ivan are into scrapbooking and they want to know if you could send them pictures of the reactor to set the mood on their autumn pages. I just met these guys. These seem really nice. Ahmed read your comment when he was reaching for some tea being passed out by the stewardess. He is very into scrapbooking.
Wait . . Ivan said he wants these photographs so bad for his scrapbook that he would like to fly you to his beach home on the west coast of Belarus so he can thank you in person. Aww, he seems so sweet.
Um, Ahmed is chanting out loud in Arabic (can you spell “CRINGY”) - holy shit. 😂
Oh, no . . Ahmed has just handed the stewardess a note. I wonder what he’s gabbing to her about.
Ahmed is sweating sooooo bad - yuck!
Ahmed . / ? !@#$$%^&*^.
I served 2 years on USS America in the early ‘70’s. I was in supply and worked in storerooms below. The only part of the ship that was off limits was the nuclear areas. I spent lots of time on both the flight deck and hanger deck. During flight ops, you stayed off the flight deck. But, any other time it was not a restricted area.
The America 🫡🇺🇸 was not a nuke!
It was a conventional CV.
@@billlimbert1053 I never said it was a nuke! However, it carried nuclear weapons. Those areas were off limits. One was directly across from the Chief's Mess Hall. I walked past it everyday for over 2 years.
I was an Aviation Electrician's Mate and a flight deck troubleshooter. The flight deck is a seriously scary place to work, even w/ all the training (most of my time was on night check). If you think it scary during the day, wait till night. At no point did I ever relax on that flight deck. As my supervisor said, "ALWAYS keep you head on a swivel".
I salute all those who spend *any* time on that flight deck.
I spent 4 years serving on an aircraft carrier. Every man that has ever served on an aircraft carrier has been on the flight deck. You just don't go on the flight deck during flight ops.
I'm guessing you have never been in the navy.
AMEN...kinda like going to the Statue of Liberty, taking the boat to Liberty Island and then not bothering to enter the Museum or the Statue!!!
@@edwardweeden8837 Right
Most people are stupid enough to "serve" lmao. Clowns.
This cheese duck that made that statement about the flight deck probably took a tour of the Intrepid and took some tour guides info as the gospel. Didn't get it from first hand real world experience.
Probably lives in the middle of Nebraska lives in his parents basement it's his safe space. Never even seen an ocean or any body of salt water
I was a ABH and the pilots don't have a say as to where the bird is being moved to on the flight deck. The ops on a flight deck is best Describe as controlled chaos.i was stationed onboard USS John C. Stennis ( CVN-74) 96-98 V-1, fly 1
And your efforts are greatly appreciated, Steve.
Working V-1 was very tough. It separated the adults from the children. USS Constellation (CV-64) 87-89.
I used to be stationed onboard the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70). I was regular ships crew. We could go to the flight deck any time we wanted except during flight ops or certain weapons loading operations or during drills or GQ (General Quarters). We almost always had access to the hanger bay except during weapons loading ops.
Some of the only areas I never got to go to was the Reactor compartment, Weapons lockers, MARDET (Marine Detachment) areas and Comm shack (Highly secret stuff there). Many other areas that most crew don't get to go to (but I did because of my job duties working on the computers) is Flag Country (Admirals area), CIC (Combat Information Center), Bridge, Captains Cabin (Both In-port/At Sea), PriFly (Primary Flight Control).
2:15 Decades ago I remember seeing a film about the tragedy aboard the USS Forrestal in bootcamp [NTC San Diego]. The way it was conveyed to us was that the [manual] mishandling and dropping of ordinance that led to the chain reaction that followed. This was 1981 [about 14 years after the event] They never told us it was started by an F-4 Phantom. I find it interesting how such a well known even can change over time.
My scariest time on the flight deck was when switching crews, hot swap, in the E-2C Hawkey, AT NIGHT. We had some of the deck guys leading us to the door, probably blue shirts, but at night the color isn't noticed. With the feathered props still turning, they don't give you an indication they are there. When feathered, there's no wind blowing foreward or aft. They are in a neutral position but still spinning. It's hard to see spinning props in the daytime and impossible to see at night. Plus the other jets are taxiing about and you have to stay with the blue shirts so you don't get blown off the deck or into the props or into a jet's intake. You can't hear anything anyone says to you because of the jet noise. So it was trust the deck crew to get you there safely! Good job guys. Glad I'm still around to talk about it.
Night ops can be bloody terrifying. I was happy when I got switched to days.
Sadly, we would lose a person or two on the flight deck on most deployments. During flight ops the flight deck was off limits. My shop was just under the flight deck. With what was going on you did not want to go outside onto a catwalk. "No shirts" were immediately screamed at to get off. CVAN65 '75-'79.
Big "E" . . . same years OS2
@@victoreous626 I.C. man
I lived on the USS Independence for almost 4 years. 1968-1972. Aircraft carriers don’t have 24/7 flight operations. I often went up on the flight deck for fresh air and to walk around. I also spent a lot of time in the hanger deck. Some of that time waiting in the chow line. I also went up on the catwalks for fresh air.
True, Med operations were usually pretty lazy LOT of down time. SE Asia was a different world... flight opps were 18 hours normally day in, day out. Not a lot of snipes or blackshoes roaming around. Hundreds of tons dropped everyday on VN south and north, mostly north.
Did you know that Air Craft Carriers are’t the only ships with flight decks. Frigates, Destroyers, Cruisers, and Amphibious Assault Ships have flight decks too. When I became a ShellBack 35+ years ago, I became very familiar with the flight deck on the USS Marvin Shields FF1066 as a very young BTFR. I learned what a “pad eye” was, because I spent 10 hours TRYING to blowing the salt water out of it as I got my ass beat. I retired as an MRC after 25 years in that canoe club. Sometimes those flight decks are best to just stay away from. Oh what great memories.
In the Navy my ship picked up a sailor blown off the deck at night because there is always a ship ( destroyer ) 1500-2000 yards behind the carrier
You were our plane guard.
DD or DE
For most of the crew, it's not a question of not being allowed on the flight deck. It's more of a question of finding time to go above the hangar bay. I have gone months where the only sight of daylight I got a chance to see was when the chow line backed up onto the hangar bay. Which it usually did. Or, when I could get the free time to go get a haircut.
And half the time your up there they snag you for FOD WALK DOWNS
My berthing was directly beneath the fantail, so it was a trivial walk up to the aft lookout stations for some fresh air. Otherwise I was standing watch on one of the main engines.
@@whirledpeaz5758 Yours was where our Nukes slept and played Magic
Apparently they figured a way to make one last the Entire Deployment.
Don't know how that game works
Always meant to learn it never got around to it. Weapons Clleaning PT
Briefings and Cage Inventories and more cleaning along with Outings was our whole deployment. Just never could find the time
Worked on the flight deck of the USS John F Kennedy (cv 67) for 4 year’s. Only time someone that wasn’t allowed on the flight deck was during flight ops!
Worked on the Hancock, Coral Sea, Ranger, Midway, Kitty Hawk. Flight deck was accessible to all except during launching and retrieving aircraft. During that time, the smoking lamp was lit.
Tractor King - USS Independence '91-'93 - anyone could participate in the FOD (Foreign Object Damage) walkdown held daily on the flight deck. Depending on the theatre of operations and the state of readiness of the carrier, there are opportunities to walk the flight deck or @ least climb into the catwalks. At any time, any member of the crew can walk the hangar bay, so long as they do not interfere with hangar deck operations.
We were there at the same time. I was with VA-115. Cross decked from the Midway to the Indy in Pearl Harbor in 91
Uh, I can't help but wonder why you only touched on the blue/yellow jerseys on the deck... every color up there has a wicked-dangerous opportunity and a responsibility that is unique to their station on the boat. FYI the pronunciation for Boatswain's Mate is actually "Bos'ns mate" (or Boe-sons mate, if that is easier) Also, when there are no flight ops or deck ops or unrep or other maintenance happening the multi-acres flight deck is a running and PT mecca! There are BBQs and steel beach days. Granted some never get up there but it's mostly that they miss the opportunities or would rather not partake in the fresh air.
You would think that V1 division did all the work on the deck to listen to this guy. Not much said about your purple jerseys, white jerseys (who you better be listening to if they speak), or Green and Red Jerseys. Everyone has their own jobs and no one job is more essential than another on the deck. They all had to work together to make things function properly. When they don't work together you get those wonderful training videos produced from the footage of the cameras mounted on the outside of the Bridge.
@@wpeale71341 Very well said.
As a ex Navy veteran as a cook on board the USS Carl Vinson CVN-70 I would every once in a while take a break on the side of the flight deck cat walk or when it was aloud we were all invited to watch the fighter jets do fly by's.😅
Served 2 tours on the Midway (CVA41), not only were crew members allowed on the flight deck, but while in the tropics, no a/c those days, we even slept on the flight deck.
Yankee Station?
Having lived on a carrier for 3 years you weren't supposed to be on the flight deck during flight ops if you didn't work there. At sea everybody else is either doing their work duties or standing watches and if you weren't you were catching up on sleep. Believe me, after so long at sea going up on vultures row to watch the planes really wasn't that big of a deal.
Like fish dinner after 5 years at fish hatchery ?
Pronounced BOWSON , have any of yall gone to school?
@@shawntailor5485 ...You got it. Lol!
@@shawntailor5485 This robot would probably have pronounced BOWSON with 'bow as in Wow'. For non-sailors it is BOW (as in the thing that shoots arrows) + SUN!
@@Vod-Kaknockers
Uçak gemisi maliyetleri çok fazla. 15 milyar dolar. Bir amfibik hücum gemisinin birim maliyeti 750 milyon dolar.
Peki amfibik hücum gemileri modüler pistli olursa ve savaş zamanı iç içe geçerek 475 metre uzunluğunda bir piste sahip olursa nasıl olur?
Muhtemelen dalgalar bu uzun güverteyi zorlayacak. Buna bir çözüm bulunabilir. Günümüzde 1 kilometre uzunluğundaki gökdelenler deprem şoklarına karşı esneyerek dayanabiliyor.
Gökdelenlerde kullanılan büyük güçteki amortisörler iki gemiyi esnetecek. Esneyebilen ski jump iki gemiye ait uçuş pistlerini birleştirecek.
Bu güzel bir fikir. Muhtemelen dünyanın en büyük uçak gemisi projesi olacak.
Bu nasıl bir fikir 🧐
That would be a untrue statement. After four years stationed aboard the USS Kitty Hawk (CVA 63) made three West pack cruises. Spent a lot of time up on top. My duty station was below decks...magazines).
Fellow Hawk sailor here. A-Gang Hydraulics. 1982-85
@@Vod-Kaknockers Another Hawk (old) Hawk sailor here. 1964/1968 Three of them Tonkin Gulf. DC-2 To much time below decks to go Bird watching in those days.
@@mrrichies.1237... I'll bet! I've got the last photos of her before she hit the scrapyard in Texas. Would liked to have walked her decks one more time but Bremerton was just a little too far just to do it.
Thank you for sharing..
I spent 3 years, 10 months, 2 weeks, and 4 days in the Navy and thankfully never set foot on a carrier.
That’s just during flight operations. I worked on the roof of USS Midway, Carl Vinson, JFK.
I went in the Navy and became a UDT Diver as an advanced EOD tech. I did that for a little over 2 years before I got hurt in a parachuting accident. Once any kind of special forces breaks you they don’t want you anymore. The Navy offered to let me stay for my whole 6 years but I had to do my last 4 on ships. During my time I spent time on 6 different Aircraft Carriers, some were when I was with UDT and then I worked as an Aviation Boatswains Mate launch/recovery for my last 4 years. I made 4 complete Med cruises, 2 west pac cruises as an ABE. With UDT I did a small part of 2 Med cruises and large part of a world cruise on the Vinson. This guy making these videos has no clue as to what he talking about. No clue about “real life” aboard an Aircraft Carrier.
I was on a really big assed heavy cruiser for 4 years. Thought I was the cat's ass. Until one day we came along side the Enterprise, CVAN 85. And I was then standing on our MAIN DECK and looking UP. AT THE BOTTOM OF HER ANCHORS. Very humbling experienace.
Another retired Navy here. Served on the USS Enterprise in the 70's. Hours on the flight deck including running and playing football. at night got a view of the sky and the stars. Also had access to the steel beach. A fairly large open area on the 011 level. (still had the cube superstructure at the time).
Jim Powell speaking.
As a former Navy airdale, I served on an aircraft carrier attached to a fighter squadron. I spent quite a bit time on the flight deck. During flight ops it can be a dangerous place for sure. Ships company would have very few people on the flight deck if any. The air wing would have around 2,200-2,500 people. Most of which would spend time on the flight deck.
Not sure what you mean about ships company having few, if any persons on the flight deck. V1, V2 and V4 divisions were all ships company, together they made up 75% of the personnel on the flight deck.
Join the Navy, serve your country and find out for yourselves.
Back in the mid-70's I served as a Plane Captain with VF-121 @ NAS Miramar. VF-121 was a training squadron, and we did two week detachments on an Aircraft Carrier, it was as much about training pilots for carrier landing as training us to work on the flight deck. A lot of moving parts during flight ops.
That's the squadron where TOPGUN was born.
Same with VF 124
great explanation about deck crew members.
YVMA Logistics. USMC 64 -- 68. Marine Detachment USS Saratoga 66 -- 68. Well as far as I know it has always been like this.
At that time there was no way to put out a Class D fire, they just pushed the burning aircraft off the flight deck into the ocean or it would just keep burning through the decks until it hits Davy Jones Locker. My buddy who was older and joined the Navy before me was serving on the Forrestal when that incident went down. He said the word was John McCain launched that missile on the flight deck. He was always pulling some kind of hot shot stunt. My buddy said he was not well liked. Quite a few sailors were not unhappy when they heard that he got shot down in Indian country. I am also ex Navy, and spent most of my time in the "Gator Navy." McCain's father was an Admiral and had a lot of pull. The inquiry said it was an "accident." The only good thing that came out of that was every sailor had to learn how to be a firefighter, not just designated teams and be proficient in it.
After that missile launch and great fire, McCain was transferred to the USS Oriskany (CVA 34) and in 1967 launched off the "O" and never returned. Spent five years in the Hanoi Hilton. He might not have been much of a pilot, but his time in the Hilton proved he was a great hero. He conducted himself with great courage and honor there until he was released. I would never have voted for him, but I still hold him in the greatest respect!!
The Forrestal fire was caused by an Aviation Ordinanceman (AO) doing a stray voltage test on a rocket pod. He performed the steps in an improper sequence. It sent a 5” Zuni rocket to an A-4 Skyhawk loaded with weapons on the fantail. The rocket did not fly far enough for the explosive train to align. The impact of the rocket caused a fuel tank and older general purpose bombs (no thermal coating) to fall to the deck. The ensuing fire and explosions killed about 164 sailors. John McCain was seated in the A-4 that was next to the plane that was hit. He suffered injuries from jumping from the nose of his plane.
Why I liked my Guided Missile Destroyer as a Corpsman, could go out on Deck, and we DID serve as Rescue and Recovery during Flight Ops, Carriers are a sight to behold!!! DOC Mike USN
Same goes for submarines .. where I served. Crew members are not allowed topside on deck during patrol.
That's primarily because the deck is several hundred feet underwater. ;)
Someone forgot to tell me that when I was on Forrestal CVA59. Other than Launches and landings, I did move about both the flight deck and the Hanger bay. One of the first thin I was taught, was if you can't see the blades of a prop (even with red lines on fuselage, it is spinning. stay clear. Never back up, always face your motion to avoid other hazards. I've even been to the top platform on the mast. ET's go everywhere 😁
And it is BoSUN's mate
yay FID
/VA85
A couple of shipmates walked into spinning props at night (two different occasions) on our watch. Don't know, but I imagine that ruined their whole day.
Thank you for your comment! We're going to pay attention in terms of BoSUN's Mate 😅
Was on CVA 60, 59-60. Always had access to the flight deck. Must wear proper color shirt during flight operations.
I was lucky enough to be a plane captain on a F4 fanthom during Vietnam in Tonkin Gulf on USS RANGER. Loved be able to go all over ship.🇺🇸
Jim Powell speaking.
Marvin, when did you serve? I served on the Ranger during two Westpac cruises, 67-68 and 68-69. I was in fighter squadron VF-154, we flew F4 Phantoms.
@@lindapowell117 I was in VF-21 and it was the 69/70 cruise. VF-154 was on there with us.
I had a friend in VF-21. His name was Milt Reel. He was from New Jersey. He was either an AQ or an AT.
@@lindapowell117 I looked in my cruise book, but didn't see him. Looked at all divisions. Maybe he got transferred before we left.
@@marvinjohnson424
I think he either got out in early 69. I got out in September of 69.or when I did in
Very informative! Thank you!
Spent 2 years aboard CVA62 USS Independence. 1968-1970 Definitely a learning experience.
I'd think that it's not only the most hazardous jobs within the navy working on the flight deck...but probably the world...great video and thanks!!!!
Statistics can say almost anything you want them to, BUT more sailors have died in carrier engine room fires (non nuclear) than FD crew (not counting CVA-59).
I was on a CVA and think that we also ought to consider other naval occupations such as bubbleheads, jarheads, SEALs, etc. Yes, the flight deck is dangerous but the worst I ever got there was a skinned pinky finger from tripping over a tie-down chain and sliding my hand over the deck's rough nonskid surface. No purple heart, though...
@@randykelso4079 from Ed Weeden…agreed. Worked closely with Comm Dept and MARDET in the classified areas. First thing my Dept.head told me when I reported aboard was “Be real careful around the Marines, specially when they’re on Blue Tile duty!” After they got to know me though they made some pretty good drinking buddies…especially in Liberty Ports like Olongapo, Hong Kong and Pattaya. They could settle a fight with only a stare!
@@randykelso4079 agreed thoroughly...most arms of the Services have their occupational hazards...people firing stuff at you would be top of the list...but for just pure wake up lets go to work and survive the day sorta stuff...the flight deck during operations would be ranking high among them...and maybe that's the reason the worst you faired was the skinned pinky...from others that faired much worse fates 😉😉😉😉
Thank you for your service!!!!
Thank you so much for your comment! Nice to hear 😘
Yet another former carrier sailor here; and like a lot of other comments, I'll state that the flight deck is a restricted area during flight operations but outside of specific evolutions, the flight deck is open for sailors to utilize for relaxing, exercising or other activities. Each carrier's commanding officer and Air Boss set policies for flight deck use on their particular command. What happens on one carrier may or may not on another. For more information about carrier flight operations take a look here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_United_States_Navy_carrier_air_operations
I rarely ever saw non-flightdeck crew on the flight deck unless we were in port, and few if any during those times either.
Unless there was a ceremony or Captain's Call.... it was all top-side crew.
I served on two carriers in the early 1970s as an aircraft mechanic mostly on the hangar deck. At sea only those whose job required it would be on the flight deck during flight ops which was almost all the time except for a few hours at night. A guy in my squadron was killed on the flight deck at night when he walked too close to an A-7 doing an engine run. Anyone could walk through the hangar deck any time though. There are large openings for the aircraft elevators and you could stand out on the sponsons which are small decks at the hangar level. There is also the fantail deck but you didn’t want to be there when airplanes are landing. I also went up on the island cat walk 4 decks above the flight deck where I took photos and super 8 videos. But when you work 12 on and 12 off it doesn’t leave much free time. I never went below the mess deck level or saw the engine rooms.
4 years on CVN65. Being a nuc, I spent more time below deck than most. There was a 22 day period in the IO I never went above the second deck.
But if I wanted to see the sun, I just checked the CCTV to see if flight ops were happening. If not, I went up to the "roof" and got some sun. The hanger bay is always open, you can usually find an open area to jog or maybe just be by yourself and breath. The fantail is also open except for flight ops.
The flight deck needs a special breed, that's for sure, but unless the flight ops are in progress, it's a big open beach.
My year on the Big E 77-78 I worked, slept hung out on the 03 level under cats 1&2 and got to go on the cat walks for sunshine only when flight ops wasn't going on.
Trust me, when fly ops are going hard you do not **want** to be on the flight deck. It seems cool until you are up to your neck in it and then you realize you are surround by dangerous things that are trying to kill you. Newbies have to shadow an experienced crewman to learn where the danger spots are, which is everywhere but behind the island unless you count the live ordinance staged all around you back there. More dangerous than flying on an average day, the flight deck at night is a well choreographed dance with death.
A note about the yellow shirts- Boatswain is not pronounced "boats-WAYNE" It's pronounced "boson". There are many other terms from the traditional days of sail that sound nothing like they are spelled and this is one of them.
ordered chaos!
@@tupoa360 Choreographed confusion. AO in A-6 squadron. Hot fuel and hot re-arm will sober you up real quick.
I remember the time when one of the yellow shirts stood up during the launch off the f-18 super hornet. The dude got his head cut off by the pylon.
Yeah, and how about FD crew being 'Blown-Off' the deck at night! Very few of them get 'rescued'.
A fuels guy did the same thing on the Coral Sea. I saw him pull a hose out not realizing that an F4 had just started it's launch and it took the top of his head off!
I believe it was on the '65 Coral Sea cruise that one poor sailor was struck by the pylon of an A-4 being launched. Took out his spine; dead before he hit the deck.
Great video. Thank you.
During my 1st tour in Viet Nam I was part of a BLT in 3rd Bn/26th Marine Regiment aboard the USS Tripoli, then designated an LPH (Landing Port Helicopters). As a Marine we were mostly allowed free rein below the Flight Deck, including the Hangar Deck, most hours. The only time we were allowed on the Flight Deck was in boarding or disembarking our helicopter. I learned a deep and abiding respect for the sailors who were assigned duty on board any ship at sea. As we were an assault group, we didn't spend any lengths of time on board the ship itself, for which I was grateful. The longer we spent on board, the smaller that vessel seemed to shrink.
Minor point here. Landing PLATFORM Helicopter... (I was aboard Iwo Jima (LPH-2)).
After serving on one, I'd call them POS!
I've seen video of "family and friends" events where civilians are taken out to sea on a carrier and allowed to sit on bleachers on one side of the flight deck so they can watch flight operations. F-18's were being launched and recovered right in front of them. The Blue Angels have also done flight demonstrations where they would do a catapult launch off the ship and then perform for a crowd of people standing on the flight deck.
We had a couple times when we took fathers and sons out for operations. They were put on an elevator with the stanchons up and the elevator slightly lowered with an operator on the ocntrols that could get them to the hangarbay if anything happened. I was in VF143 81-85. Spent most of my time on the Flightdeck.
@@dblgonzo Even with proper precautions there will always be some risk associated with having spectators up on the flight deck during flight operations. But if I had a chance to be up on a carrier's flight deck to watch flight operations as a spectator would I do it despite the risks? Absolutely!
@@joevignolor4u949 You would not need to ask me twice. What an experience that wold be!