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Helo detachment provides valuable service for 7th Fleet staff

7th Fleet News

Release Date: 5/20/2003

Journalist 2nd Class Shawn Burns, 7th Fleet public affairs

ABOARD USS BLUE RIDGE AT SEA -- As the sole method of transportation off ship while underway, the Sailors of Helicopter Squadron Light (HSL) 51 Detachment 11 are tasked with a demanding, and often self-sufficient, workload.

Embarked aboard the 7th Fleet command and control ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19), the 17-Sailor detachment maintains a UH-3H helicopter, providing transportation for Commander, 7th Fleet Vice Adm. Robert F. Willard to a variety of locations throughout the 7th Fleet area of operations.

According to the detachment's maintenance officer, Chief Warrant Officer Daniel Lee Erb, the group of Sailors who keep the 40-year-old aircraft flying work around the clock in an effort to ensure the key mode of transportation off the ship is always ready.

"The maintainers have a very important role in this command," Erb said. "Detachment 11 may not be in the Gulf fighting for freedom, but what these young men and women do is just as important. This is the only UH-3H in the command, the rest of our aircraft are SH-60B's, so there is nowhere to turn for help. The crew has learned to rely on each other to get the job done."

With personnel from several of the aviation ratings, these Sailors sometimes find themselves working longer hours than others on the ship. According to Airman Apprentice Milton Santana of Brooklyn, N.Y., the crew's pride and sense of responsibility keeps them motivated.

"It's our responsibility to keep the helo working and exceptionally clean," Santana said. "My personal motivation is seeing the admiral ready to fly, and our helo looking its best to taxi him where he needs to go. We try to help each other as much as possible and that way, no one person feels the work load."

According to Erb, these young maintainers work hard to keep the aircraft flying safe.

"It seems at times that they do their job with only duct tape and wire," Erb said. "One of our biggest challenges is obtaining parts, they seem to be harder to come by and it almost feels as if these guys are miracle workers at times. There have been times during deployment that the maintainers work through the night without a hangar and proper lighting. It isn't easy working in the rain with the wind blowing across the flight deck and only having a flashlight to work with."

Working with a machine as large and complex as a helicopter offers many challenges to these Sailors. According to Aviation Machinist's Mate 2nd Class (AW) Javid Benson of Alexander City, Ala., his greatest challenge during the last underway period was being prepared to lend support at any time.

"The helo had just left the deck and everyone went to chow, so no one was on the flight deck," Benson said. "Then all of the sudden emergency flight quarters was called away on the 1MC. We were dispatched all over the ship, but it took less than two minutes to have everyone assembled on the flight deck, ready to make sure our helo made it safely back on deck without being destroyed and most importantly ensuring the safety of all of the crew members."

In Erb's eyes, the hard work and dedication of the 17 members of Det. 11 keeps the aircraft flying and one of the greatest missions of 7th Fleet, engagement, possible.

"No one really sees what they do and how they do it," Erb said. "Miracles happen every day, but in this case it is not so much miracles as it is the hard work and dedication that these guys put in every day."