Successful Kitty Hawk Cruise Concludes
Navy Newsstand
Story Number: NNS031212-22
Release Date: 12/12/2003 10:53:00 PM
By Journalist Seaman Christopher Koons, USS Kitty Hawk Public Affairs
YOKOSUKA, Japan (NNS) -- As USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) pulled back into her permanently forward-deployed operating port of Yokosuka, Japan, Dec. 12, the aircraft carrier's leadership looked back with pride at what their personnel accomplished during the ship's six-week fall underway period.
"In terms of accomplishing our mission, AIMD (Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department) was very successful," said Cmdr. David Geerdes, the ship's AIMD officer.
AIMD repairs aircraft parts belonging to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 and must coordinate with others aboard Kitty Hawk.
"We have to send the parts to the supply department to give back to the air wing after we repair them," said Geerdes. "All three departments worked well as a team."
AIMD met its main objectives during the cruise.
"We got all of our equipment operating, and we fully exercised our ability to repair everything CVW-5 needed to have repaired."
One of the most important pieces of machinery owned by AIMD is the new jet engine test instrumentation (JETI) system, which had its breaking-in during the fall underway period.
"It performed perfectly," said Aviation Machinist's Mate 1st Class James Brackeen of the jet shop. "We ran every engine on it, and everyone in the shop is now qualified to handle JETI."
Other Kitty Hawk department heads also said their personnel performed exceptionally during the cruise.
"Overall, we did great," said Cmdr. Brian Sheppard, Kitty Hawk's supply officer. "Our equipment availability across the board was a result of hard work during the ship's time in drydocking ship's restricted availability," referencing the ship's extensive summer 2003 maintenance period.
"One of our Sailors prepared more than 300 compartment check-off lists," added Sheppard. "Most departments do not even have that many spaces."
The supply personnel who work on the mess decks also performed to high standards, said Senior Chief Mess Management Specialist (SW) Nestor Tumulac.
"In November alone, we served 122,962 rations," said Tumulac. "One ration is equal to three meals."
With the ship back in port, Sheppard said he is looking forward to the next cruise.
"Right now, we are looking out at least six months to find out what it will take to support the ship during the spring underway period."
Those who work in Kitty Hawk's post office literally pulled more than their weight during the fall underway, according to Chief Postal Clerk (SW) Noel Delos Santos, the ship's postal officer.
"During the cruise, we handled 65,000 pounds of incoming mail and 25,000 pounds of outgoing mail," said Delos Santos.
Since all mail to and from Kitty Hawk's crew had to be routed through Guam's post office during the ship's five-day port visit there, the Battle Cat's postal staff worked alongside Guam postal employees while the ship was docked. Because of this teamwork, Kitty Hawk's postal staff received a thank you letter from the manager of the Guam post office, said Delos Santos.
"This recent port visit to Guam by your ship was one of the most efficient I have seen in regard to mail operations," wrote Kevin Brunton, post office manager. "We look forward to Kitty Hawk's next visit here."
The Guam port visit over Thanksgiving weekend provided a much-needed respite for Battle Cat Sailors, as this was the first port visit for Kitty Hawk in a year. In addition to beaches and nightlife activities, Sailors volunteered for a community relations project at the local Sisters of Carmelite convent.
Medical department also had a good cruise, according to Cmdr. Kris Belland, Kitty Hawk's senior medical officer.
"It went remarkably well," said Belland, when the department conducted Medical Readiness-04 during the cruise to make sure the Kitty Hawk and CVW-5 crew of nearly 5,000 Sailors were up to date on their individual medical requirements.
"We had 100 percent participation from the crew," said Belland.
The department's success was due in large part to the hard work of its enlisted Sailors, said Belland. "Our hospital corpsmen were always up to the task."
For many in CVW-5, the cruise was a challenge.
"The weather did cause us some difficulties," said Lt. Cmdr. Clay Williams, CVW-5's assistant operations officer. During the underway, a typhoon forced the air wing to postpone and reschedule certain flight operations.
Despite the rough weather, the aircrews of CVW-5 persevered.
"Overall, it was successful," said Williams. "We flew about 700 sorties," he said.
Capt. Thomas Parker, Kitty Hawk's commanding officer, said the fall underway once again demonstrated why Kitty Hawk is one of the Navy's premier national assets.
"Our underway period has been busy. It has been successful," he said. "Summarizing, six weeks at sea to include a great ANNUALEX (annual exercise) joint military exercise with Japan, a terrific port visit in Guam with exemplary conduct from the crew, a bit of dancing around a typhoon while still having success in air wing flight training, and some huge strides in testing and maintaining the material condition of the ship."
As a result of the Navy-wide advancement exam, 167 Sailors were promoted during this underway period. Another 11 Sailors added a new rank through the Command Advancement Program.
"We should all be pleased at how our Forward Deployed Naval Force Sailors are doing out here. These young kids make miracles happen every day and rarely get the attention as seen back in the States," Parker said.
"Together, USS Kitty Hawk, with Carrier Air Wing 5, we showed that the Battle Cat is still quite a powerhouse as America's most seasoned warship, and fully deserving of being the Navy's only permanently forward-deployed aircraft carrier," he concluded.
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