USS Enterprise Weathers Hurricane Irene
Navy News Service
Story Number: NNS110827-07
8/27/2011
By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Nick C. Scott, USS Enterprise (CVN 65) Public Affairs
PORTSMOUTH, Va. (NNS) -- A skeleton crew is hunkered down aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) Aug. 27 as the crew weathers Hurricane Irene.
While many Navy ships homeported in Norfolk went underway to more safely navigate the storm at sea, Enterprise was moved to Norfolk Naval Shipyard because the location is deemed safer for ships unable to get underway.
The ship was moved by tug boats Aug. 25, a rare move which took more than three hours for the tug crews and the ship's duty sections and volunteers.
"These Sailors worked hard to move the ship, and now they are keeping her safe during the storm," said Cmdr. Jody H. Grady, the ship's command duty officer. "This will be a sea story that they will be able to tell their children and their grandchildren that they were on the legendary Big 'E' (Enterprise) during Irene."
Enterprise also opened its doors for her temporary neighbor, aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). More than 300 Harry S. Truman Sailors will have the option to stay aboard Enterprise because their ship's extended shipyard maintenance availability doesn't allow for overnight stays.
"We try to help our neighbors as much as possible," said Lt. Melissa E. Johnson, from Enterprise's Operations Department, who is on board keeping the crew informed about the status of the storm. "We are responsible for tracking weather, checking on roads, flood areas and keeping the base notified of tornadoes, and we're making sure Truman is informed as well. Our primary concern is the safety of our Sailors and equipment."
During the storm, Enterprise has had to change its communications from ground based to satellite based in case of power outages on land. It's an advantage a warship has over a building, and it makes being aboard an aircraft carrier perhaps safer than weathering it ashore.
"It's our job to keep the phones and televisions up and running and to check on our electrical boxes," said Interior Communications Electrician (SW) 1st Class Reginald W. Morris. "It may seem like a small detail from the outside, but the Sailors who have stayed on board to work this weekend are concerned for their family and property, and they will need lines of communication with their families in the area."
While Enterprise is the nation's oldest active warship and celebrates her 50th birthday in November 2011, the ship has state-of-the-art communications capabilities, and the ship's public affairs officer has been continuously keeping families informed via the ship's Facebook page.
"We are using every communication tool at our disposal to keep our Sailors and their families informed," said Lt. Cmdr. Sarah T. Self-Kyler, the ship's public affairs officer. "Enterprise has been weathering storms for half a century, and in the age of social media, we have even more tools to reach our audience in our effort to ensure everyone is safe."
The carrier began tracking the hurricane days ago, and detailed hurricane preparedness information was distributed to the ship's crew to help fully prepare them.
While most of the crew is at home with their families weathering the storm, the crew on board are taking every precaution available to protect the ship.
"We are keeping a close eye on all our spaces, but especially the hatches to the weather decks," said Morris.
Enterprise recently returned from her 21st deployment, where she served in the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility, conducting missions from counter-piracy and counter-terrorism to more than 1,450 combat missions in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and New Dawn.
Enterprise will celebrate its 50th birthday Nov. 25 and kick-off a yearlong tribute to its 50 years of service before its scheduled decommissioning in the fall of 2012.
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