16 NAVY NEWS, SEPTEMBER 2007
Our carriers may be small. Our Fleet might pale by comparison.
But there’s much the Americans can learn from – and admire
– aboard Britain’s strike fl agship HMS Illustrious. US journalist
Vago Muradian offers a unique perspective of life aboard Lusty
during Anglo-American exercises off the Eastern Seaboard.
W
HAT’S the defi nition
OK to relax afterward with a beer, sight, pilots said.
of heaven if you’re a
within the rules we live by,” Van Camp “I expected it to be violent, but when
Marine Harrier pilot?
said. “The challenge is maintaining that you take off, it’s almost a non-event,”
balance of mission and safety.” said Maj. Grant ‘Postal’ Pennington, a
Why, spending If you’re fl ying the next day, you’re pilot with VMA-513 at Marine Corps Air
two weeks on one of Britain’s
not drinking, nor are you staying up late, Station Yuma, Arizona. “Up you go, and
aircraft carriers, of course.
Bradicich said as he sipped a soft drink. you’re climbing. It’s a great experience.”
“What’s not to like? The fl ying’s
“It’s a great tool that we don’t have,” Equally important is the ship that’s
awesome, the food and quarters are
Bradicich said. “On our ships, there’s no bolted to the ramp, pilots said.
great, and you can get a drink at the end
place where you can really unwind, get “Some of our younger guys who
of the day,” said Maj Stephan ‘Poppy’
to know your shipmates on a personal haven’t fl own from our ships yet are in for
Bradicich, the executive offi cer of Marine
level, and solve disagreements. Our view a big surprise when they do,” Bradicich
Attack Squadron 542 who helped plan
is that if you have free time, you should said. “This is probably the best ship you
the unprecedented embarkation of 16
be doing something other than hanging could possibly fl y a Harrier from. It’s
Harriers and 200 Marines aboard HMS
around. Here, everyone works just as not very big, but it’s really stable, no roll,
Illustrious, known as Lusty to its crew.
hard, but they also know how to unwind. just a little pitch, not like the fl at-bottom
The largest-ever embark of Marine
It’s a huge philosophical difference.” gators that roll so much. You’ve got the
personnel and aircraft aboard a foreign
That philosophical difference manifests island moving 30 feet in each direction
warship from July 15-31 was part of
in the relaxed atmosphere aboard the when you’re trying to land. That tends
Joint Task Force Exercise Operation
ship, including the relationship between to get your attention.”
Bold Step 07-02 that included the Harry
offi cers and ratings — British for enlisted The combination of ski ramp, stability
personnel. and dedicated crew contributed to
S Truman and Dwight D Eisenhower
Case in point? Expect a cheery “good a breakneck operational pace. The
strike groups, to prepare Truman for its
morning” as you make your way down Marines proudly logged a ship record of
upcoming deployment.
the passage or an offer for help if you 79 take-offs and landings in one day.
The accommodations and food drew
look lost. And in a welcome relief for the “These guys are great. We’ve qualifi ed
high marks from the Marines. They
American contingent, the 1MC system 28 guys in three days, most with eight
enjoyed everything from curry night to
doesn’t crackle with announcements 24 landings and take-offs, so even though
such traditional Royal Navy dishes as
hours a day, and the offi cers don’t carry we said that we were going to crawl, walk,
“hammy eggy cheesy” — toast layered
radios to contact one another or the run, our pace has been tremendous, even
with shredded ham, an egg and covered
captain. with different procedures,” Pennington
with melted cheese — and kippered
“When you have a third of the ship said. “We like to approach the ship at
herrings along with eggs, bacon and
asleep at any given time, it doesn’t make 45˚and hit one of the spots, but they
beans for breakfast, or haggis and
much sense to be waking them by blaring approach from dead astern, come to a
bashed neeps — mashed turnips — for
unnecessary announcements every few hover abeam, slide over, then drop down
dinner. The ship even features “Chips at
minutes,” one British offi cer said. to the deck. It’s different, but you get the
Six” — fresh French fries served in the
In fact, the only announcement is hang of it.”
bar before dinner.
from the operations centre that details The only downside? “The thought
Other pluses? A roomy, teak
the day’s plan and tests important that we’re going to have to get off,”
quarterdeck aft to take a quiet break or
alarms. The only other time you hear the Bradicich said.
take in a sunset, beautifully varnished
loudspeaker is when there’s a problem, To welcome the Marines aboard, the
wooden ladders and generous carpeting
such as a fi re or engineering casualty. ship’s company invited their American
— which are stripped when the ship goes
And why don’t the offi cers carry radios guests to an evening of traditional
into battle — and Internet connectivity
like their American counterparts? “What Royal Navy tomfoolery, Horse Racing
that works every time.
the bloody hell do you need a radio for?” Night. Outlandish costumes were
● Illustrious leads USS Harry S Truman and USS Dwight D Eisenhower
during the exercise and (below) a closer look at the awesome Truman and
But one of the most satisfying things
the British offi cer asked. “You know the encouraged, and the event, held in the
Eisenhower, their fl ight deck crammed with jets
is that the ship is a strike carrier where
plan, what the captain’s intentions and ship’s hangar deck on July 21 because of
Pictures: LA(Phot) Darby Allen, PO(Phot) Christine Wood, HMS Illustrious
Harriers, not helicopters, are the
expectations are. As an offi cer, your job choppy weather, was hosted by an Elvis
and US Marine Corps/US Navy
priority.
is to lead, and if you need to talk to the impersonator in full polyester regalia as
“This is the Royal Navy’s A team, and
captain all the time, then you’re not the ship’s band played.
they live and breathe strike,” said Col
doing your job or letting him do his.” The next day, an athletic competition
Eric ‘Beans’ Van Camp, the commanding
Another philosophical difference is was held on Illustrious’ fl ight deck,
offi cer of Marine Aircraft Group 14,
that the British are open to ideas that pitting the Royal Navy against the
who also commanded the US
to Americans seem goofy, but work, Marine Corps in six events: rowing;
air group aboard Illustrious.
such as the 12˚ ramp at the bow of the weightlifting; tractor pull; the standard
“On a gator (amphibious
ship that dramatically improves Harrier Royal Navy physical fi tness, or ‘bleep,’
assault ship – Ed), the
operations. Senior US naval offi cers over test; shuttle run with two 40-pound
Harriers are secondary
the decades have vetoed the idea, saying sandbag weights; and a tug of war.
to the amphibious and
they don’t like how it looks and that it To the Marines’ chagrin, the Brits won
helicopter mission.” takes up three helicopter landing spots. all the events except for weightlifting.
Then there is the British and Marine offi cers say only one In a more military contest, the Marine
pièce de resistance, deck spot is lost to the “ski jump.” aircraft dropped dummy bombs and fi red
the 20-foot-long To a man, Marine pilots want the 20mm rounds against a target towed
blond oak bar that is ramps installed on their ships to improve by Illustrious that produces a geyser of
the centerpiece of a operational fl exibility and safety. water and serves as an aim point.
spacious lounge, part “We’re all in love with the ski ramp Sailors expressed confi dence that the
of the wardroom annex because when you come off that ramp, Marines wouldn’t hit the target, and
where off-duty offi cers you’re fl ying,” Bradicich said. “From our despite several close calls — including
can draw a pint, dram, ships, if you’re fully loaded, you need a mock bomb attack by one of the
cocktail, coffee or tea and 750 feet, and even then you’ve got some youngest pilots, 1st Lt Douglas ‘Rosie’
refl ect on the day and sink once you clear the deck. Here, you Rosenstock — that lifted it out of the
prepare for tomorrow. can do the same thing in 450 feet and water, the target escaped unscathed.
“Everyone’s working you’re climbing.”
Reproduced by permission
really hard, but it’s also But the ramp is intimidating at fi rst of US Marine Corps Times
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