FLIGHT DECK

with the 7:30 a.m. launch completed the catapult crews could take it easy for a while launches were scheduled every hour and a half continuing until late at night and there were no relief crews but at least now there was a 45-minute break before it was time to go up on deck again and while they rested the pilots virtually prisoners during the launch were now in their proper element [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] a little before 9:00 a.m. the movement back to the ship began [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] by 9:00 10:00 the 9:00 a.m. launch of 22 planes was almost over soon the planes that had been in the air would be able to land that's that okay scooter first large complaint recover aircraft [Music] landing a high-speed jet aircraft on a carrier calls for a great deal of skill and constant practice the tailhook on the bottom of the plane must engage one of four steel cables protruding only a couple of inches above the deck the plane is traveling at a speed of a hundred thirty to a hundred fifty miles an hour and the target is a small area on a moving ship whose deck may be pitching and rolling [Music] Oh [Music] from his position near the stern of the ship the landing signal officer or LSO guides the pilot on his final approach and determines whether or not he should try to land [Music] later [Music] [Music] [Music] one four five a birthday yesterday 40 [Music] girl [Music] Oh [Music] in coming aboard a carrier a pilot is expected to try for optimum performance this means not only landing safely and not too hard but also picking up the target wire number three [Music] number two I acceptable but not perfect the interval between planes is also a matter for constant practice it takes 17 seconds for the cable to be repositioned and ideally the next plane should come in about 10 seconds later number one wire not a good land the recovery had been proceeding without incident until near the end when one of the Fathoms made a hard landing and blew a tire this created complications [Music] the pilot was unhurt and the rest of the plane was relatively undamaged however the rim of the wheel had cut across one of the arresting cables and had broken several strands the cable had to be changed [Music] meanwhile of course no planes could land [Music] hold down bow except for heavy Oh Oh [Music] [Applause] [Music] with a new cable in place the recovery could continue [Music] [Music] only one blame ringing the one that had been waved off earlier [Music] Ram the chervil bath I understand three to go [Music] okay after the recovery the landing signal officer reviewed the performances of the pilots who had just landed hey George a little flying the GRU little climates around farm four-30 - okay Thompson sir a little climb in the groove and a high of around four zero zero like that control the end of the recovery was a signal for action the next launch was only an hour away and there was a great deal to do [Music] by 10:15 a.m. the catapult crews were on deck ready for the fourth launch of the day with eight more still to follow 7:40 p.m. the 10th launch of the day and the night still ahead [Music] [Applause] [Music] Oh evening game another system began functioning onboard the carrier CC a carrier controlled approach similar to the ground controlled approach at civilian airports 1:01 luck on four and a half starboard to one to one Roger Starbuck two one zero one approaching glide path set up your descent your fifty low in CC a the position of each plane was monitored as it moved in toward the ship for a landing and at the spin 10 console a radar operator guided the plane into its final approach Doosan plays heroine [Music] 1:01 on glide path on course three miles [Music] ball one [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] is there a steady zero five five Roger 0h are lined up right down the middle hold your altitude on glide path means early crazy right scooter ball two 20 Raj ball three through eight molding a little high trees early break it down coming down on that looks good [Music] you're just a little high the bad approach on glide path 4:05 4:05 Bali for a seat 2.3 nigelball 4:05 I'm coming down or not don't go low little power little power your loan [Music] bolter the term used when a plane misses the wires 4:05 final cleared downwind record of beheading tube or zero [Music] shortly before 8 p.m. the red lights were turned on in all areas involved with air operations anyone going up on the flight deck would have to make the most of limited visibility in the dark and red does not interfere with night vision for the catapult crews 8 o'clock Mendte welcome rest of almost an hour before the next launch and after that only one more to go [Music] [Applause] by 10:45 the last plane of the night had been launched a crusader and the recovery following it began [Music] in the ready rooms the pilots coming in from the recovery gathered to wait until it was over by 11 o'clock only one plane was not aboard for 0-2 the pilot young lieutenant j.g on his first tour of carrier duty had made a poor approach and had been waved off now he was going to try again Dragon Ball 0-2 [Music] a little loud you're holding just a little bow our our [Music] Boulder this time he missed the wires more zero two final clear now and report a beam heading two more zero we lock on to miles advised Eddie to study of them Roger zero to support tube approaching glide path begin to sense your thirty low up and on by invent where there are two volley for a statewide law report - you're holding keep the power missed again by now his fuel was low and the situation was becoming critical 4:02 vinyl clear downwind reportedly heading to more zero 4:02 final turn in final brings our old fire five boys are out to lock on to miles poor Joe to advise City there are two steady Roger zero to come for two degrees you're approaching glide path begin to set your fifty low 4:02 centerline spit ahead one here to Paul they foresee what part - Roger ball for zo2 you start a little high [Music] coming down now lead it a little power our which car I'm leave it on made it Wow [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Oh [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] for lieutenant JG Dave Savage the night was over but four others had continued [Applause] 11:05 there was still one more recovery at midnight 16 planes from the 10:30 launch were still up in the air and although the men waiting to receive them could not know it at the time one of the planes would not be coming back for most of the ship the first knowledge of the tragedy came early the next morning when a helicopter brought in the body of a dead pilot there had been no indication of trouble his plane had simply failed to appear for the last recovery however someone reported having seen a flash of light on the horizon so the carrier had turned around and searched the area the rest of the night and with the first light of dawn one of the helicopters had spotted the floating body and brought it back to the ship [Music] commander Robert Koller Rock operations officer the carrier's err wait 39 years old 21 years in the Navy married three children in the morning they are like grass that grows up in the morning it flourisheth and groweth up in the evening it is cut down and withereth for we are consumed by thine anger and by thy wrath are we troubled who knoweth the power of thine anger even according to thy fear so is thy wrath so teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom let us stand for prayer Oh God our Heavenly Father who has taught us by thy holy apostle not to sorrow over much for them that sleep in Jesus mercifully granted after this life we with all thy Saints may be received into everlasting joy through Jesus Christ thy son our Lord amen may the soul of our faithful departed Robert Abraham Kamarov rest in the hands of the Lord amen [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music]