USS Lincoln earns best trip of mission

By William Cole
Advertiser Military Writer

Aviation Botswainsmates David Lee, left, and Vincent Smith stand by with firefighting gear as an aircraft lands on the USS Abraham Lincoln. After a record 10-month deployment, the carrier is heading home to Everett, Wash. Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser

For almost three days during Operation Iraqi Freedom, visibility was one-16th to one-eighth of a mile, said Capt. Kevin C. Albright, commander of Carrier Air Wing 14 on board the aircraft carrier.

"We had fellas landing when they saw the ship five seconds prior to landing," Albright said yesterday as the carrier steamed toward Pearl Harbor. "In my 20-some years of flying, that was the worst consistent flying we've ever had to do."

At 7,000 feet to 8,000 feet, the Navy aircraft could get above the dust clouds, "but coming back — either takeoff or landing — you came down into this chocolate milki like talcum powder of an environment. That's what we flew in."

Despite those challenges, it's the type of environment the carrier and its battle group continued to excel in on what will be a record-setting 10-month deployment — the longest for a nuclear-powered carrier.

The last time any U.S. carrier was deployed for that long was during the Vietnam War, when the USS Oriskany was at sea for 10 months in 1972 and 1973.

KING-TV Seattle cameraman Ken Jones leans back for a shot of the Abraham's commanding officer, Capt. Kendall Card. The carrier hosted reporters for 31 days. Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser

Now the 5,500 sailors and aviators aboard the Nimitz-class carrier just want to go home.

"To be honest with you, Pearl Harbor and San Diego, they're just stops on the way," said Personnelman 1st Class Sam D'Andrea as the carrier was about 90 miles west of O'ahu. "I'm anxious to get home. I have got to see my wife and kids again. That's what I'm really looking forward to."

The seven-ship battle group, which had been to the Persian Gulf once and was heading home from Australia when it got orders to turn around, is expected to reach Everett, Wash., on May 6.

Having hosted 31 media organizations already, the Lincoln will soon have another guest on board: President Bush, who will congratulate the crew Thursday off the coast of San Diego.

Debbie Canionero's son, Jesse, 20, an aviation boatswain's mate, has a full schedule lined up for the day he has back home in Hawai'i.

"Next stop, Zippy's in Kapolei for a bucket of fried chicken, then Tastee Freeze in Wai'anae for some mustard/mayo fries, and of course, the need to take some time alone at his favorite spot on the Wai'anae Coast," said Debbie Canionero.

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Top: An F-14 Tomcat taxies on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln. For almost three days, during Operation Iraqi Freedom, planes were taking off and landing in visibility of one-eighth to one-16th of a mile. Above: On the F-14 are stencils that depict Felix the Cat aiming a bomb. Each image represents a successful bombing hit. Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser

"I just appreciate him being here one day, because they weren't going to come here, from what I was told," she said. "They were out so long, they were going to go straight to San Diego, so I'm happy to just see him one day."

Petty Officer 3rd Class Monaliza Menor, 23, an aviation machinist mate who works on jets, is tacking a couple of weeks of leave onto her stop here to spend time with her family.

"She can't wait (to get here)," said her mother, Elvira Ferreira, who lives in 'Ewa Beach. "She said it's really hard because you see the same people every day."

Ferreira said she's just going to "treat her good — take care of her. I'm just going to stay home with her."

Some families in the battle group, which included the Pearl Harbor-based vessels USS Paul Hamilton, a destroyer; USS Reuben James, a frigate; and USS Cheyenne, an attack submarine, got news of the extended deployment on New Year's Eve.

The Cheyenne returned Thursday, the Paul Hamilton arrives home today, and the Reuben James will pull into Pearl Harbor tomorrow. The Cheyenne was the first to fire a Tomahawk missile in Operation Iraqi Freedom, while the Paul Hamilton fired the most Tomahawks of any ship in the conflict. The battle group fired 116 of the low-flying cruise missiles.

To keep spirits up on the long deployment — in which crew members sometimes worked 18-hour days — the Lincoln held a "steel beach picnic" about two weeks ago, with grills on deck, kiddie swimming pools, volleyball and skateboarding on the flight deck.

The crew got a "beer day" April 12, with two beers apiece.

Abraham Lincoln commanding officer Capt. Kendall Card said the news of the extended deployment "was a little bump in morale."

"But you know, this crew took it extremely well," Card said. "I can't tell you how fast — within 24 hours — everyone was going, 'OK, we've got a mission to do, an important mission to do. Everyone understood that."

Reach William Cole at wcole@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-5459.