USS Nimitz drops anchor in Hawai'i
By William Cole
Advertiser Military Writer
Bristling with warplanes that may be sent into combat over Iraq, the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz pulled into Pearl Harbor yesterday for a five-day liberty call before it heads to the Persian Gulf.
Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser
Young sailors in shorts and sunglasses streamed off the 97,000-ton carrier, getting shell lei as they went, but with the gravity of what likely lies ahead not far below the surface.
Sailors from the USS Nimitz, which heads to the Persian Gulf next week, arrived at Pearl Harbor yesterday. The United States, Britain and Spain co-sponsored a proposal to give Iraq until Monday to comply with U.N. Resolution 1441. But with that plan unlikely to pass, U.S. officials are now considering giving Iraq more time to disarm.
"I think everyone's expecting to be out (on deployment) a while," said Petty Officer 3rd Class Stephen Arnold, 23, a fire controllman. "I'm just keeping up the best hope that we'll be home as soon as possible."
Petty Officer 2nd Class William Lattin, also a fire controllman, said the stop in Pearl Harbor has extra meaning.
"It does in the way we may not get another (liberty) port, so I'll make the most of this that I can," he said.
More than 8,000 Pacific Fleet sailors are deploying with the carrier battle group, which includes seven ships — among them the Pearl Harbor-based cruiser USS Chosin.
Two ships, the frigate Rodney M. Davis, and the Bridge, a fast combat support ship, docked in Maui. The Nimitz, with more than 70 aircraft, will join five others within striking distance of Iraq — the same number arrayed for the start of the first Gulf War in 1991.
Capt. Robert J. Gilman, Nimitz commanding officer, said the battle group will head west after it pulls out of port on Saturday.
"This is a normal scheduled deployment, and we're ready to go — the ship is ready, the crew is ready," Gilman said.
The last time the San Diego-based Nimitz deployed was in 1997. The 28-year-old carrier received an overhaul from 1998 to 2001 in Newport News, Va.
Aboard is Carrier Air Wing 11 with four F/A-18 Hornet squadrons, including two squadrons of new Super Hornets replacing older F-14 Tomcats.
"The Super Hornet does bring a significant increase in capability to the air wing," Gilman said. "Longer range, higher (technology) weapons, more weapons stations. They can carry more payload — the satellite weapons, the laser weapons. They do it all."
Gilman said he hasn't seen a lot of apprehension about a possible war. Some of the sailors said they expect to be on duty for more than six months.
"There's the appropriate amount, I think, of excitement, of pride; there's the appropriate amount of 'we've trained to do this,' " Gilman said.
Josh Griffin, a 22-year-old airman trainee who was resetting tie-down chains on an F/A-18, is on his first deployment.
He said he felt "a little bit nervous, scared, excited to see a different place."
"(I'm) expecting a lot of excitement, danger, because of where we're supposedly going," he said.
The carrier left San Diego March 3, about two weeks ahead of schedule. It's expected to take about 30 days to reach the Persian Gulf.
Gilman said the 5,500 sailors and air wing members on the Nimitz will be able to stay in touch with family via e-mail and satellite phone. The carrier sends and receives 30,000 to 40,000 e-mails a day.
"So there's a lot of personal contact with families," he said.
Reach William Cole at wcole@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-5459.
