Big E Tiger Cruise - Day 2 cont'd

[David Zeigler, Sr.]

Port.JPG. To get to Mayport the Big E had to go south of the hurricane.  Heath said some of the waves came over the flight deck.  Big E did loose part of the netting at the bow.

BOw Damgae.JPG.  We head down get some breakfast.  We continue to tour the ship.  Head up the bridge & Pri-Fly.  I did not realize that the Big E is a movie star.  It was in "Top Gun" & "The Hunt for Red October."  Deck planes.JPG Screwtops on deck. We just keep touring.  We head back to his office & the phone rings, his 1st assignement for the day - a re-inlistment ceremony.  It was held in the Enterprise Room - a small museum of sorts.  That sailor's mom was there it was a nice little ceremony.  We get done there back down to the photo lab.  This was the story all Cruise.  They wanted us to experience what our sailor did on a normal day.  Get the call, go do the assignment anywhere they need him, go back tothe photo lab, download the pictures, add captions, print the pictures out if requested, burn to a cd, give to MC1, then repeat.  I should have done some workouts prior to the cruise.  Stairmaster was a must.  I think I climbed as many stairs that would get me to the to of the Washinton Monument or the top of the Sear's Tower.  But that did not slow me down, I was with my son, watching him be in his world, no greater joy than that, I had no soreness all weekend, Monday was my sore day.  We continue to do various assignments then it was time to depart, up to an observation deck off the bridge to say by to the peir.Observ1.JPG

We get under way, Heath had me some flight deck pants, a green shirt to match his & boots. I change clothes. We were twinkies.  We grab some lunch.  Food was not bad, full breakfast-eggs, oatmeal, pancakes or waffels, fresh fruit, milk juice, lunch was BBq beef or pork sandwiches, dinner was baked chicken, grilled pork, vegetables.  Heath said they saved the good stuff for the Tigers, so I told he was welcome for this oppertunity to get a little better food.  The air show started in little while.  He gives me a camera we go out with all the tigers, up the elevator, it held about 200 people at a time at least.  David1.JPG. We go out to take photos.  The air show was amazing.  The FA18 brokethe sound barrier.  That was amazing.  After the air show down to download photos. Lab1.JPG.  We go to dinner.  Back to the lab to work on items for the next day.  The Media Department is the Public Affairs for the ship.  It is marketing for the Ship.  They spend the rest of the evening working on the daily newspaper they put out called "The Shuttle".  The newspaper is short only a few pages but just as good & well laid out as your local hometown paper.  Night gets late it is midnight, we have to muster (check-in for duty) at 7:15 am on Saturday.  What a day! 

Forgot to mention the most important part of the air show.  Captain William C. Hamilton, Jr., USN
Commanding Officer of the USS Enterprise (also a pilot) made the very last trap (landed the last plane) ever on the Enterprise.  It was really special time to see he come in.  Nailed the number two wire for a safe recovery.  Still What A Day!!