Tour Aircraft Carrier

On Tuesday, I got a special treat.  I was invited to tour the USS Abraham Lincoln stationed in Everett, WA.  The program was sponsored by the US Navy’s chaplain department as a way to link arms with local pastors and ministries.  This is the first time I have ever been on a Navy ship.  I got to go right to the granddaddy of them all, a flat top.

As you might imagine, nothing can prepare you for the size of an aircraft carrier.  It is nearly 1100 feet long, that’s three football fields!  More than 3,000 sailors make this home when they set sail.  It really is a floating city.

I was so impressed with every aspect of the boat and the crew.  These folks knew their stuff, and they were kind and gracious.

There are many stories from the trip, but let me share just two.  First, we got to go to the spot on the ship called the flotsam.  I’m no Navy guy, but my understanding was that this was the part of the ship that housed the chain used to secure the ship.  I was blown away to learn that every link of the chain you see in this picture weighs 360 lbs.  Each link of that chain is the size of a lineman in the NFL!  And did you know that a carrier does not have an anchor?  They just drop down so much chain onto the bottom of the ocean that the chain itself acts as the anchor.  And maintenance.  Wow.  There is a whole segment of the crew who simply care for that chain, removing the debris and repainting it religiously.  The ship does not operate without this important ability to stabilize and moor the ship.

Okay, second thing.  They also took us on quite a tour of the deck.  This is the spot where they launch all the planes.  Of course, they were not launching while we were there, but they told us quite a lot about it.  In this picture, you see one of the cables that catches one of the FA-18s that land on the Lincoln.  They told us that they replace that cable every 100 catches.  In order to secure the safety of those pilots, they don’s skimp on replacement.  Every 100 catches and you get a new cable.  Can you imagine the cost of that alone?  Bottom line, it costs money to do things that are important to the country’s defense.  And it costs money and resources to do important things in our lives too.

Okay, final picture.  I got this picture of me sitting in the captain’s chair in the bridge.  I was a bit surprised that they gave us free reign to look at everything in this nerve center of the ship.  I was a little reluctant to even sit in that chair until they encouraged me to do it!

I tip my hat to all the personnel who are in our armed forces.  It is a sacrifice that I respect and admire.  Their team work and determination is also something that all Americans could learn from… and emulate.