Tailhook Daily Briefing

Daily Briefing Editor, Back from his Nuptials

Well my vacation had to end sometime... Along with my 41 years of Bachelorhood!  But we had one hell of a Bon Voyage Party for it's farewell!  And I got a lovely Bride in the deal!

I want to thank Steel Jaw Scribe for taking the helm in my absence, his historical articles are works of art!  And we all look forward to his continued contributions.  Thank you sir!

On that note, if you too would like to contribute an article on the Daily Briefing please feel free to send an e-mail [Mail Here] with an actual article (Photo attachments welcomed -- original material please!) or an article idea is welcomed.

Stay Tuned... More soon...

John Carmichael 

TARPS Tuesday

Blue Angles over San Francisco for fleet Week 2007

The best part of the deployment...

And...Fifty-Seven Years ago...the surprise landing at Inchon.

Flying SPADs During the Korean War

An early Flightdeck Friday over at Steeljaw Scribe's site this week.  Provides some insight into the not so glamorous world of early AEW during its first fulltime application in conflict...

And Southern Air Pirate discusses the last torpedo warshot - taken during Korea at a most unusual target...

TARPS Tuesday

On This Date in 1985: Operation Red Hat

(Capture of the Achille Lauro hijackers)

Enterprise Week

October 3, 1936 - A naval legend is born:

On a bright October Saturday in 1936, a sleek steel hull, 800 feet in length, towering over the assembled dignitaries and onlookers, slipped the ways of Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company. The autumn air ringing with the words from Shakespeare's Othello - "May she also say with just pride: I have done the State some service" - the great ship was christened Enterprise, the seventh ship of that now-historic name to serve the United States. (source: www.CV6.org).

October 2, 1956 - she is betrayed...

More at Eagle1 today.

Flightdeck Friday: AM-1 Mauler

Today -- the Martin AM-1 Mauler:

In 1943 the Navy issued a requirement for a new series of carrier-based attack aircraft, looking to combine the heretofore separate missions of scout/dive bomber and torpedo bomber. The venerable Dauntless had been replaced by the problematic Curtis Helldiver and the TBF/M Avenger had assumed the torpedo and bomber missions. Drawing on lessons learned to date from CV-ops in the Pacific and anticipating increased demands on striking power from the carriers, the Navy’s proposal called for “Bomber Torpedo,” or “BT” proposals.

The Women of the USS Ronald Reagan Get in the Act!

Enjoy: [Link]

That don't impress them much!

Well done ladies!

This Date in Naval History

October 3, 1964: Operation Sea Orbit ended as Enterprise and Long Beach arrived at Norfolk and Bainbridge reached Charleston, S.C. This task force, the world's first composed entirely of nuclear powered ships, left Gibraltar on 31 July, sailed down the Atlantic and around Africa, across the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and around Cape Horn, completing a 65 day and 30,216 nautical mile round-the-world cruise without taking on either fuel or provisions.

On July 31, 1964, USS Enterprise (CVN 65), USS Long Beach (CGN   9) and   USS Bainbridge (CGN 25) departed the Mediterranean Sea for a 65-day, 30,000-mile   around-the-globe cruise to be carried out completely free from refueling or logistic   support while operating at a normal tempo.  The  three ships, traveling under   all kinds of weather conditions, made the 5115-mile transit from Australia to Cape Horn,   South Africa at an average speed of better than 25 knots--demonstrating the capability of   nuclear-powered surface ships to reinforce quickly U.S. interests in remote areas and   operate over great distance at high speeds without logistic support.

Welcome Home Nimitz CSG

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) returned to its homeport of San Diego Sept. 30, following a successful six-month deployment to promote peace, regional cooperation and stability in the Western Pacific and Middle East.

After departing San Diego April 2, Nimitz steamed directly to the U.S. 5th Fleet (C5F) area of operations to relieve USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) and join USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). While deployed, the ship participated in joint and multilateral operations and exercises and the crew served as American ambassadors during several port calls.

Nimitz arrived in C5F May 8 and the squadrons of embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 began flying operations in support of ground troops participating in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. In two stints in the Gulf, CVW-11 flew 8,240 hours in direct support of both missions.

“This aircraft carrier has saved hundreds of British, American, Iraqi and Afghani lives,” said Army Sgt. 1st Class Richard Elias. “I could confidently say that every time [jets] fly overhead, it makes an insurgent think twice about committing an act against coalition forces, be it in Iraq or Afghanistan.”

In addition, Nimitz made history as the first American aircraft carrier to make a port visit to India. The carrier joined the guided-missile destroyer USS Pinckney (DDG 91) for a port visit to Chennai, July 2-5, where senior leadership met with Indian military and government officials.

CVW-11’s squadrons include “Tophatters” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 14, “Black Aces” of VFA-41, “Sunliners” of VFA-81, “Wallbangers” of Airborne Early Warning Squadron 117, “Red Devils” of Marine Corps Strike Fighter Squadron 232, “Black Ravens” of Electronic Warfare Squadron 135, “Providers” of Carrier Logistics Support Squadron 30 and the “Indians” of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 6.

Nimitz is the flagship for Commander, Carrier Strike Group 11. Commanded by Rear Adm. Terry Blake, Nimitz CSG also includes embarked Destroyer Squadron 23 with guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59), guided-missile destroyers USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53), USS Higgins (DDG 76), USS Chafee (DDG 90) and USS Pinckney (DDG 91) as well as the “Scorpions” of Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron Light (HSL) 49, “Easy Riders” of HSL-37 and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 11, Det. 3.

More here

A “Thank You” From the CNO

From Adm. Mike Mullen, Chief of Naval Operations              

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Hello everyone. I wanted to simply say thanks. Thanks to all our great Sailors and to your families.

You are the best I’ve ever seen in my four decades of service, and we simply wouldn’t be the Navy we are today without you.

I’ve been asked by several people over the last couple of weeks what it is I will miss most about this job and about the Navy. I tell them pretty simply, it’s the people. It’s all of you.

...Read the rest here.