Hello,
My first cruise was on an aircraft carrier. The U.S.S. Ranger out of San Diego.
I was with a squadron from Whidbey Island, Wa. VAQ-137. The planes we had were EA 6-B. Basically these planes were a 4 seater that went and jammed radar.
I was lucky and caught the cruise on the way home. Just before Thanksgiving, i flew from Whidbey to Seattle, SAn Francisco, Hawaii, Guam, and then a little island out in the Indian Ocean called Diego Garcia. It was a stop over for supplies and stuff. From there i took a Destroyer out to the Ranger. We got close, about 200 yards, side by side and a helicopter came from the Ranger. This Destroyer had a heli pad and i waited for it to land. It didn't, but i saw a hoist being loaded. There goes my duffle bag....and here it comes again. They buckle me up and hoist me to the helicopter. It was hovering about 100 feet above. And you all thought Fear Factor was something?
On out return trip we stopped in the following places..........
Mombasa Kenya, Africa...New Years Eve
Sri Lanka
Pattaya Beach Thailand
Olangapo,Phillipines
Hong Kong
Phillipines again
Pearl Harbor
SAn Diego
Between the Phiilipines and Hwaii i saw the biggest waves ever. They came just short of the deck.
Anyways thats my story...... :grin: