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Old 05-10-2022, 11:37 PM   #58
CALinSC
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Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Taylors, SC
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USS Nimitz

Early in 1980 the Nimitz was assigned duty in the Indian Ocean. At that time it was chosen as the carrier to provide services to the helicopters to be used in the attempted Iranian hostage situation. The helicopters were flown from the states in USAF C-5A aircraft to Diego Garcia; a small atoll in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Once put back into a flight status the Nimitz was directed to leave their station in the Arabian Sea and proceed to waters close enough to Diego Garcia where they could recover the Helicopters – at night.

Having the helicopters aboard the Nimitz was a hush-hush operation. Because of satellites tracking, every move the Nimitz made the Helicopters were hidden in the ship’s hangar bays during the daylight hours. The only time they were allowed on the flight deck was at night and during daytime heavy overcast weather.

I always wondered why the powers to be didn’t take a more serious look at desert dust conditions. More than a hundred miles from land the Nimitz had to periodically wash he dusty sand off the flight deck. They did that by finding a rain storm to do the work or use a fresh water wash down.

During that operation I was working for the Air Wing Commander as a flight deck maintenance control coordinator. I worked closely with the flight deck handler in scheduling the wing’s aircraft spotting. Having those huge Helicopters aboard and periodically moving them from the hanger decks to the flight deck was a number one PITA.

1a USS Nimitz - 1980 - .jpg 1 USS Nimitz - 1980 - .jpg
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