Show of Force/Groundhog Day
Show of Force -The mission really kicks off when the Nimitz arrives in the Gulf. The conditions are extreme: flight deck personnel endure temperatures hovering around 120 degrees, while the pilots undertake grueling six-hour missions over Iraq. The F-18s are mounted with infrared cameras, enabling them to serve as the "eyes in the sky" to support the troops on the ground. Some of the pilots are frustrated that they're not dropping bombs because, as they describe it, that's what they've been trained to do. The aircraft "Carrier"'s role and effectiveness in this particular war are questioned. Meanwhile, the strike group searches for terrorists on small dhows and intercepts cargo ships to search for weapons and bomb-making materials.
Groundhog Day – After two months in the Gulf, one day starts to become indistinguishable from the next. The airwing still hasn't dropped a single bomb, which is frustrating for everyone on board. The only relief comes from a port call in Bahrain, where some sailors relax by the pool, while others visit a mosque and learn about Muslim culture. The Princeton, one of the escort ships in the Nimitz strike group, loses a man overboard; an intense search to find the lost sailor ensues.
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What's it like to serve on an aircraft carrier? Colorado Navy personnel share their stories.
