I've mentioned that one of my mentors was in the U.S. Navy and rose to command a destroyer even though he wasn't a stickler for formality or nomenclature. The captains and admirals did not like his referring to the 400 foot-long destroyer as a boat but they put up with him because he was both very intelligent and a first rate psychologist; his sailors would do just about anything for him.
His immediate superiors finally had enough when he hit a pier pretty hard and explained "I was trying to park the boat and..." They suggested he find another line of work which ended up being very fortunate for me.
Anyhoo, here's the subject of today's story:
And here are the women who drive it:
U.S. Navy Yeoman 3rd Class Adriana Soto, from Painesville, Ohio, left, Yeoman 3rd Class AlexandraMiller, from Annapolis, Md., center, and Sonar Technician (Surface) 1st Class Allison Coughlin, fromRonkonkoma, N.Y., three of the four qualified master helmsmen aboard the aircraft carrier USSTheodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), pose for a photo March 4, 2021. U.S. Navy Photo
From gCaptain:
Mastering the Helm: The Women Master Helmsmen Entrusted to Steer the USS Theodore Roosevelt
Among a crew of 5,000 Sailors aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) only four are entrusted to steer the aircraft carrier in restricted maneuvering evolutions.
From Petty Officer 3rd Class Dartanon Delagarza, USS Theodore Roosevelt Public Affairs –
Among a crew of 5,000 Sailors aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) only four are entrusted to steer the aircraft carrier in restricted maneuvering evolutions.
From the first days of the U.S. Navy, helmsmen have played an essential role, steering the country’s ships as they travel the seas. Typically drawn from the ship’s deck department, their objective is to drive the ship at sea during normal situations. However, during special evolutions and unique scenarios, the master helmsmen take charge.
“Any time the navigation team thinks it’s going to be a difficult sea state, we’ll come up,” said Sonar Technician (Surface) 1st Class Allison Coughlin, from Ronkonkoma, New York, one of the Theodore Roosevelt’s master helmsman. “When the ship is most likely to crash, that’s when we’re driving to keep the boat safe.”
When a ship is executing a special sea-and-anchor detail, a strait transit, or pulling in or out of port, a master helmsman applies fine-tuned expertise and knowledge to navigate the variably-changing waters, ensuring safety of the crew and operational efficiency of the ship, guaranteeing a stayed course no matter the wind or tide....
....MUCH MORE
As I mentioned in "Shipping: How to Park the Boat":
"He should have used this boat driver's technique: drop the anchor while upwind of the target and slide right in, easy-peasy.":
