So You Want To Go To Sea, Do You? See How This Missile Destroyer Cuts Through Violent Waves
This video will bring up some memories for any of our readers who are presently serving, or those who, at one time in their lives, served in the United States Navy.
As a Hospital Corpsman who spent most of my time on the “green side” of naval service with the Marine Corps, I never had the experience of being stationed aboard a ship of any kind. I know the “high seas” only in my imagination from reading books like Moby Dick and the like. The real thing is beyond my ken. This video gives a fair picture of how those seas treat a carrier and a guided missile destroyer.
Let’s just say that size makes a difference.
Civilians on the carrier watch as the missile destroyer passes by.
The perspective in this video is taken from the bridge of an aircraft carrier. The carrier’s flight deck is lined with sailors and it looks like families and friends participating in a “Tiger Cruise” on the carrier. They are all watching the USS Dewey (DDG-105) passing the carrier on her port side. The focus is on the destroyer as she moves along in medium seas.
The USS Dewey, looking sleek and a whole lot smaller than the aircraft carrier, rises on a wave and then her nose dives under the next one as she sprints forward. You can hear the reaction of the people on the bridge when she does so.
The destroyer takes a nose dive under the waves.
The mighty carrier does not seem to be effected by the wind driven waves. She seems to be the epitome of “steady as she goes.” But that guided missile destroyer has a whole different relationship with the sea. I have no clue what it must be like for those on board her. I imagine you learn a whole set of new tricks for walking and remaining upright. More importantly, I imagine that you learn a deep respect for the power of the sea serving aboard a ship of that size and smaller.
The seas that the Dewey is managing in this video are nothing in comparison to riding out the rage of a major storm at sea. Still, it is kind of fun to see her cutting through those mounting waves.
A few seconds later it pops back up to the surface.
Our United States Navy is a powerful element of our national defense. We are duly proud of the quality of men and women who volunteer to be a part of this historic and noble service. We can be confident that every one of the ships in the fleet is crewed by the best, most qualified and most dedicated professionals sailors of every rating.
The complexity of today’s modern warship is mind boggling. The skills that are necessary on each kind of ship are as intricate and complicated as anything in our modern technological world. The young men and women that operate these modern technological marvels are as good or better at what they do than any you can find in the civilian sector.
It’s business as usual for the destroyer.
We thank all who those who have volunteered to serve in the United States Navy both now and in the past. You are a powerful force to be brought to bear against any who would threaten the freedoms we all know, love and enjoy. But you are also one of the effective forces for good in the world during times of natural disaster. Our ships and crews can bring rapid emergency help, with a broad spectrum of skills and abilities, to places all around the world in times of humanitarian need.
This fun video just gives us the opportunity to give a major shout out to the ships and crews of our United States Navy. We wish you all, “Fair Winds and Following Seas.”
