[Rhodes22-list] Carrier Landings

[KUHN, LELAND]

Ben,
 
Best Christmas card that I've ever seen--easy to see why you're proud!
 
Lee

________________________________

From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org on behalf of Benjamin Cittadino
Sent: Tue 3/16/2010 5:43 PM
To: rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Carrier Landings



Gregg and Folks,



I have mentioned before that my oldest boy is a Navy F/A 18 pilot
currently on active duty. He is now deployed

To the North Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman  aboard the USS Dwight D
Eisenhower, a Nimitz-class nulear powered aircraft carrier.

The US has 11 carriers (10 Nimitz class and one other, the Enterprise
Ben's squadron is VFA-83, the "Rampagers",

and they are flying close air support and recon missions over
Afghanistan which requires launching from the "boat", flying

7 hrs (round trip) usually requiring three mid-air refuelings in all
types of weather, and landing at night on the carrier. As a Lieutenant
Commander

He is also the Maintenance Dept Head and responsible for supervising
that group of officers and enlisted people. On his last deployment he

Served as Air Wing "Paddles", the officer in charge of the people who
are on deck bringing the planes in for final approach (who are all
active pilots and take their turn flying missions when not on deck
"waving"). The carrier has about 5000 people aboard between the Air Wing
personnel and the Ship's Company. I got to go aboard and watch flight
operations last year on a ride between Jacksonville and Norfolk and it
was the thrill of a lifetime.

Attached is (I hope) his Christmas Card from his last deployment. As you
can tell from my going on and on I am a very proud father.



Ben was commissioned through the NROTC program at Duke (which also lead
to my commission in 1970 and my Dad's commission in 1944). It paid a
full tuition scholarship for Ben's education and if anybody has a son
(or daughter) interested in a military officer's career give me a shout
and I can give you more information. Thanks for the video, and the
chance to brag about my boy.



BenCittadino



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