Courtesy of Rear Admiral Dixon Smith, Navy Region Hawaii, I was invited to visit the USS Ronald Reagan, currently operating off Hawaii for RIMPAC 2010.  Some thoughts, images and videos of my visit:

The Ronald Reagan:

The Damon Key attorneys before their adventure begins:

 

Our chariot to the carrier, the COD.

Tom Cruise, I ain’t.

Joachim Cox and I are looking quite….well….interesting?

Aboard the USS Ronald Reagan, with Commanding Officer Captain K.J. Norton, in the “Admiral’s Office.”

Admiral in charge of the Strike Group welcoming us to RIMPAC 2010.

I saw no less than 30 items of President Reagan memorabilia.

F-18 tail, on the hangar deck.

 

Another hangar shot.

 

First stop, the bridge for a bird’s eye view of launch and recovery.

 

Video of launch:

 

 

Intruder landing, view from the bridge.

 

And video:

 

 

 

Launch operations.

The Island.

CVN-76.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love the orchestrated dance on deck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Partner Ken Kupchak.

 

 

 

Nailed it.

 

Lining up:

Office with a view:

Turbo-prop for you non-jet types:

Marines in the house.

 

Our group:

 

Ship CO reading an award for battle readiness.  Congrats to the RR crew for the achievement.

 

Getting ready for the catapult shot home, view of the COD ramp.

 

Right before the “cat shot”.

Hickam AFB Distinguished Visitor terminal.  Not sure when (or if) I elevated to Distinguished!

 

Thank you Navy!

 

From President Reagan, a message the Navy left me with: