Cox 1
Marianne Cox
Mr. Murray
English 105
8/25/13
LHD 3 Kearsarge What is 844 feet long and houses 3001 men and women in uniform? If you guessed a naval ship you are right! To some, it feels like a floating steel prison that takes you away from your family for months at a time. To others, it is an escape from any problems they may have. The sound of L-CACS (air cushioned landing craft) buzzing in an out of the 13,000 square foot well deck is astonishing; hearing the water splashing and crashing as they make their hurried entrance and exit is deafening. Hearing the Marines order each other around as they unload their ammo and food supplies for their long deployment to Iraq sometimes can overpower the sound of the L-CACS. After the L-CACS leave the well deck you can hear shop vacuums sucking water out of the pad eyes to prepare for the next day operations. The lively chatter of seamen trying to
Cox 2 get the job finished as quickly as possible to possibly go and get some sleep before their next watch duty. Standing on the expansive flight deck, feeling the wind blowing the salty sea air, and the roar of Harriers as they lift off vertically and the take-off is deafening. Seeing the steel birds take flight for the first time is like watching a graceful swan take flight. As Helicopters take flight and return, you see the crew chalking and chaining the aircrafts that have returned. The berthing (sleeping quarters) felt so claustrophobic it felt like you were a
