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American Morning

Aboard the USS John C. Stenis

Aired January 25, 2002 - 08:37   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: There are new reports today that the firefight that broke out Wednesday about 35 miles north of Kandahar was bigger than we had originally heard. Troops coming back say it was an all-out battle. One U.S. soldier was wounded slightly, and as many as 125 Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters were killed. There is word that aerial bombing may be called in to destroy the compound where they were hiding. Some of the bombs are likely to come from planes launched by U.S. carriers just south of Afghanistan.

CNN's Frank Buckley spent a week on board the USS John Stenis.

Here's a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They're flying into harm's way, landing after missions that can last up to six hours. They are the pilots aboard the USS John C. Stenis, a Nimitz class supercarrier on station in the Arabian Sea.

Commander Russ Knight, call sign "Gladys", is among them.

RUSS KNIGHT: It takes about an hour and a half to get up there.

BUCKLEY: His wing man is actually a wing woman, Lieutenant Commander Sarah Joiner, call sign "Clutch."

These two F-18 pilots are about the launch on their first combat mission over Afghanistan.

They'll climb up in them and they'll go through start. Typically about a half hour prior to the launch time, and once the starts begin, airplanes will be going through checks.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Inside, the pilots are talking to one another, making sure all the ordnance and weapons are working the way they're supposed to. They're programming the insides of the airplanes, their computers, to make sure they're set up for the mission that they have.

BUCKLEY: Plane captain Horatio Sanchez guides Gladys' plane, giving it a final check before launch.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are the first line of defense. He may not go, he may go, depending on the discrepancy, how big it is or how small it is.

BUCKLEY: While Clutch and Gladys wait for the all-clear on the flight deck, an entire city of sailors and airmen is bustling below decks. Welcome to the city of Stenis on the sea, population, 5,000. It has its own post office and zip code, library and e-mail access. There are ATM machines and a health club, and restaurants, mess halls that serve 19,000 meals -- a day.

The city's also have laundry service, courtesy of a 24-hour a day laundry operation.

(on camera): How much laundry is generated every night on this Stenis? Well, take a look inside this room. They do about 6,600 pounds of laundry every day on this ship. Each one of these bags containing dirty clothes.

(voice-over): From top to bottom, the USS John C. Stenis is 24 feet tall. It's flight deck is four and a half acres large. Inside, it's a maize.

(on camera): It's pretty easy to get lost on this ship. It's more than a thousand feet long, from one end to the other. And there are endless passageways, like this one. That's why there's actually a system in place to help people navigate their way through the ship.

(voice-over): Everywhere, there are signs called bullseyes that tell you where you are. You just have to know how to read them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The main deck, the bow, fore and aft, and then center line, port or starboard.

BUCKLEY: On the roof, these pilots are about to launch on their first missions over Afghanistan. Clutch goes first to be followed by Gladys.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Finally get to bring them the justice that we rightly deserve to bring to Afghanistan.

BUCKLEY: Commander Knight's landing at the end of this mission to mark a major milestone in this Naval aviator's career. His 900th carrier landing, and his first flight in support of operation enduring freedom.

Frank Buckley, CNN, aboard the USS John C. Stenis in the Arabian Sea.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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