The body of a gigantic C-17 freight airplane is raised onto the Army transportation ship SSGT Robert T. Kuroda (LSV-7) at the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station, July 22, 2009. UNITED STATE Navy Photo

By Michael Carr– A Boeing C-17 freight airplane is a large airplane, with a wingspan of 169 ft., as well as size of 174 ft. Her body size is 20 ft. as well as elevation mores than 12 ft. One hundred as well as 2 totally outfitted Army paratroopers can fit inside the freight location. Hundreds of these airplanes were constructed for armed forces usage, as well as are flown globally on a daily basis.

Chief Warrant Officer John Owens beinged in his confined workplace on Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii making chilly contact his phone. His workplace was loaded with boxes, products, records, extra components, as well as a loads vacant or partly vacant, coffee.

“I need you for a mission,” he was duplicating over as well as over as he dropped his listing of Army Mariners certified to cruise on the LSV-7, the Army’s most recent Logistic Support Vessel (LSV).

“It’s going to take a couple of months, and I can only use you if you are 100% available”

“We are transporting a C-17 airplane body from California to Ft Eustis VA. Boeing is offering the Army a body for loadmaster training, as well as we require to obtain it from the Boeing plant in California to Ft Eustis inVa That’s our goal.

“Say what?” And after that all those inquiries, “Has anyone measured this thing? Will it fit on deck?”

“Yes, it will fit, our open deck area is 200 ft. long and the fuselage is 174 ft. long. It will fit…I think”.

Within a couple of weeks Chief Owens had his team constructed as well as LSV 7 cruised from Pearl Harbor Hawaii to the United States Navy port in Seal Beach CA, where Boeing had actually trucked the C-17 body.

“Are you sure this thing will fit on deck?” I asked John as we rested along with the dock. I was functioning as the LSV Chief Mate as well as Chief Owens was theChief Engineer We had actually both looked at the design information as well as dimensions sometimes, yet as we rested dockside & & evaluated at the body it looked also big to fit on our deck.

“It’s just an optical allusion,” I stated. “It looks big, but it will shrink once the crane raises it up.” John rolled his eyes as well as relocated a couple of feet far from me.

Placing the body on deck very first called for welding pad eyes as well as assistance gussets onto the LSV’s deck. We ascertained the area of gas containers, spaces, as well as ballast containers to guarantee the deck welding remained in locations where there were no concerns.

After a number of days of welding as well as setting up the C-17 body was increased by 2 cranes as well as filled onto our deck. Slowly the substantial body worked out onto the assistances bonded to the LSV’s deck. Once the body was secured right into location, we went about with canisters of yellow spray paint as well as covered every essential weld as well as screw. This method we might examine the installations on each watch as well as capture any kind of motion or fractures.

“How are we going to declare this cargo when we transit the Panama Canal?” we both asked? Since task needs to be paid on all freight we had no concept exactly how this body would certainly be classified. Somehow we made it via the canal without event as well as steamed up via the Yucatan Straits.

Avoiding rolling as well as battering seas was a continuous worry, we did not wish to wreck or flex the body as a result of hefty wind or seas, so we tried to find the best trip. Every day we spoke with United States Navy climate routers in San Diego as well as Norfolk VA. “Route us for wind and seas abaft our beam!” was our rule.

Through the Florida Straits as well as previous Cape Hatteras we cruised, lastly coming via the Virginia Capes and afterwards up the James River toFt Eustis We really felt loosened up as we directed the James River, the stress and anxiety of prospective tornados as well as seas mored than, as well as the C-17 body was undamaged as well as intact.

We made our last radio telephone call after 2 months mixed-up; “US Army Port Control, this is LSV 7, request permission to enter port.” And back came a welcome action, “LSV 7 this is Port Control, permission granted, welcome to Ft Eustis.”

We gradually went into the Army’s port at Ft Eustis as well as anchored starboard side to on the primary bulkhead. “Put over all lines, shift colors, and set the in-port watch” came the pipeline on LSV-7’s public address system.

I considered Chief Owens, as well as around the bridge, we had actually completed a fantastic accomplishment, cruising a C-17 body countless miles mixed-up, as well as bringing it securely to its location. I headed out on the starboard bridge wing with my coffee as well as raided the outboard coaming. I remained in no thrill to leave the bridge or go anywhere.

I consumed my coffee as well as enjoyed our team readjust mooring lines as well as fenders, established the gangway, as well as speak to Soldiers standing on the dock. I absorbed the odor of mud at reduced trend, gasoline, deep sea, as well as those various other fragrances you just discover in harbors & & ports.

“I’m going down to the wardroom to see what’s going on now, you want to come along?” asked Chief Owens.

“No thanks” I responded to, “I am going to hang out here for a while longer.”