George Washington (CVN 73) - Naval Cruise Book

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■ I Mission oriented Back to sea once again. Line handling, refueling aircraft and yellow gear, and minting replaced the port duties of beach guard. The focus turned front liberty to putting the carrier to sea and its aircraft in the skies. Qk 106 Underway

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The FIRE July 1 1 , 1 994 Day 53 If the measure of one's character is the ability to respond to adversity, the crews of USS George Washington (CVN 73) and Carrier Air Wing Seven had every reason to be proud of themselves the night of July 11. As CAPT Sprigg would later note, that night proved George Washington had many heroes among the crew: “Far too many to count, far t(H many to recognize. Nothing sends a chill down the spine of even the most experienced seaman as three short words ... fire at sea. The crew, on station in the Adriatic Sea in support of Operation Deny Flight over Bosnia, faced a potentially devastating blaze on July 11. Word was initially passed reporting smoke in the laundry, and the at-sea fire party responded in their usual quick and efficient style. Taps had sounded and many of the crew were going about their 108 Underway evening rituals of showering or reading as they prepared for a well-deserved night’s rest. Other crew members were involved in the business of a forward-deployed aircraft carrier — flight operations. Still others were up and about watching television or working at their jobs. Word of smoke in the laundry was passed over the 1 -MC and the crew's response was not initially one of great alarm. Shortly thereafter, thick black smoke was filling the laundry as the ship's firefighters converged on the space. It quickly became apparent that they were facing something more than a small fire in one of the ship's 12 industrial-sized clothes dryers. The smoke was black. That meant trouble, and the fire party knew it. When word was passed that there was black smoke in there. I knew something out of the ordinary was going on, CDR Brad Mason, the ship’s former chief engineer said. Once we investigated, we knew three things: there was a fire, it was a fuel fire, and it wasn’t in the laundry ... we really didn't know where it was. The smoke was being pumped into the space through the ship's ventilation system. Quick action by the fire party at that point would later be hailed as vital to the fire fighting effort. Shutting down the ventilation was more than vital... it was lifesaving. Mason said. “We could then set about finding the source. As Sailors donned their OB As and painstakingly searched for the fire. Mason had made his way to damage control central. From there he monitored the entire ship using various communication devices, including television, telephones and walkic talkies. i