John Stennis (CVN 74) - Naval Cruise Book

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WHEN THE CLOCK STRUCK MIDNIGHT on December 18 2001 , USS John C. Stennis launched her first combat missions over Afghanistan. At 0130 in the morning, the flight deck was still fully manned for another cycle of flight operations that would continue for twelve more hours. Below decks, electric clippers in the barbershop were buzzing, cooks began the dinner meal, customers were lining up in the Personnel office. Disbursing was cashing checks. The Night Shift was in full swing. For the next two and one half months, reveille was sounded just after sunset at 1900 and 16 hours later, the chaplain invoked the evening prayer at 1 055 in the morning. On paper, it was simple to adjust the working schedules to support night flight opera- tions. However, the physiological adjustment on the human body was more problematic. The circadian clock, the body ' s time- piece, is wound to the traditional work cycle of daylight labor and nightly rest. Conducting flight operations on 4.5 acres of flight deck with these affects was particularly challenging. Amaz- ingly, the professionalism of the JCS crew contributed to an incredible safety record throughout the Night Shift USS JOHN C. STENNIS (CVN 74)

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ms J.. 4 ' V»ifi - r. W »•» ' ' : Ky •»u ' DEC. 18, 2001 BEGINS COMBAT FLIGHT yHi ' ! iiii;i; ijgSiiiiiSW- -.t lfi? ' - and one half months of working the Night Shift. .t-oad|ci with ordnance, an F A-1 8 Hornet (above) jgrutpitetfe: terburner as it is sent on to begin its combat jff l- Throughout the operations, S-3B Vil in5 aircrg right) were primarily ' used as refueling t '

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An F A-18 Hornet is guided onto a steam catapult (left) and an F-14A ignites its afterburner as it prepares for launch (below) just after mid- night. Routine operations like underway replenishments, normally ac- complished during the morning hours, were shifted to late afternoon and frequently finished in the evenings. As the sun sets (bottom), guided- missile cruiser USS Port Royal and John C. Stennis pull away from re- plenishment ship USNS Concord. Maintenance on aircraft was often completed under the amber glow of the hangar bay lights (bottom left). W . H ■ H W B m: - ' - ..s W [ MBS m ENDURING FREEDOM 5 '