BB v. Carrier Pt I

Lt Barlow needed a nap, just a short one would do. Sailors develop the ability to refresh themselves from the barest bit of shuteye from years of 25 hour days, three section watches, and the occasional trip ashore for liberty in an exotic port. He’d stood his four hour watch, done his Div O admin work, counseled his wayward sailors, now needed to sleep, just enough to get at least one REM cycle.

But the nap’d have to wait. The Captain had called an AOM for 1300. Some NAVEX was no doubt in the battleship’s future and Charlie Oscar would be giving them the straight scoop.

Sam dragged himself up to the wardroom for a cup of coffee. It was like walking around with wet cement hanging from every square inch of his body. And sand scratching his eyes. He’d go to sleep immediately if he could find a spot to crash, but it would be wrong to say he was sleepy. Bone weariness never feels sleepy.

At 1302, the XO announced “All rise” as the CO and MPOC strode into the wardroom. The assembled officers all rose in unison and stood at attention.

“As you were, Gents”, said the Captain. They all sat as the MPOC assumed parade rest at the Skipper’s left.

After some obligatory jokes about wardroom chow and the XO’s jogging skills – how could someone so slow pass the PFT? - the Captain got down to business.

“Gentlemen, we have a unique opportunity to highlight the Jersey’s capability. We have been assigned to sortie against the USS Ranger Battle Group as Orange Force flag. We’ll have two missile ships with us.

“It’s the Carrier Battle Group’s ORE for deployment, and while I have the utmost respect for the Task Group Commander, and wish him all the best, I am not about to let some hot jock in an F18 send us to the time out box.

“We are to ComEx is 0800 Monday morning and I want to be on station and ready to attack them at zero plus one. So we will go EMCOM Alpha at midnight tonight and steam to the eastern edge of the SOCAL Op area. I expect an attack plan by 0800 from each department. Be creative gents. They have rules, beyond not using live rounds, we do not.

“I have tasked the cans’ SOPA to work up an attack plan and present it at 1600 here. Ops O is coordinating our plan, the cans’ attack will be tangential to our own.

“They won’t take us lightly again. We’ll get together again at 2000.”

The XO rose and barked another, “Attention on Deck”. MPOC snapped to attention as the officers rose again. The CO and MPOC left the wardroom.

The XO rose and, said, “OK, Ops, bring me your plan by 1930.” He issued the usual edicts about beans, bullets, and gas and dismissed the officers, who all waited for their department heads to tell them to muster in their offices.

Lt Barlow didn’t need to be told. He took his coffee and headed up to the Ops office, as if his getting there first would somehow shorten the meeting.

The other officers in the Ops department straggled in, followed by the Ops O. The discussed the Ranger’s order of battle, the layered defense, the wicked Standard defense missile, the NATO Sea Sparrow, and the Marine Detachment’s little surprises, dual 5”50 mounts, 20mm AA guns, and their fifties. It wasn’t gonna be easy.

The Real Live Officers who gone to knife and fork school, not to mention some of America’s better institutions of higher education discussed attack plans, feints, high speed hit and runs, over the horizon SLCM attacks, sacrificing the small boys. Each had a favored plan and each lobbied hard to get his approved.

Sam and the other LDOs weren’t expected to participate, they were just overpaid enlisted pukes in the eyes of the other RLO JOs. But Sam needed his sleep, especially since he’d be the GQ JOOD for the whole attack. It moved him to speak.

“I gotta idea Ops. Lets dress this lady up and take her to a dance.”

The ops office fell silent, for an instant. “What the hell kind of plan is that?” asked the Ops O.

“Well, we’re at EMCOM Alpha right? Nothing to id us as a combatant, right? Why not go to EMCOM Charlie, rig deceptive lighting for a cruise ship, and sail right up on her before first light? As they are eating chow and briefing their flight crews, we come to flank speed and take out with guns. The main battery will put her to the bottom in a New York Second.”

The CIC officer said, “What about the missile ships? What do we do with them?”

Wily Strong, the ECM Officer, another LDO, said, “Missiles are high tech. They are countered with high tech. Doncha think the airdales will be looking hard for them? We can send them to the Southern edge of the OpArea while we steam West from the Southern edge. Let ‘em make some noise, the Wild Weasels will pick em up and distract them while we saunter on up on them. If their skippers are good, they can evade long enough for us to sneak up on the carrier.”

All the JOs looked at Ops. He was staring hard at Sam and Willy. There was a long silence before he said, “I like it.

“OK, Willy, get the lighting plan set up. Weather, get me a weather forecast for east and south OP Area. A Ops, gen up an opord for the cans to go ISE and attack Blue at will.

“Sam.

“You look like shit. Get some sleep. You and I are going to have a long day.”