thedrifter
05-13-08, 08:45 AM
Sailors Phone Home for Mother's Day
May 12, 2008
Navy News
USS IWO JIMA, At Sea - Sailors and Marines aboard USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) received a nice surprise when they were able to make phone calls home on Mother's Day, May 11, from the ship's flight deck.
Cell phone use is usually prohibited when underway because of the sensitive electronics on U.S. Navy ships. Today, Iwo Jima's commanding officer, Capt. Bob Irelan, made an exception and moved the ship close enough to shore to allow the phone calls home.
"It's a real good deal for the crew," said Operations Specialist 1st Class (SW) Sterlin Williams of Mosspoint, Miss. "It is not something a lot of commanding officers would do."
Looking like a cell phone commercial, hundreds of Sailors and Marines walked the flight deck holding their phones in the air looking for that elusive signal so they could call mom.
"It has been so busy, I forgot today was even Mother's Day," said Hospitalman John Jackson of Orlando, Fla. "I'm glad they announced this so I was able to call home."
Jackson is aboard Iwo Jima with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit. More than 1,000 Marines have joined the Iwo Jima for its Expeditionary Strike Group's integration exercise (ESGINT).
Many callers ducked behind the array of helicopters, jets and flight deck support equipment all over the flight deck to get away from the strong winds topside, anything to get the perfect signal to call home.
"I called my mom at church," Williams said. "She was so excited she started passing the phone around. I had to ask her to stop because it was too windy to hear everyone."
For Lance Cpl. Zach O'Neil of Cape Cod, Mass., it was also a chance for mom to remind him of something important.
"I don't call home that much. She said, 'Wow, you finally called,'" he said.
Sometimes it is the little things that matter most, especially on Mother's Day.
Ellie
May 12, 2008
Navy News
USS IWO JIMA, At Sea - Sailors and Marines aboard USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) received a nice surprise when they were able to make phone calls home on Mother's Day, May 11, from the ship's flight deck.
Cell phone use is usually prohibited when underway because of the sensitive electronics on U.S. Navy ships. Today, Iwo Jima's commanding officer, Capt. Bob Irelan, made an exception and moved the ship close enough to shore to allow the phone calls home.
"It's a real good deal for the crew," said Operations Specialist 1st Class (SW) Sterlin Williams of Mosspoint, Miss. "It is not something a lot of commanding officers would do."
Looking like a cell phone commercial, hundreds of Sailors and Marines walked the flight deck holding their phones in the air looking for that elusive signal so they could call mom.
"It has been so busy, I forgot today was even Mother's Day," said Hospitalman John Jackson of Orlando, Fla. "I'm glad they announced this so I was able to call home."
Jackson is aboard Iwo Jima with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit. More than 1,000 Marines have joined the Iwo Jima for its Expeditionary Strike Group's integration exercise (ESGINT).
Many callers ducked behind the array of helicopters, jets and flight deck support equipment all over the flight deck to get away from the strong winds topside, anything to get the perfect signal to call home.
"I called my mom at church," Williams said. "She was so excited she started passing the phone around. I had to ask her to stop because it was too windy to hear everyone."
For Lance Cpl. Zach O'Neil of Cape Cod, Mass., it was also a chance for mom to remind him of something important.
"I don't call home that much. She said, 'Wow, you finally called,'" he said.
Sometimes it is the little things that matter most, especially on Mother's Day.
Ellie