The few former sailors in this forum probably can imagine how horrendous the deployment of the original Big E. After fighting the Battle of Midway, next up was the battles in the Solomon Islands where the Hornet was lost. The Enterprise spent 14 months at sea almost continuous, earning the nick name, the Grey Ghost. Winston Churchill praised them with these words after the Battle of Midway; "The annals of war at sea present no more intense, heart-shaking shock than this battle, in which the qualities of the United States Navy and Air Force and the American race shone forth in splendour." The bravery and self-devotion of the American airmen and sailors and the nerve and skill of their leaders was the foundation of all." Little did they know, their days of trial had just begun.
Among us nukes, she was referred to as "Mobile Chernobyl". Some surface guys called her "Three-quarter Mile Island". And I, too, have been a (more recent) recipient of the chow on the Blue Ridge. Brother served on her and we met up when I was on an exercise in Korea and she pulled in.
