USS WASP – As USS Wasp departed Earle, N.J., May 21 following a five-day in port period, many Sailors aboard the ship looked back upon their time in the New York-New Jersey area with a sense of fondness for the experiences the visit offered, as well as the mission required tasks that were achieved.
Chief among the reasons for Wasp's visit was to conduct an off-load of the ship's ordnance in preparation for an upcoming shipyard period, a task that was conducted successfully.
"About 900 tons of ordnance was taken off the ship," said Petty Officer 1st Class Jason Gardner, who served as a safety petty officer for the event. "This was necessary because during a shipyard period, ordnance poses a danger if hot work and other types of repairs are being conducted nearby."
In addition to the safety precautions Wasp's Weapons Department set in place to conduct a safe ammunition off-load, the Wasp crew provided further safety measures to support the evolution.
"We had to put out the smoking lamp, close the quarterdeck to foot traffic, and have [several] fire parties and conflagration stations manned as the ordnance was being off-loaded," Gardner added. "All of these measures were successful."
For many Wasp Sailors, the Earle visit was a chance to spend time on liberty, with some of them getting a chance to visit with their families – especially for those from the geographical area.
"I got three days of special liberty to visit my parents in Stockholm, N.J.," said Petty Officer 1st Class Rebecca Manns. "They were very happy to see me and I had a very relaxing time."
For Manns, returning to the town where she grew up was a chance not only to see her parents but also to reconnect with others whom she has been close to there.
"I hung out with some of my old friends and played with our family dogs," she said. "Overall, it was good to be back home. I'll always be a 'Jersey Girl' at heart."
Other Wasp Sailors said they greatly enjoyed visiting New York and taking in the sights and sounds of the "Big Apple."
"My friends and I went to Times Square, the Statue of Liberty, and got to do a lot of shopping," said Petty Officer 3rd Class Wendy Arguetta. "It was my second time in New York, and I like everything about the city. It's very cool at night, with all of the lights and the huge crowds."
Wasp's Morale, Welfare, and Recreation office sponsored trips to Atlantic City, N.J., Six Flags Theme Park, and a New York Yankees baseball game. In addition to the MWR-sponsored trips, Sailors got a chance to attend tapings of "The Late Show with David Letterman," "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon," and a performance by the renowned Blue Man Group.
"All of the tours were very popular," said Petty Officer 3rd Class Daniel Cupp, who works in the MWR office. "For the MWR-sponsored trips, we had about 250 Sailors sign up, and all the seats on all of our buses were filled. For the Atlantic City tour, we had to get a second bus, which also filled up."
According to Cupp, it was not too hard to see why Sailors were drawn to see the Yankees play and to take in the features of Atlantic City like the Boardwalk.
"The Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays are the two top teams in Major League Baseball right now, and it was a good experience for many Sailors to visit Yankee Stadium for the first time," said Cupp.
For Airman Joe Biggs, who went on both the Yankees and Atlantic City trips, going on the MWR tours offered him a chance to experience things he otherwise wouldn't get a chance to. Seeing the legendary New York Yankees play was a personal treat, Biggs explained.
"I'm a big fan of Derek Jeter, so I was rooting for the Yankees to win," he said. "Even though the Rays ended up winning, I still had a good time. I had been to baseball games before this, but I just wanted to be able to say that I had been to a Yankees game. The atmosphere in the stadium was great, with the nice weather and the smell of hot dogs. Overall, I had a great time during this visit."