Exit Stage Left My team watched as the Hornet’s hook missed the wires by inches, touched the By Lt. Deron Krietemeyer
f you’ve ever been around carrier aviation, then you’ve probably had the “privilege” of interacting with an LSO. Sure, most times we are the givers of grades and the nit-pickers of what most pilots thought was a “rails” pass, but one particular January night, we were the angels of safety. That’s right, behind the cool shades and ne’er wrong attitude, our first and foremost job is the safe and expeditious recovery of aircraft. Let me paint the picture 10
for what would be a nonstandard wave day that nearly ended in tragedy. While supporting Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) shortly after New Year’s, the strike group received instructions to proceed to the coast of Somalia at the best possible speed. All flight operations were secured as we turned south and headed to Africa. The 1,800-mile transit gave maintainers and aircrew a chance to catch up and take a breather from the highApproach
