Tue, Sep 08, 2009
Different Ships Make Opportunities Rare
Lieutenants Lee and Travis Amerine, the Amerine brothers, knew
they wanted to fly from an early age. "There was an F-4 Phantom
squadron near our hometown in Paris, Arkansas. We would watch them
take off from the end of the runway," said Travis, assigned to the
"Royal Maces" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 27 of Carrier Air
Wing (CAW) 5 embarked on George Washington. "It didn't take much
more than one afterburner takeoff to convince us that we wanted to
go do that."
Nimitz File Photo
Lee blazed the trail for Travis and their younger brother
Denver, by graduating from the United States Naval Academy in 2003.
Travis and Denver are also Naval Academy graduates. "We all got the
idea at the same time when we were kids," said Lee, assigned to the
"Tophatters" of VFA-14 of CVW 11 embarked on Nimitz. "I was just
the first one who was able to pursue it."
Since the brothers are assigned to two different air wings on
different carriers, the opportunity they had to fly together was
very rare. Last week, the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG)
concluded routine air and surface operations with the forward
deployed George Washington Carrier Strike Group in support of the
maritime strategy, and the two brothers wound up flying a sortie at
the same time.
Washington File Photo
"I didn't think it was going to happen," said Lee. "The chances
of us being up there at the same time were slim. It is still
hard to believe that we got airborne together, in the same cycle
from two separate flight decks with all the possibilities that
could have canceled us," said Travis.
Both pilots are thankful for the once in a lifetime opportunity
and the chance they have to serve their country everyday. "We're
both loving what we're doing," said Lee. "It was incredible," said
Travis. "I just hope to keep serving my country both in and out of
the cockpit, and to never forget that every sortie is a gift."
ANN Salutes Mass Communication Specialist Seaman (SW) Amara R.
Timberlake, USS Nimitz Public Affairs
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