I wish I could figure a way, without YouTube or other media like that, to upload a video I shot yesterday at the beach.
I don't know which aircraft carrier left out of Norfolk but when they come in they empty their air fleet while still at sea and they fly into Norfolk and land until the ship leaves out. They come in in 3s very gently (as quietly as an f18 can be which isn't quiet) but when they leave it's in pairs and they are hauling donkey when they get to "feet wet" status and are still climbing.
Imagine your at the beach, the sounds of waves crashing, wind blowing a little,kids laughing, music playing, families just being carefree when you hear a whistling sound then the ground begins to shake and the thunderous noise you can even feel in the water as a pair of navy jets flies overhead and in about half a minute it gradually quiets back down to normal beach noises as they get far out over the ocean.
The only thing I could think of as the goose bumps settled back down and my eyes dried from tearing up a little was "that's what freedom sounds like". A little later I shot a video of a pair as they went overhead and panned down to the water as a little boy ran by dragging a boogie board behind him, totally care free and families frolicking in the water behind him. I just wondered how many understood the "we are the land of the free because of the brave" when thinking of what those sailors give up so we can play at the beach, thinking back to just after 911 when the only thing you saw in the air was our navy fighters guarding our coastline from further attack and what must have been going through their minds knowing they might have to shoot down a civilian aircraft if any more were hijacked. Also when they get the call when over there that a company of marines or soldiers are pinned down and they've gotten the assignment to take out the enemy to protect their fellow American in uniform while their loved ones are thousands of miles away and worried sick about them.
To some it was just noise but to many, especially children, every over flight made them stop for a few moments in awe of the power of the U.S. navy.
Support Our Troops !!!
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