Prolly because tan suede's are either not FOD proofed or wouldn't last very long on a flight deck. Just a guess though.
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Shooter's Gallery (as in Catapult, not firearms)
- Thread starter HeyJoe
- Start date
Black boots are what is issued to flight deck personal. Back in my day we had to buy our own greens (pants that the Seabees wore) but the jerseys were issued. I still have 1 or 2 trouble shooter shirts left that resemble white.
I've had the bottom of my black boots melt to the flight deck before.
Let me guess, some veteran line rat dropped you off behind the JBD and told you to wait right there till he got back?
I never fell for that old trick but watched many others crouch and fry to it. 
Once had the guy stationed by the water brake slip and burn his feet in the hot water. He appeared on deck next launch wearing those white boot camp issue sneakers. Of course the captain saw him, yelled at the air boss, who in turn yelled at me, so I sent him below. On the nxt launch the entire bow cat crew appeared on deck with their black steel toed boots painted white. I thought that I was doomed. The air boss called me with a message from the captain to the cat crew. He said "Tell the bow cat crew that I am not that easily fooled." Big sigh of releif. Dodged another unsat fit rep.
Let me guess, some veteran line rat dropped you off behind the JBD and told you to wait right there till he got back?
No, not that. I can't remember the exact circumstances but it was probably one of my first times on deck during flight ops and I was scared stiff and stood in the same spot too long.
We took one of the shooters flying on TR - would have done more, but he was the only one with the right swim/phys stuff. Lesson learned: If you have a chance to get the ejection seat swim/phys qual, do it.
Brett
090623-N-7780S-120 GULF OF ALASKA (June 23, 2009) Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Equipment) 2nd Class Dean Vanderwege, left, from Syracuse, N.Y., and Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Equipment) 3rd Class Gilbert Sandoval, from Los Angeles, watch an F/A-18F Super Hornet assigned to the Black Knights of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 154 launch from the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). John C. Stennis and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9 are participating in Northern Edge 2009, a joint exercise focusing on detecting and tracking units at sea, in the air and on land. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kyle Steckler/Released)
090628-N-7780S-039 PACIFIC OCEAN (June 28, 2009) Capt. Gordon Smith, right, Air Boss of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), directs an EA-6B Prowler from the "Yellow Jackets" of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 138 onto a bow catapult as Lt. Frank Crouse acts as a safety observer during the final departure of the squadrons four aircraft on board. The EA-6B Prowler will soon be decommissioned and VAQ 138 will begin their transition to the E/A-18G Growler, an electronic warfare variant of the F/A-18F Super Hornet. Stennis and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9 are on a scheduled six-month deployment to the western Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kyle Steckler/Released)
"push back, cat 1, lend a hand."
090626-N-7780S-048 GULF OF ALASKA (June 26, 2009) Sailors and Marines push an F/A-18C Hornet from assigned to the Death Rattlers of Marine Strike Fighter Squadron (VMFA) 323 into place after flight operations aboard the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). John C. Stennis and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9 are participating in Northern Edge 2009, a joint exercise focusing on detecting and tracking units at sea, in the air and on land. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kyle Steckler/Released)
090626-N-7780S-048 GULF OF ALASKA (June 26, 2009) Sailors and Marines push an F/A-18C Hornet from assigned to the Death Rattlers of Marine Strike Fighter Squadron (VMFA) 323 into place after flight operations aboard the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). John C. Stennis and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9 are participating in Northern Edge 2009, a joint exercise focusing on detecting and tracking units at sea, in the air and on land. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kyle Steckler/Released)
090623-N-7780S-061 GULF OF ALASKA (June 23, 2009) Lt. Cmdr. Everett Alcorn, from Manassas, Va., signals a launch as an F/A-18F Super Hornet from the Black Knights of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 154 is catapulted from the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). John C. Stennis and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9 are participating in Northern Edge 2009, a joint exercise focusing on detecting and tracking units at sea, in the air and on land. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kyle Steckler/Released)
090623-N-7780S-096 GULF OF ALASKA (June 23, 2009) Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) 2nd Class Matthew Mancebo, from Verona, N.Y., guides an aircraft onto Catapult 1 for launch aboard the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). John C. Stennis and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9 are participating in Northern Edge 2009, a joint exercise focusing on detecting and tracking units at sea, in the air and on land. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kyle Steckler/Released)
090626-N-0684R-035 GULF OF ALASKA (June 26, 2009) An F/A-18E Super Hornet from the Argonauts of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147 launches from the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). John C. Stennis and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9 are participating in Northern Edge 2009, a joint exercise focusing on detecting and tracking units at sea, in the air and on land. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ron Reeves/Released)
090703-N-6538W-013 PACIFIC OCEAN (July 3, 2009) Sailors prepare the bow catapult for aircraft as an E-2C Hawkeye from the "Golden Hawks" of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 112 launches from the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) during Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9 fly off. John C. Stennis is returning from a scheduled six-month deployment to the western Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Walter M. Wayman/Released)
090703-N-6538W-229 PACIFIC OCEAN (July 3, 2009) An F/A-18F Super Hornet from the "Black Knights" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 154 launches from the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) during Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9 fly off. John C. Stennis is returning from a scheduled six-month deployment to the western Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Walter M. Wayman/Released)