USS NIMITZ

PBS [note upper case] is broadcasting a ten-hour special this week entitled Carrier. It examines a six-month cruise of USS Nimitz, one of our twelve attack carriers.

The first two hours were interesting. It remains to be seen if the series will justify allowing PBS to appear in upper case letters.

A US attack carrier is, of course, a sight and sounds of freedom. We hope to benefit from the entire series. So far, so good.

As one young crewmember said, if I have it right, “This is what we do. We show force.” Another said, in so many words, we aim to be a best friend to our national friends. And we aim to be the worst enemy to our nation's enemies.

The US Navy is certainly capable of doing that very thing. In fact, a foremost mission of the Navy is to not have to actually use force. It achieves it’s mission most effectively when it’s very presence is enough to attain the success of the mission.

God bless the carriers.