The Moyers
The Happy Couple
- How we met
- Popping the "question"
- The Big Day itself
- Thank you all
- Wedding Photos!
The Pets
MM2 Chris Moyer - Veteran USN
Upon graduation from high school, I entered the United States Navy. I enlisted as a Nuclear Field Engineer, or what I called: "a glorified steam plumber".
I went to basic training at NTS Orlando, FL and continued my time there going to trainings schools for most of the next year. I transferred to my first sea command, the USS Meyerkord FF-1058 stationed at the 32
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My three years on the 'Kord were probably the happiest times I spent in the service.
Traveling the Pacific Ocean and visiting port after port kept me more than entertained. In three years time we deployed on 2 long term cruises and various short "training cruises".
When they decomissioned the Meyerkord they transferred me to the USS Abraham Lincoln CVN-72. At the time the newest and most powerful warship in the world.
I spent another three years aboard the Lincoln working in many different capacities. If I had a choice I would never have left the Meyerkord. The smaller ships of the fleet make more ports of call and become much tighter knit communities. During my time on the 'Kord I grew to know every single member of my ships crew and understood how their jobs interacted with my own.
Aircraft carriers simply do not allow for that. They are quite literally floating cities. While you develop comradery within your workshop's circle of influence, you never truly come to know the crew as a whole.
Some interesting facts about the Abraham Lincoln:
- Keel Laid: Nov. 3, 1984
- Launched: Feb. 13, 1988
- Commissioned: Nov. 11, 1989
- Builder: Newport News Shipbuilding Co., Newport News, Va.
- Propulsion system: two nuclear reactors
- Main Engines: four
- Propellers: four
- Blades on each Propeller: five
- Aircraft elevators: four
- Catapults: four
- Arresting gear cables: four
- Length, overall: 1092 feet (332,85 meters)
- Flight Deck Width: 257 feet (78,34 meters)
- Area of flight deck: about 4,5 acres
- Beam: 134 feet (40,84 meters)
- Draft: 38,4 feet (11,7 meters)
- Displacement: approx. 100,000 tons full load
- Speed: 30+ knots
- Planes: approx. 85
- Crew: Ship: approx. 3,200 Air Wing: 2,480
- Armament: three Mk 29 NATO Sea Sparrow launchers, four 20mm Phalanx CIWS Mk 15
- Homeport: Everett, Wash.
- dirty laundry washed each day: 5,550 pounds
- Loaves of bread baked each day: 800
- Sodas consumed each day: 13,000
- Milk consumed each day: 660 gallons
- Hamburger meat consumed each day: 540 pounds
- Number of eggs consumed each day: 180 dozen
- Fresh vegetables consumed each day: 800 pounds
- Length of each anchor chain: 1,082 feet
- Weight of each anchor chain link: 365 pounds
- Weight of an entire anchor chain: 308,000 pounds
- Number of rudders: two
- Weight of each rudder: approx. 45,5 tons
- Dimensions of rudders: 29 x 22 feet
- North Pacific (Departing from San Diego, CA)
- Kodiak, AK
- Juneau, AK
- San Francisco, CA
- Western Pacific
- Subic Bay, Phillipines
- Pusan, South Korea
- Pattaya Beach, Thailand
- Sydney, Australia
- Guam
- Diego Garcia
- North Pacific
- Portland, OR
- Seattle, WA
- Vancouver, BC
- Nanaimo, BC
Overall I have never regretted joining the service. I got to serve my country during the first Gulf War. It gives me a very strong sense of pride to know that I served. While the United States has a myriad of issues and a very bad world image today, I would never hesitate to volunteer and defend it even now.
I spent a little over 7 years in the United States Navy. I was discharged in December 1993 as a Machinists Mate Second Class (E-5 for those comparing that to another branch of service) and while that isn't anything special in terms of achievement I like to think it was exactly what was needed from me during my time.