Lincoln Sailors Save Shipmate

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Seth Clarke, USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) Public Affairs

USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN, At Sea (NNS) -- The commanding officer of Helicopter Sea Squadron 12 awarded the Navy Achievement Medal to two Sailors from USS Abraham Lincoln's (CVN 72) Air Department Jan. 25 for quick, decisive actions that saved the life of one of their shipmates.

Cmdr. Patrick E. Keyes awarded the medal to Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Equipment) 2nd Class Jesus J. Garcia, from Uvalde, Texas, and Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handler) Airman Samuel R. Scheidecker, from Philadelphia.

During flight operations Jan. 21, Garcia and Scheidecker took action simultaneously to halt the launch of an E2-C2 Hawkeye when they noticed a Sailor crossing the flight deck in the path of the aircraft.

Garcia works as an operator in the Integrated Catapult Control Station (ICCS), located between the forward catapults that launch aircraft off of Lincoln's flight deck. His job is to first ensure that he has the correct amount of steam pressure for the launch, and then to make sure the deck in front of the aircraft is clear.

After conducting his pressure reading Jan. 21, Garcia went up to check to see if he had a clear deck. When he looked up, he saw someone coming up out of the catwalk, onto the flight deck and directly into the path of the aircraft. He immediately suspended the launch. Had he indicated a clear deck forward, the launch would have proceeded.

Garcia said he was simply doing his job the way he was trained.

"Everyone that trained me, trained me properly," Garcia said. "It came in handy that night."

Independent of Garcia's actions, Scheidecker also followed the proper steps to suspend the launch. When he saw the Sailor enter the launch area, Scheidecker sent a suspend signal from the bow to the director topside.

"It was instantaneous," Scheidecker said. "As soon as you see something like that, you've got to react. We're watching out for one another up there. It's kind of cool that both of us, from two different divisions, saw her and stopped it in time. I'm glad we did."

Capt. Brad Jensen, Lincoln's Air department head, said the Sailors' extraordinary actions were the result of their ability to maintain focus, fight complacency and react according to their training.

"Everything that they do up there is to preserve life and to preserve assets," Jensen said. "Their first instinct was to recognize that they had someone in an area that wasn't supposed to be there. That made all the difference. If not for their actions, it would have resulted in the loss of life, without a doubt."

Jensen said that although flight operations that night ended without incident, it was important to remember to stay focused at all times while working in such a dangerous environment.

"You like to recognize great actions, but the flip side is that this could have been very bad," said Jensen. "This could have been a memorial service. Instead, we got to recognize a couple of Sailors for doing a great job and saving a life."

The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group is deployed in the U.S. 5th Fleet Area of Responsibility in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts.

For more news from USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), visit www.navy.mil/local/cvn72/.