Photo By Lt.j.g. Marc Rockwellpate | 180927-N-GY475-0005 NORTH ATLANTIC (Sept. 27, 2018) Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Fuel)...... read more read more
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NORTH ATLANTIC – Proudly sporting bright purple jerseys, Aviation Boatswain’s Mates (Fuel), or ABFs, from USS Harry S. Truman’s V-4 division, are charged with receiving, cleaning, purifying and distributing JP-5 fuel. These 141 Sailors play a critical role in making sure the carrier can fulfill its mission of keeping aircraft in the air.
Affectionately known as grapes, ABFs can be seen dragging hoses and refueling aircraft on the flight deck while below decks more ABFs work behind the scenes to receive fuel during replenishments-at-sea (RAS) and make this sweet wine ready for distribution throughout the ship.
“During a RAS, all eyes are on us to get that fuel onboard and make sure we have at least 95 percent capacity, because that’s what the commanding officer expects of us,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Fuel) 1st Class Jesse Malm.
Once the team of grapes has the fuel aboard, JP-5 has to be cleaned using stripping pumps. The stripping pumps then remove any the sediment and water in order to make the fuel ready to be processed by a centrifugal purifier. The fuel must be perfectly cleaned or it could create a blockage in the fuel injectors of a jet engine and cause the engine to burn out and fail.
“If some dirty fuel were to make its way to the flight deck and slip by us, people would die,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Fuel) 2nd Class Roger Panek. “Our job is to prevent that from happening and keep pilots safe.”
While most ABFs don’t work for the recognition, people definitely take notice of how much they do for the carrier and air wing to complete Harry S. Truman’s missions.
“The importance of our grapes is pretty self-evident,” said Lt. Nicholas Green, a pilot for the Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 81 Sunliners. “If we don’t have gas, we don’t fly. Nothing goes on and nothing moves. They are one of the most important rates to the air wing, and we would not be flying without the men and women in purple around.”
Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Fuel) 2nd Class Laurent Samuels believes in the importance of being a grape, understanding that successful flight operations is a sign of a job well done.
“We matter. We make a difference,” said Samuels. “It gives us a sense of accomplishment. When you get the fuel it’s dirty, so you have to get it nice and clean. When it makes it up to the flight deck and you get to see those birds launch, you know it’s because of you and what you did.”
Currently operating in the U.S. Sixth Fleet area of operations, Harry S. Truman will continue to foster cooperation with regional allies and partners, strengthen regional stability, and remain vigilant, agile and dynamic.
For more information about Truman, visit www.facebook.com/USSTruman or www.navy.mil/local/cvn75/.
| Date Taken: | 10.03.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 10.03.2018 07:20 |
| Story ID: | 295228 |
| Location: | U.S. 6TH FLEET AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY |
| Web Views: | 1,206 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, JP-5… You Mean ‘Grape’ Juice?, by CPO Thomas Miller, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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