Eisenhower Celebrates Easter Sunday

Photo By Chief Petty Officer Rafael Figueroa-Medina | Seaman Brittany Haynes bows her head in prayer during the Easter sunday sunrise service held on the flight deck of the Nimitz-Class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. The Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group is underway on a regularly scheduled deployment in support of the on-going rotation of forward-deployed forces to support maritime security operations and operate in international waters across the globe.  

ABOARD USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, AT SEA

04.19.2009

Courtesy Story

U.S. Navy           

USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, At Sea — Sailors aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (Ike) gathered on the flight deck April 12 to celebrate Easter with a special sunrise church service.

This type of service, while common ashore, is not something that is always available at sea. Sailors who attended the service commented that they appreciated its unique setting.

"I thought it was great that they held an Easter sunrise service while we are out at sea," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Renee Inman of Carrier Air Wing 7 staff.

More than 100 Sailors attended the service, including Carrier Strike Group 8, Commander, Rear Adm. Kurt W. Tidd, Ike's Commanding Officer Capt. Dee L. Mewbourne, Executive Officer Capt. Ted R. Williams and Command Master Chief Petty Officer Bryan Exum.

"I was surprised by how many people came, and we all had a great time," said Inman, who has made attending a sunrise service on Easter a yearly tradition. "We all had a great time this morning on the flight deck."

For many Sailors aboard Ike, this was the first sunrise service they had attended.

"I've never been to an Easter sunrise service before and I wanted to come up and see what a service on the flight deck was like while enjoying the sunrise," said Airman Emily Turrell of air department, V-1 division, who recently joined Ike's Protestant choir. "It was a very nice and peaceful service."

Before the service, the religious program specialists of Ike's Religious Ministries Department (Relmin) prepared the flight deck for the Sailors expected to attend the service.

Religious program specialist Petty Officer 3rd Class Ben Simon of Relmin who helped set-up and break down the event said that he had been excited about the service since the night prior.

"This is why I joined the Navy, to help with events like this morning's Easter sunrise service," said Simon.

The Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group is underway for a regularly scheduled deployment in support of the on-going rotation of forward-deployed forces to support maritime operations and operate in international waters across the globe.

• Date Taken: 04.19.2009
• Date Posted: 04.19.2009 00:49
• Story ID: 32556
• Location: ABOARD USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, AT SEA