The U.S. forward-deployed naval forces’ strength can be traced to the ability to place an aircraft carrier anywhere in the Indo-Pacific area of operations within a number of days. The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), homeported at Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY), has the ability to carry more than 70 aircraft anywhere in the
region, an ability that has been a mainstay of the U.S.to project power abroad since World War II. Though the importance of air power has only developed over the last century, the history of naval aviation is long and storied. From the first makeshift gliders to advanced modern jets, aviation has opened up myriad possibilities beyond simply changing the face of conflict: connecting people, bridging cultures, and driving transportation and warfighting innovation in the modern world. On Aug. 19, 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt established Aviation Day to celebrate achievements in aviation. However, a call for a more prolonged observance saw the month of November be set aside to dedicate the numerous advancements and exemplary aviation achievements over the years. The U.S.Census Bureau declared National Aviation History Month as being, “dedicated to exploring, recognizing and celebrating America’s great contributions and achievements in the development of aviation.”
However, the most significant innovation in design was attributed to Orville and Wilbur Wright. After many years of aviation studies and countless trials, the Wright brothers made the first controlled and sustained flight on their glider, which flew over Kitty Hawk, North Carolina on Dec. 17, 1903. In search of a capable aircraft, the United States Army contracted the Wright brothers in early 1908 to create an airplane that met their requirements for field operations. On July 27, 1909, Orville Wright and Lt. Frank Lahm set a new record by exceeding expectations for a manned flight during a flight demonstration at Fort Myer in Arlington, Virginia. The successful flight attracted large crowds, including President William Howard Taft who, “Missed dinner for a show that was well worth it,” according to the National Archives
Then Secretary of the Navy George von Meyer took notice of the significant feats of aviation, which led to a series of firsts for the Navy. While the Wright brothers continued to fulfill the Army’s contracts, the Navy contracted Glenn Curtiss, who pioneered the development of naval aviation. On Nov. 14, 1910, Eugene Ely, a Navy test pilot, became the first aviator to successfully demonstrate the launch of an airplane from a Navy ship while aboard the light cruiser USS Birmingham (CL 2) and also landed aboard the armored cruiser USS Pennsylvania (ACR 4). Due to the continued success, Lt. Theodore Ellyson submitted a request for flight training to the Secretary of the Navy and on January 6, 1911, his request was approved with orders to report to North Island in San Diego Bay to begin learning the complexity of the Navy’s Curtiss biplane under Curtiss’ guidance. Ultimately, Lt Ellyson became the first naval aviator to go aloft in a seaplane, the first aviator to fly at night, the first to fly an airplane launched from a wire cable and the first pilot of a seaplane launched from a catapult.
Although the construction of the first ships primarily built to be aircraft carriers was more than a decade away, Glenn Curtiss’s innovations launched a revolution for naval aviation. The historic flights prevailed in Congress in regard to the strategic importance of future aeronautical developments, which led to the enactment of the Naval Appropriation Act in 1912. As the United States entered both World Wars, naval aviation became a decisive factor leading to countless American victories at sea. Many years later, Naval aviation bred the first astronauts who contributed to NASA’s manned space flight programs. Alan Shepard, a naval aviator, became the first American in space on May 5, 1961, and commanded the Apollo 14 mission. Neil Armstrong, the first man to set foot on the moon on July 21, 1969, was also a naval aviator who notably served during the Korean War. Today, naval aviation dominates the skies with evolving unmanned aircraft systems and the latest 5th-generation fighters, keeping with the Navy’s mission of maintaining freedom of navigation.
The thrill of adventure has always been aviation’s driving force, and Cmdr. Bryon “Rasta” Yamaji, Future Plans Director for U.S. Seventh Fleet, understands exactly this. “I wanted to fly off an aircraft carrier,” said Yamaji. While working in Kaneohe, Hawaii as a federal contractor,
Yamaji had the opportunity to experience his first flight in January 2000 when his close friend took him flying in a Cessna 152 airplane around the islands. After being given control of the aircraft, he was hooked, leading him to join the U.S. Navy.
He continued pursuing his new passion for aviation and applied to be a Student Naval Aviator. After he earned his commission, he went through Aviation Preflight Indoctrination (API) training. This extensive course included understanding aerodynamics, flight training, weather effects, and water survival training. He followed up with more advanced instruction after being selected for tactical aviation training. After over three years of training, he finally became a naval aviator and has since flown with a variety of aircraft along the way which included the T-6, T-39 Sabreliner, T-1 Jayhawk, T-45, F-16, EA-6B, and EA-18G. Later on in his career, Cmdr Yamaji also became an instructor for T-39 and T-45 aircraft for three years, passing on his legacy to future aviators.
“Flying all over the United States as a copilot in a T-39 is the best experience I’ve had. It is a relaxing and calming experience, and it’s unlike anything else.”
In the U.S. 7th Fleet, pilots and maintainers from naval airfields and bases throughout Japan embark aboard USS Ronald Reagan for each patrol of the region, continuing the tradition of naval aviation at sea, pushing new innovations in the air, and ensuring a free and open Indo Pacific through naval air power.
For more than 75 years, CFAY has provided, maintained, and operated base facilities and services in support of the U.S. 7th Fleet’s forward-deployed naval forces, tenant commands, and thousands of military and civilian personnel and their families.
| Date Taken: | 11.11.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 11.21.2022 22:25 |
| Story ID: | 433751 |
| Location: | YOKOSUKA, KANAGAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 100 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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