Shakey also had a newfound confidence. Stretch, the senior partner, was letting him wave, not because Stretch wanted to avoid waving but because his vision was still not night adapted and because Shakey was handling this pitching deck MOVLAS recovery quite well. As 406 appeared and moved across the ship’s longitudinal axis, Shakey picked up the handle and showed Sponge a slightly low indication. The steady rain pelted him and Dutch as all eyes looked aft toward Sponge. Please help me, God, Shakey whispered into the rain as the wind swirled around him.
“Two-seven Hornet, clear deck!” the phone talker called out.
“Roger, two-seven Hornet, clear deck!” Shakey bellowed back.
In Air Ops, The Big Unit leaned over and murmured to Wilson. “You made the right call. You’re on record.”
Wilson said nothing, but his eyes followed Sponge as his aircraft came into view on the right side of the screen. Shakey is doing good, he thought, taking charge out there. Wilson knew only prayers could help them now. Our Father, who art in heaven…
“Four-zero-six, got a ball?” Shakey called over the radio.
“Four-zero-six, Hornet ball, point-four,” Sponge answered.
“Ro-ger ball, thirty-nine knots down the angle, workin’ a little low… You’re low and lined up left, come right… Come right… Approaching centerline, back to the left, you’re on glide slope… Ooonn glide slope.”
The ship heaved up and rolled right. Air Ops was silent, save for the radio transmissions from the platform. Throughout the ship all eyes were on the PLAT crosshairs, and hundreds of prayers were asked of God to help the young pilot.
“Deck’s movin’ a little. You’re on glide slope, on course. Oooonn glide slope… a lit-tle power, a little right for lineup.”
Sponge lost the ball behind the stanchion and cried, “Clara!”
“Roger, clara, you’re on glide slope, going a little high, easy with it… power back on…”
“Ball!” Sponge sang out again.
“Right for line-up!” Dutch called. The deck steadied out a bit… they were committed.
Wilson saw the Hornet behind the barricade correct the drift. C’mon! he thought.
Shakey kept the calls coming as Sponge approached the ramp. “Roger ball, a little power… Now cut! CUT! CUT! CUT!”
“Right for line up!” Dutch added.
With that, the Hornet fell out of the sky, slamming on the right main-mount, followed by the left main and nose. A twisting motion sent the airframe into the barricade, which enveloped the aircraft in webbing, water and debris.
