NBC 6’s Jamie Guirola spent the night onboard the USS New Hampshire and introduces us to the crew
A $2 billion submarine pulled into Port Everglades Monday for Fleet Week -- a submarine in which NBC 6 reporter Jamie Guirola got to take a ride and spend the night.
Jamie spent time with the lookout and the gunner, whose basic role is to make sure no other vessels come too close.
After the coast was clear, the bridge was secured and the submarine was ready to take the dive to 500 feet in the Atlantic Ocean.
"It's a little bit intimidating when you think about it but it's our job," said Pilot Travis Thomas.
The U.S.S. New Hampshire weighs 7,800 tons and is designated as a fast attack vessel.
It can dip and dive, commanding the ocean's current as it propels below sea level, and its weapons arsenal is equally impressive.
The simulation of a torpedo launching required close to 500 gallons of water.
Local
"When you're moving stuff that can eventually crack an air carrier in half, you have to have a little bit of awareness with it," said Aaron Newman.
The submarine is loaded with at least two torpedoes at any given time. It's maximum capacity is 28. It takes a handful of men to load the torpedo in the launcher before they can hit their target.
"They said do you want to play with poop or do you want to play with guns? And I said play with guns," Newman said.
In addition to torpedoes, the U.S.S. New Hampshire is loaded with real fire power mobile mines and Tomahawk cruise missiles. And the vessel is charged by its very own nuclear power plant.
The drinking water is pulled from the sea and filtered into fresh water. The oxygen supply is pure but the crew that operates this ship is fundamental.
"I get to work with the most amazing citizens of the United States. The crew is unbelievable what they are able to achieve. From the time we receive them on board until the time they transfer off," said Commander Jason Weed.
In the middle of Jamie's trip the submarine was forced to surface. There was a medical emergency on board and one of the crew needed immediate attention.
"We needed to make a quick decision on turning the ship around and we did that and the crew responded very well," Commander Weed said.
The 377-foot sub looks huge from the outside, but inside its tight quarters and the reaction of the submariners to the medical emergency demonstrated just how tight the crew is also.
"The best thing you can see is how much they grow as individuals and how much they congeal into a team," Commander Weed said.
Most of the crew members -- more than 100 in all -- are in their 20s, some just out of high school. They operate, and are responsible for, not only this $2 billion piece of the Navy, but also each other.
"It's important because we're one percent of the Navy so who's going to get your back in that sense? Who else can know your position besides the guy on your left and right?" asked Michael Calo.
Sometimes the guy on your left and right are very close, especially in the shared sleeping quarters.
The sailors come from all over, from the Pacific to the Atlantic.
"We're different ranks from different places, but we sit down in theses chairs and we have to have each others' back at all times. It's like a band of brothers down here," said Pilot Travis Thomas.
It's a band and a bond with a depth that lasts a lifetime.
