As the headquarters of Starfleet Command, San Francisco is also naturally home to one of the most extravagant of annual Fleet Week celebrations. While the USS Loma Prieta itself was not featured amongst the ships on display, our crew did send a rather sizable delegation to the festivities.
After beginning the mission with a minor transporter accident that scattered our away team across the Embarcadero waterfront, we regrouped at Pier 30. Anchored there was the USS Bonhomme Richard, an amphibious assault carrier capable of launching a wide variety of aircraft, from helicopters to Harrier jets, as well as amphibious Marine landing vehicles.
The crew of the USS Bonhomme Richard was friendly and informative, showcasing the latest in military hardware from armored personnel carriers, attack helicopters, and even the advanced V-22 Osprey. But it wasn’t just vehicles that were being showcased. There was some surprisingly advanced technology on display, including pre-Soong android technology in the form remote controlled ordinance disposal robots, and even an airborne surveillance drone.
After disembarking the Bonhomme Richard, our away team attempted to seek out a spot to best observe the Blue Angels air show. Unfortunately, after making a few aerobatic passes that could easily rival Nova Squadron, the show was cut short after atmospheric anomalies (ie: clouds) were detected. Hopefully, our crew will be able to witness the full performance at Fleet Week 2012. Perkins out.
~Cmdr. Zach Perkins
Commanding Officer
USS Loma Prieta
Starfleet, Region 4