FRIDAY FOTO (July 29, 2022)

WELCOME TO MY DARKSIDE

(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Taylor Parker) Please click on the photo to enlarge the image.

Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 3rd Class Ronald Saunders prepares to direct a Marine Corps AH-1Z Viper helicopter on the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) during night flight operations July 14, 2022.

We understand that many Flight Deck crew wear face masks to block out the exhaust fumes, and skulls are a popular motif. We probably should have saved this photo for Halloween — by why wait?

Aircraft handlers, like Saunders, wear yellow shirts, as do aircraft directors who shuttle aircraft around the busy flight decks of assault ships and aircraft carriers like traffic cops. Other flight deck crew, who arm, fuel, repair, inspect and move aircraft, wear garb of different colors reflecting their job. To see a short video explaining what all the colors mean, click here.

The Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group is on a scheduled deployment in the Atlantic Ocean, U.S. Naval Forces Europe’s area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., allies and partner interests.