The First and the Finest: Aboard the USS Enterprise (cont'd)

I can tell you it is called a "COD" for carrier on board delivery. And that is exactly what it was going to do, deliver us to the Enterprise. Now, just so you get the feeling, these seats are tiny, two on each side of a very small aisle down the middle of the hull. Hey, on this flight every seat feels like a middle seat, and no movie!

The fuselage has no sound insulation like the commercial planes have. And those big propellers are out there humming away.

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Carl Edwards took the lead with 35 laps to go and and never looked back in the Citizens Bank 400 on Sunday. Follow how he went from a pit-road penalty to Victory Lane.

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We got a detailed explanation of what to expect on landing before we left the ground. We, indeed, were going to do a tail-hook landing, where the plane basically hooks a steroid infested rubber-band that keeps us from tumbling off the bow of the ship. Nice, huh?

Well, it was awesome, or as Carl said: "I heard somebody say that landing on an aircraft carrier was like putting a postage stamp in your living room and diving from the hallway and landing on it with your tongue."

Well, we did it. We were now on board the USS Enterprise, and before I go any further I just want to point out that the ship is nicknamed "The Big E." Perfect place for a guy like Carl.

The day started at 9 a.m. It was 10 hours that would change your life. And here's why:

The "Big E" was involved in war games, trying to secure an oil tanked captured by the bad guys, while also attacking the state of North Carolina.

Or as Adm. Dan Holloway put it: "Today you rolled in on the final two days of the battle problem. We have enemy submarines, we have enemy ashore. Right now there's a merchant vessel 10 miles down the coast that has oil and they are taking that thing and threatening to damage our shores and beaches by spilling the oil ashore and our seals and our special operations officers and our explosive ordinance team is putting in place a mission to take it down. So that environment can be protected."

Yeah, North Carolina was sounding pretty safe to me.

On this ship, everything on board moves at a dizzying pace. Certainly, there were light-hearted moments, but even the "games" were intense.

"Let me tell you, I came here a little bit naive," Carl said. "I thought I understood what went on here. I thought I could imagine how hectic it is up on that flight deck. But I'm telling you sitting there and watching those jets go off, I mean my heart was pounding. Those guys are brave. That is a crazy job.

"You know, no matter what people think of the political situation or what their beliefs or whatever, the fact is that these folks are out here sacrificing and they're doing the best that they can. And it really, it really makes me look up to them for what they sacrifice."

There were 18-year-olds and 48-year-olds on board. We were told some were younger and some were older. The teamwork was unbelievable.

Capt. Steve Posey is the navigator on the Enterprise. Always good to have a navigator on board.

"My job here is really two-fold," Posey said. "Number one to keep the captain safe and not run into anything. Number two is really to put the aircraft carrier in a position to support the air wing, whether it be off the coast of the Carolinas in support our operational training or off the coast of Afghanistan when we're supporting operations for the troops overseas.

"We've got eight different reactors, while most other carriers only have two. We're unique in that we have four rudders while the other carriers only have two. Our ship is a little bit longer by 10 feet and about a foot narrower. We're built on more of a cruiser hull, so rumor has it we're a little bit faster than the other carriers."

I think that's military jargon for bragging.

Carl got the tour from stern to bow, lowest deck to the bridge. (Continued)