THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, August 27, 1996 TAG: 9608270251
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY EARL SWIFT, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 55 lines
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu eyeballed life aboard a Norfolk-based warship Monday, sitting in the captain's chair and crouching between catapults flinging Navy jets into the sky during an unusual visit to the aircraft carrier Enterprise.
Accompanied by his wife, Sarah, and a 24-member entourage, Netanyahu choppered to the carrier at about 4 a.m., Norfolk time, and spent two hours on the ship's navigation bridge, on its flight deck and in its labyrinthine passages.
``He was absolutely amazed,'' said Capt. Michael D. Malone, the Enterprise's skipper. ``He was most interested in how everything worked. He was overwhelmed by the size.''
The visit was an atypical one for the Enterprise. Though it has hosted hundreds of visitors during port calls since arriving in the Mediterranean in early July, none have been foreign heads of state.
``I would say these are fairly unusual situations,'' Malone said. ``He's certainly the most senior visitor we've had.
``But,'' he added, laughing, ``everybody gets treated like a VIP aboard the Big E.''
The centerpiece of a 13-ship battle group that left Norfolk June 28, the Enterprise was steaming about 100 miles west of the Israeli coast when the prime minister arrived aboard a Navy H-53 Sea Stallion.
The carrier's aviators are participating in an exercise with Israeli fliers, dubbed Juniper Hawk, that has seen its quiver of fighters and attack planes launch hundreds of sorties in recent days.
Joined by the Enterprise battle group's commander, Rear Adm. Martin J. Mayer, and its air wing's skipper, Capt. Jim Zortman, Malone escorted Netanyahu to a quick lunch, then led him to the bridge, where the prime minister and his wife took turns sitting in ``the driver's seat'' - Malone's chair.
The visitors then donned float coats and helmets and strode through jet wash and the roar of taxiing fighters to the ship's steam catapults, beside which they watched several planes launch.
Netanyahu also visited ``Vulture's Row,'' high on the ship's island, to watch returning jets land, and spent a short time talking and exchanging souvenirs with the officers in Malone's cabin before climbing back onto the helicopter.
``I think he was just absolutely amazed at the power he saw here,'' the captain said. ``He asked if he could get in one of the airplanes and go for a ride. I think it looked very appealing to him.
``But his time was quite limited. He knew there wasn't an opportunity to do that today.'' ILLUSTRATION: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, in helmet, goggles
and life vest, toured the Norfolk-based aircraft carrier Enterprise
Monday with his wife and a 24-member entourage. by CNB