Some of these guys were in their racks, a couple were in their whites, but just a few minutes after getting the call that they needed to be suited up and ready for a possible crash on the flight deck, they were on the scene and ready to react. The helo landed safely, there was no crash, and two of them had to put their dress shoes back on.

I like making photos of the bows/foc'sles of ships, and I loved the whole visual-ness of the Al Basrah Oil Terminal, so here is a combination of the two.

Boatswains Mate 2nd Class Johnoliver Gosier prepares to be Cox'n of Adak's small boat for a personnel transfer from the US Coast Guard Cutter Adak (WPB 1333) off the coast of Iraq on Thursday, August 13, 2009.

On board the Thach, one of the most fit ships we visited, Sailors work out anywhere, any time. The ship's gym is called "Jimmy's House of Pain."

Red lights come on as The USS Thatch goes dark for the evening in the Arabian Gulf on Friday, August 14, 2009.

One dhow and a whole lot of nothing else.

Boatswains Mate 2nd Class (SW) Tyrone Williams.

Behind the Anzio, 20 August, 2009, in the Somali Basin.