Sam and Jerry Barbero were passengers aboard the USS Harry Truman for its Riger Cruise, in which family members of Navy personnel board the ship for its last few days of deployment as it heads into port.

The USS Harry S. Truman returned recently to Naval Station Norfolk after a seven-month deployment. Carrier Air Wing Three aircraft flew more than 26,500 hours during 9,500 sorties. Of these, 2,459 were combat sorties directly supporting coalition forces operating on the ground in Iraq.

The air wing flew almost 14,000 combat hours and expended 77,500 pounds of ordnance during 228 troops-in-contact events.

The USS Harry S. Truman is the ninth nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in the U.S. Navy. It is powered by two nuclear reactors that drive four steam turbines and propellers, moving the ship at speeds in excess of 30 knots (actual top speed is classified).

It is 1,096 feet long -- taller than the Empire State Building; longer than three football fields. With all the air wings aboard, the Truman carries more than 5,000 naval personnel and more than 60 combat and support aircraft.

One of the many aircraft aboard the Navy carrier makes its landing.

Lampasas residents Jerry Barbero and son Sam Barbero took part in Tiger Cruise, which allows family of crew members to board the ship as it heads into port for the last four days of the deployment. Barbero's oldest son, Edward, is a sailor assigned to the VFA-37 Fighter Squadron aboard the USS Harry Truman.

What follows is Barbero's account of his time aboard the ship for Tiger Cruise.

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May 31: Sam and I flew to Jacksonville, Fla., where we stayed the night.

Day 1 (June 1), embarkation: Sam and I boarded a Navy bus at the airport to take all the arriving "Tigers" to the ship. The bus was scheduled to leave at 9 a.m., but in true military tradition, it was an hour late. The USS Harry S. Truman was so big that we could see it for several miles before we arrived at the Mayport Naval Base.

After we disembarked from the bus, we got in line to process onto the ship. By the third try we found the right line and processed to board. Ed linked up with us and got us onto the ship, and we spent the rest of the day ashore helping Ed get restocked with some personal provisions.

The USS Harry Truman recently returned to Naval Station Norfolk after a seven-month deployment. Several Lampasas residents were aboard for the docking.

Later that evening, we unpacked into our spacious sleeping berths. Although I requested a cabin with a view, what I got was a little more cramped than I had hoped for. The bunks were three high with barely enough room to squeeze into. To turn over, you invariably would hit your head on the small light above the pillow. These tiers of bunks were lined up row upon row.

Day 2 (June 2) -- Somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean: There were many activities and displays. Sam spent most of the day playing basketball in one of the hangar decks. I embarked on a selfguided tour of the ship. The flight deck and the hangar deck are huge. Every other area within the ship is small and hard to get to.

Two people could not pass each other in the passageways without one turning sideways. There was no passing on the stairways, and there were a lot of stairways. For example, to go to the galley to eat, we had to climb down two stairways to get to the hangar deck, walk to mid-ship, climb up three flights of stairs to get in line, climb down four flights of stairs to get to the galley, and then climb up three flights of stairs to get back to the berthing area.

There was no direct way to get from the chapel, which was mid-ship on deck three, to the berthing area, which was aft and only one deck down. I got lost three times and had to go down three decks to the hangar deck and then climb three flights of stairs to get back to the berthing area.

A sailor told me it takes about three weeks before one is able to find the way around the ship without getting lost.

I enjoyed touring the hospital, metal shop, island (big flight-control tower on the side of the flight deck) and all the other areas I could find on the ship.

Day 3 (June 3) -- Airpower demonstration: This was the best day of all. The airpower demonstration was truly amazing. There was a helicopter, three F-18s and a huge airborne air traffic control airplane.

All the aircraft demonstrated takeoff and landings. The aircraft also demonstrated supersonic flight, dropping bombs, firing weapons and aircraft aerobatics.

There were approximately 1,000 Tigers aboard the ship, and we took up about half the flight deck. We were so close to the end of the take-off that you felt you could reach out and touch the aircraft.

Day 4 (June 4) -- Homecoming: The return to port was a very emotional occasion for the sailors. All the sailors wore their summer white uniforms and "manned the decks" as the ship pulled into the dock. There were thousands of friends and family members on the dock waiting for the ship to be tied up and for the sailors to be released.

Tiger Cruise 2008 was certainly a once-in-a-lifetime experience I will never forget. I have the greatest respect for the firepower aboard the USS Harry S. Truman and its ability to project U.S. national strategy across the globe.

I also salute the men and women of VFA-37, Raging Bulls, and all the other sailors aboard the CVN- 75 for their patriotism and dedication to duty.