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LOADING SHELLS AND GUN POWDER FOR THE GUN EXERCISE PORTION OF FRUKUS, MIGHT NOT BE THE
MOST EXCITING PART OF A GUNNER'S MATE'S DAY, BUT PETTY OFFICER BENJAMIN MILLER SAYS, THIS
IS WHY PEOPLE COME INTO THE NAVY.
"YOU GO TO THE RECRUITER, THE RECRUITER DOESN'T SHOW YOU STUFF AS FAR AS, 'HERE, YOU GET TO
GO PLOT CHARTS, THIS IS HOW YOU FIND OUT WHERE YOU'RE GONNA NAVIGATE AND GET TO GO.' EVERYONE
WANTS TO SEE THE GUNS, WANTS TO SEE THINGS GO BOOM, WANTS TO SEE GUNS FIRE, SMALL ARMS.
THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT WE DEAL WITH. WE HAVE A HAND IN ALL, EVERYTHING THAT GOES BOOM ON
THE SHIP."
THAT'S NOT THE ONLY THING THEY, OR THEIR FIVE INCH CANNON BLOW UP.
THE TARGET'S OFFICIAL NAME IS LITTLE KNOWN. MOST PEOPLE JUST CALL IT THE KILLER TOMATO.
"WELL, I CAN'T TELL YOU THE EXACT REASON WHY IT'S CALLED THE KILLER TOMATO, BUT I CAN TELL
YOU WHY I WOULD CALL IT THE KILLER TOMATO. IT'S CAUSE IT'S BIG, IT'S RED, AND WE ACT
LIKE IT'S A BAD GUY AND WE TRY TO KILL IT."
PETTY OFFICER MILLER DOES MORE THAN JUST BLOW THINGS UP.
"LIGHTING OFF ALL MOTORS."
HIS CHIEF EXPLAINS HOW HE IS JUST AS VERSATILE AS THE CANNON.
"HE'S AN EP-2 PANEL OPERATOR, HE'S MY RIGHT-HAND MAN ON ATFP, HE MAKES SURE THAT I GET ALL
MY GEAR. HE'S LIKE 'HEY CHIEF, YOU KNOW, YOU FORGOT THIS, GET THAT. MAKE SURE THAT WE GOT
OUR KILLER TOMATOES UP THERE'"
ALL IN A DAY'S WORK.
"PULL AROUND, LOAD AND SHOOT, AYE."
AND IN THE END, IT'S PETTY OFFICER MILLER MAKING SURE THE BIG GUN SHOW GOES ON WITH
A ***.
"I WOULD SAY THAT IT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST EVENTS THAT HAPPENS. I MEAN, IT KINDA STOPS
ALL MOVING PARTS ON THE SHIP WHEN FIVE INCH SHOOTS CAUSE IT'S A REALLY BIG DEAL, SO EVERYTHING
STOPS, EVERYONE ELSE STOPS."
EVERYTHING, BUT THE FIVE INCH CANNON, THAT IS.
FROM THE BALTIC SEA, ABOARD THE USS NORMANDY, I'M AIR FORCE SERGEANT NATHAN PARRY.