NAVAL STATION NORFOLK, Va. — Fusing tradition and trends, the sailors assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) nine have added a personal touch to one of their aircraft. I spent some time visiting the command on the flight line, to learn more about the unique artwork and what makes the squadron special.
"This is the most flexible squadron in the Navy, bar none," said Cmdr. Robert W. Knoerzer, HSC-9's Commanding Officer.
There are more than 200 sailors assigned to HSC-9. Known as the Tridents, sailors are attached to Carrier Air Wing Eight, part of the U.S.S. Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group. In January, the Tridents were the final squadron of air wing to return to Hampton Roads after a more than 8-month long deployment on the Ford. The search and rescue group was deployed along with eight other squadrons to the U.S. Naval Forces Europe and U.S. Naval Forces Africa, helping with combat logistics and supplies. Over their deployment, the squadron flew more than 10,000 missions and accumulated close to 18,000 flight hours.
As for that helicopter — the one with the cool artwork?
“The idea started from, Chief Aviation Structural Mechanic Timothy Drexler, who has an affinity for tattoo art and passion for naval traditions, gathered images of tattoos that represented naval traditions and blended them to symbolize a melding between heritage and the junior sailors,” Cmdr. Knoerzer said.
Click this link to learn more about the artwork. The 'tattooed' MH-60S Seahawk helicopter was unveiled in July, as part of National Tattoo Day.
