SAN DIEGO, California — This week, the flight deck of the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln has been transformed from holding 42 aircrafts to a makeshift 5,000 seat stadium for Friday’s Armed Forces Classic game between No. 2 Gonzaga and Michigan State.
The aircraft carrier will go from launching fighter jets in less than three seconds to holding a 40-minute long college basketball game on Veterans Day.
Making this event a reality has been no small task, but the crew on board the ship is excited to see the final product.
“It is hard being a sailor. We just got back from a six month deployment, but what a way to be welcomed home to San Diego,” Commander Scott Lieng said.
Lieng, a supply officer on the U.S.S. Lincoln said it took over 300 crane lifts of equipment to enact the stadium on the flight deck.
“It’s pretty insane to watch them go from having literally nothing on the flight deck to having an entire set of stands for 5,000 people as well as cameras, crew cables running across the top of the ship that aren’t normally there, speakers and lights, it’s just a different beast than what we normally have here,” Lieutenant Commander James Rowe said.
Putting together this event has been a Herculean collaboration between ESPN and the United States Navy, but it has been rewarding one as well.
“Up and down the chain of command, whether working with ESPN personnel or our military personnel, the message is this is bigger than us and working together is going to be the best way to get this thing done. I’m getting excited for everyone to come see,” Lieutenant Julian Molinar said.
Among the crew of the U.S.S. Lincoln is Lieutenant Commander Sid Blackmore, who serves as the oral surgeon on board the ship. Blackmore grew up in Bonners Ferry and is thrilled to have the chance to see this Gonzaga team up close and personal on Friday.
“I never imagined being in this kind of a setting, especially in San Diego. Being on an aircraft carrier and being able to watch elite players play in the NCAA, it means a lot to me to be a part of this. I have loved watching (Gonzaga), they’ve come so close to the championship and I’m hoping this is the year for them,” Blackmore said.
Tip off between the Zags and Spartans is set for 3:30 PM Friday. The game can be seen on ESPN.