A Tiger's Tale

By Craig Cooper, Capt. Ian Sonnenberg and John Sonnenberg

Originally, this was just a journal to document a tiger experience. Capt. Ian Sonnenberg invited his dad, John Sonnenberg, and his uncle, Craig Cooper, to join him in Honolulu aboard the USS San Diego (LPD-22) and sail to Camp Pendleton, California, on a tiger cruise. There was some brief preliminary information and a couple of emails, but there was little information on what to expect from the experience. The plan was to capture the experience so others would feel more prepared. But this project turned into something more.

The journal then shifted to creating a guidebook for anyone going on an extended tiger cruise as well as composing a journal. As the journal developed into a manual for tiger cruises, it took on another dimension. This document grew to be an optimistic accounting of the future of America. This team of Sailors and Marines crossed the globe, with our flag proudly flying from the mast, and showed the world the strength and spirit of the United States. Theyall the US militaryindeed, are celebrated in the successful culmination of their missions. In addition to this optimistic message came the realization that the future leaders of our industries, institutions, and government are being developed within these brave men and women. Hoorah!

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Aug 31, 2018
• ISBN: 9781546251798

Craig Cooper

Craig is married to Susan Luhrman Cooper; a proud Father to Abigail, Grace, and Israel; a Software Developer; and Founder/Pastor of Relationship Church.

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© 2018 John Sonnenberg. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 08/30/2018

ISBN: 978-1-5462-5178-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5462-5179-8 (e)

ISBN: 978-1-5462-5180-4 (sc)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018908465

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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Dedicated to the Men and Women of the 15 Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU)

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Figure 1 USS San Diego

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Introduction

Originally this journal was merely to document my ‘Tiger’ experience. Capt. Ian Sonnenberg, my son, had invited me and his Uncle Craig Cooper to join him in Honolulu aboard the USS San Diego (LPD-22) and sail to Camp Pendleton, California on a Tiger Cruise. The ship and crew (as many as 360 Sailors and 800 Marines) were on the final leg of their deployment which had stretched to more than 200 days. We were given some brief information and a couple of emails about the cruise along with a lot of forms to fill out, including a full medical assessment, but there was little to shed light on what to expect from the experience. My plan was to capture the experience so others would feel more prepared. But this project turned into something more.

As with anything, I gathered as much information as I could from Google and, although some information was available, there was nothing that could have prepared me for this adventure. My mission then shifted to creating a guidebook for anyone going on an extended Tiger Cruise as well as composing a journal

One important note is that everyone will experience an extended Tiger Cruise a little differently based on personal perspective. Regardless, I have no doubt that a universal reaction common to all will be: ‘WOW!!!’

If you ever get the chance to be on a Tiger Cruise, even a one day event, grab the opportunity. Your experience will be different than what I had, but I can assure you, you will leave with the same ‘WOW’ experience. ‘WOW’ in the US Navy and Marines. ‘WOW’ in the skills, knowledge and leadership abilities of these young men and women. ‘WOW’ in the common aspirations to achieve their mission and defend this great country.

As this journal developed into a manual for Tiger Cruises, it took on another dimension. This document grew to be an optimistic accounting of the future of America. This team of Sailors and Marines crossed the globe with our flag proudly flying from the mast and showed the world the strength and spirit of these United States. They, indeed all of the US military, are celebrated in the successful culmination of their missions. In addition to this optimistic message came the realization that the future leaders of our industries, institutions and government are being developed within these brave men and women. Hoorah!

Table of Contents

Introduction

Journal of the Tiger Cruise

List of Tiger Suggestions

Appendix

Background.psd

Journal of the Tiger Cruise

1/23/18

2246 - Nimitz Gate, Joint Naval Base, Oahu Hawaii

Hundreds of Uber, Lyft and taxis filled with exhausted Marines and Sailors, after their short ten-hour liberty, headed toward the distant gate. It was already dark. Suddenly, each had to slow at the sight of red brake lights flaring up in the darkness from the hundreds of vehicles ahead of them. Unknown to all of us was a new order, issued at 2200 hours (10 PM), for 100% ID check. Now all of the Tigers, because we didn’t have IDs, were heading toward the USS Pearl Harbor and the USS San Diego with the new obligation to transition to the security building and procure proper identification.

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Figure 2 USS San Diego (left) and the USS Pearl Harbor (right).

As each vehicle approached, the guard firmly gave these tired military personnel their options to either abandon their Tiger or comply with the order. Each discussion at the gate also compounded the delay. As the clock ticked toward the enlisted personnel’s 2300 (11 PM) mandatory deadline, scores of young men and women abandoned their vehicles and Tigers to sprint the three miles to their docked ships.

As a Tiger, it was immediately clear that what these men and women do is important; they believe in what they had been trained to do and feared not meeting the goals of the orders they were given. As I later learned, the fear was more about letting others down than of any personal concerns. They wanted to make sure the whole crew got back on time.

Fortunately, my son was an officer and could stay out until midnight, so we acquired our pass from a single guard in a large office that looked like a DMV. He was overworked and overwhelmed, but still kept his sense of humor in the situation. During this whole time, our cab sat with the meter running. Fortunately for us, the driver had been through this many times and assured my son that we could make it to the ship by midnight. By the time we were done getting a pass and got back to the gate, the crowd of enlisted personnel was gone, and we sped to the USS San Diego’s brow with 15 minutes to spare.

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Figure 3 USS San Diego Brow

at check-in 2345 2/24/18

My son, Capt. Ian Sonnenberg (I’ll frequently refer to him as Ian), my brother-in-law, Craig Cooper, and I made our way up ramps and through side-port doors to my son’s assigned quarters. We just followed Ian, often through double sets of water-tight doors. Hold down the top lever, pull up on the long handle of the first door and push it open, everyone getting into the small space between the doors, close the first door behind you by again pulling down the top lever then pulling down another large handle, then you can start to open the next door with the same repetitive sequence. We got to a point where we were a team traversing the labyrinth with choreographed precision. Up ramps, through doors, up ladders (stairways on steroids). Sometimes, the ladders had small round access holes that you could barely fit through. Finally, we arrived at 02-64-4-L, our quarters for nine days. The next few minutes were a blur of assigning space, unpacking, dressing for bed, picking our rack and hitting them hard. It was a good day with more to come.

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Figure 4 Heading

toward our

quarters - Note

the doorways.

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Figure 5 Boarding

was a blur. Tired,

we followed

Ian in a haze of

movement and

with the feeling of

being in a foreign

world.

1/24/18

0500 - USS San Diego, Hotel Two Pier, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam

We were up. It didn’t take long to get out of the rack, shit, shower and save. Uncle Craig and I were on Central Time, ahead four-hours, so it felt