“Top Gun” sequel’s got nothing on these real-life Stanislaus-area Navy warriors
Did you know that a local man helps TOPGUN aviators at the Navy’s premier air warfare training center?
Frank Ellsworth, a 2006 Manteca High School grad, is a naval aircrewman stationed in Fallon, Nevada whose duties include “supporting carrier air wings” before they do heart-pumping stuff like practicing at any of four bombing ranges or an electronic warfare range. Kind of like the hit 1986 “Top Gun” film with Tom Cruise.
Something makes me hate the thought of promoting a movie in this column, but yeah, the sequel comes out Tuesday.
I only know about Ellsworth because the Navy is exceptional at pushing stories of service members to local newspapers.
Eight years ago, I started getting emails from the Navy Office of Community Outreach telling about this young woman from Ceres or that young man from Patterson sailing the seven seas and performing vital functions for our military.
They often include an action photo, like the one I chose for this column because, frankly, it’s really cool — aviation boatswain’s mate John Montano of Oakdale is signaling a Huey helicopter taking off from the flight deck of a ship somewhere in the Philippine Sea. You can’t even see Montano’s face, but storm clouds are looming and you can just feel the roaring copter beating the air around our young hero.
Most are not filled with adrenaline. But all jobs are important and help to keep ships afloat and fighter planes aloft, and they deserve our admiration and moral support.
So I’m happy to open my inbox and see ordnanceman airman Cole Giambrone of Modesto turning a tool while inspecting a bomb rack on aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, also in the Philippine Sea, in a May 9 photo.
I’m proud to learn about Modesto’s Makara Chhim, who was born in a refugee camp after his family fled Cambodia before settling here. He works with submarines, America’s apex predators that can hunt down and destroy enemy craft, at a submarine homeport in Washington state.
I’m honored to see Modesto’s Mario Flores Chavira, an aviation machinist’s mate, securing an engine cart adaptor on an amphibious assault ship in San Diego.
The story of Susan Murphy was particularly compelling, and I was glad that Bee reporter John Holland jumped on it for a story in November. A couple of decades ago, Murphy was homeless on the streets of Modesto after a troubled childhood dealing with family members’ mental illness and domestic violence. Now she’s a nurse and lieutenant commander on an aircraft carrier.
“If you work hard and perform with integrity, the Navy can turn your life around and dreams can come true. I’m living proof,” Murphy said in a piece written by Alvin Plexico of Navy Outreach.
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One column can’t do justice to all the images and stories of people like Alfredo Ybarra of Riverbank, Brian Walker of Newman, Shane Humphrey of Oakdale, Erin Tomassi of Modesto and — ack! The list goes on and on, and I’m truly sorry that I can’t name them all. The few honored here will have to represent scores of others in the Navy and other military branches who are making something of themselves while making us more than proud.
I’m writing this to coincide with Armed Forces Day, which is Saturday and perhaps the most appropriate time to pay tribute to those in active service. As former Modesto Bee columnist (and ongoing friend) Jeff Jardine explained in an article for CalVet, where he now works, Armed Forces Day was established just after World War II to recognize all military branches. These days, Jeff wrote, it’s celebrated in official ways in a few cities near bases, like Torrance and Oceanside.
But we can always celebrate those who live to serve, in our hearts.
