Promotion Onboard USS Intrepid
4 August 2009 By LEUT Jemma Power
While in New York HMAS Ballarat conducted her 16th and 17th promotions for the Northern Trident 2009 voyage. While they will not be the first promotions for the trip, they were the first promotions conducted by the RAN on Manhattan Island and for SMN Steward Vanessa Florance and SMN Boatswains Mate James Perram, it will be their first substantive promotion in the RAN.
With the New York City skyline as a backdrop, the promotion ceremony took place on the flight deck of USS Intrepid who was berthed opposite Ballarat’s temporary Manhattan home. While keen movie goers might recognise the flight deck as the location for Will Smiths’ lonesome t-shots in the film I Am Legend, the Intrepid is better known as an Essex class Aircraft Carrier, who saw extensive service during the Second World War and the Vietnam War before being opened the Sea, Air and Space Museum in 1982.
Accompanied by their divisional staff; Supply Officer, SBLT Theresa Wells and PO Steward Peter Caban for SMN Florance and Seaman Officer SBLT Ben Smythe and PO Bosun Eric McGregor for SMN Perram, the group travelled to the up the equivalent of six stories above wharf height for the ceremony conducted by Ballarat’s Commanding Officer, CMDR Kevin Turner.
"I felt really proud to be promoted on Intrepid, it’s a once in a lifetime thing and really, how many people can say they’ve done that? I must admit though that I was so focused on the ceremony and going before the Commanding Officer that I didn’t really take in the view of New York or my surroundings on Intrepid properly until after the ceremony was complete" said AB Florance.
During the promotion of both sailors, CMDR Turner spoke to them about the responsibility of the rank they were about to assume "Having consolidated the skills and knowledge obtained during your initial category course and furthered your general naval knowledge, you have been judged ready to accept the broader responsibilities that attend higher rank. Your promotion signifies an important step in the progression of your career in the Royal Australian Navy… Many opportunities for advancement lie ahead of you in Ballarat. I expect you to take full advantage of each to build upon your experience and prove your potential for further promotion. I look forward to your valuable contribution as an integral member of our ship’s company."
Following the ceremony, Mike Hallahan a former Intrepid crew member and President of the USS Intrepid Former Crew Members Association treated the newly promoted AB Florance and AB Perram as well as their divisional staff to a tour of the ship that was formerly his home. His tour included information Intrepid’s part in the largest Naval battle of World War Two – the Battle for Leyte Gulf, a battle in which Australian ships HMAS Australia (II) and HMAS Arunta (I) also earned battle honours.
"It was a great honour to be promoted on a ship that had made such a contribution in World War Two. On Mike’s tour we paused at a spot that was subjected to kamikaze strike during the battle for Leyte Gulf, lives were lost at this very place and discovering that was a sobering moment."
"Our promotion ceremony in the grand scheme of things was a very small moment in the long history of this ship, but it was such a privilege to be promoted surrounded by so much history." AB Perram said.
Mr Hallahan’s tour concluded with a visit to the ships wardroom where all were treated to the traditional round of celebratory drinks – kindly supplied by the team from Intrepid thus relieving the newly promoted Able Seaman of their traditional obligation to shout their divisional staff the first drinks following promotion.
