by Lt. Wesley Holzapfel, Navy Office of Community Outreach
Photo by Mass Communication
Specialist 1st Class Robert Zahn
(MAYPORT, Fla.) – A 2008 La
Quinta High School graduate
and Garden
Grove, California native is serving with a
U.S. Navy helicopter squadron that flies the Navy’s newest and most
technologically-advanced helicopter.
Petty Officer 2nd Class
Patrick Dinh is an aviation machinist's
mate with the “Airwolves” of Helicopter Maritime
Strike Squadron (HSM) 40, a Mayport,
Florida based squadron that operates the Navy’s next generation submarine
hunter and Anti-Surface Warfare helicopter, the MH-60R Seahawk. Each helicopter
is nearly 65 feet long, may weigh up to 23,500 lbs. (max gross) and can travel
over 120 miles per hour for nearly 320 miles on a tank of gas.
As an aviation machinist's
mate, Dinh is responsible for serving as an
aircraft mechanic on the MH-60R.
“Growing up in Garden
Grove my parents instilled the value of hard work,” said Dinh. “Hard work makes
the dream work. I use that mentality every day.”
According to Navy officials, the MH-60R is the most capable
multi-mission helicopter available in the world today. It is used for a variety
of missions, including hunting and tracking enemy submarines, attacking enemy
ships, search and rescue, drug interdiction, delivering supplies and supporting
the Navy’s special operations forces.
It is replacing the Navy’s older helicopters because of its
greater versatility and more advanced weapon systems.
Dinh said they are proud to be part of a warfighting team that
readily defends America at all times.
“I'm really proud to wear
my Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist wings,” said Dinh. “It took countless
hours of studying.”
Sailors’ jobs are
highly varied within the squadron. Approximately 297 Navy men and women are
assigned and keep all parts of the squadron running smoothly. This
includes everything from maintaining helicopter airframes and engines, to
processing paperwork, handling weapons and flying the aircraft.
Serving in the Navy, Dinh is learning about being a more
respectable leader, Sailor and person through handling numerous
responsibilities.
“I joined the Navy to see
the world, and serve my country so that others that don't serve can live free,”
said Dinh. “I've been to places I never thought I'd see in my lifetime and I'm
so thankful that the Navy has shown me that. Hopefully there's plenty more to
come.”