A 2009 Evansville Central High School graduate and Evansville, Indiana, native is serving aboard the future USS Tulsa, a littoral combat ship homeported in San Diego.
Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Midkiff is an engineman responsible for the operation, maintenance, and repair of internal-combustion engines, main propulsion machinery, refrigeration, air conditioning, and assigned auxiliary equipment on Navy ships.“I enjoy working hard in the engine rooms and keeping the ship moving forward,” Midkiff said. “Making sure my shipmates have the electricity, air, and water they need to perform their jobs is important. Without enginemen, no one else can do their jobs and I take pride in that.”
Tulsa is an Independence variant littoral combat ship - a resilient and flexible warship, designed from the keel up to affordably take on new capabilities – from advanced core weapons systems to the latest in trimaran hull design and propulsion systems. Its speed, strength and versatility make it a critical tool to help our Sailors achieve the mission.
Littoral combat ships are a fast, agile, mission-focused platform designed to operate in near-shore environments, while capable of open-ocean tasking, and win against 21st-century coastal threats such as submarines, mines, and swarming small craft.
Midkiff has carried lessons learned from his hometown into his military service.
“I definitely learned the value of working as a team from playing football at Central High,” Midkiff said. “The crew of a ship has to work as a team to complete a mission, just like my football team did to win games."
Sailors’ jobs are highly varied aboard Tulsa. Increased automation equals a smaller crew. In the case of LCS 16, that is a core of 70 men and women who keep all parts of the ship running smoothly. Minimally manned crews place high demands on sailors. Each crew member performs a number of tasks outside of their traditional job or area of expertise.
“On any given day Tulsa sailors are asked to perform the duties of two or more Sailors on any other surface ship,” said Cmdr. Drew Borovies, the future USS Tulsa’s commanding officer. “Tulsa’s successes to date are a testament to her sailors’ in depth technical training, willingness to put in long hours to get the job done, and commitment to taking care of their ship and each other. They truly are the best that the Surface Navy has to offer!”
Midkiff is the first of his family to serve in the military.
“I joined the Navy because college didn’t sound very exciting,” said Midkiff. “I really wanted to travel and learn a trade. The military was the best choice for me.”
Midkiff’s proudest Navy accomplishment happened in 2014 while on deployment.
“Our ship’s engine broke down in the Persian Gulf,” he said. “A team of myself and four others did a major repair and were recognized by the Chief of Naval Operations."
As a crew member aboard one of the U.S. Navy’s high-tech littoral combat ships, Midkiff and other Tulsa sailors are proud to be part of a warfighting team.
“Service means pride in my job and in my country,” Midkiff stated. “I enjoy what I do - every single day.”
Tulsa is the fifteenth littoral combat ship to enter the fleet and the eighth of the Independence variant. It will be the second ship to be named to honor the city and citizens of Tulsa – Oklahoma’s second largest city. During its February 16, 2019 commissioning ceremony in San Francisco, the warship will be officially placed into active service. The ceremony includes “bringing the ship to life” and other orders rooted in centuries old naval tradition.
For information about the commissioning ceremony, visit https://www.usstulsa.org/.