MILLINGTON, Tenn. – When NASA’s Artemis II crew splashed down in the Pacific upon their return to Earth from their flight around the moon, U.S. Navy sailors stood ready to welcome them home.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Charles Berkebile, a native of Woodstock, Illinois, was among the sailors who supported the recovery of the crew and the Orion space capsule.
Berkebile, a 2020 graduate of Woodstock High School, serves the U.S. Navy assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23, which airlifted the Artemis II crew back to USS John P. Murtha for further evaluations and then back to land.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Woodstock.
“I recall my father telling me that you reap what you sow, meaning whenever there is something you really want to have, you have to go out there and put in the effort,” Berkebile said. “That taught me the importance of having a strong sense of discipline. That discipline has been instrumental in helping me succeed while in the Navy.”
Berkebile joined the Navy four years ago. Today, Berkebile serves as an aviation electronics technician.
“I grew up in a rich family, which I am grateful for; however, I joined the Navy to follow my own path and fulfill my destiny, becoming a self-made successful man thriving in life,” Berkebile said.
NASA’s Artemis II mission sent four astronauts – NASA’s Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and the Canadian Space Agency’s Jeremy Hansen – on a nearly 10-day flight around the moon in the Orion space capsule, marking the first time in more than 50 years that humans journeyed to deep space. The crew splashed down just after 5 p.m. (PDT) on April 10 in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, where Navy sailors who had been training for this recovery mission were waiting aboard John P. Murtha.
In addition to transporting the crew, members of HSC-23 also provided NASA with imagery support from their MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopters by tracking the Orion space capsule as it traveled through Earth’s atmosphere.
Based at Naval Air Station North Island, California, the “Wildcards” of HSC-23 fly and maintain the MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter, the Navy’s most advanced rotary wing sea combat platform. The Navy MH-60S is able to perform many different missions, but some of the most common operations include airborne mine countermeasures, anti-surface warfare, combat search and rescue, supply support and medical evacuations.
Berkebile has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I am most proud of my very high physical readiness test scores: 100 push-ups, 3:20 plank, and 8:01 time for the 1.5 mile,” Berkebile said. “I put in 10 years of dedication for my physical fitness, such as jogging, sprinting and lifting weights, which led to me reaching this incredible level of fitness.”
This year, the Navy is commemorating its contribution to the nation’s defense as the United States celebrates 250 years of independence. According to Navy officials, for more than 250 years, the Navy has sailed the globe defending freedom and protecting prosperity.
With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber-optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
“Serving in the Navy means everything to me,” Berkebile said. “It gives me a chance to better myself while protecting the ones I love and making my dreams come true.”
Berkebile is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my mom and dad for their love and support throughout this journey,” Berkebile said. “I wouldn’t be here today without them.”