OSLO (Nettavisen): At 6 o’clock on Wednesday morning, the warship USS Gerald R. Ford sailed into the Oslo Fjord, and docked outside Malmøya in Oslo. Along the fjord, thousands of spectators stood in a number of places. In Vestfold and old Østfold, there were people in Sandefjord, Horten and Moss who saw the giant ship’s journey towards Oslo.
In Drøbak there was complete traffic chaos as a result of all the people who wanted to have a look at the aircraft carrier. Every parking space in the center of Drøbak was full, and people had left their cars where possible, Amta writes.
On board is a crew of 4,500, and there is room for around 90 planes and helicopters. The vast majority of the crew get shore leave and a few days off in Oslo.
– Very different from home
Nettavisen’s reporter is out in Oslo’s streets and meets several American soldiers who have just landed, including Brendin Shomo and Matthew Armagost. Neither of the two has been to Norway before.
– It is a very beautiful place. It’s very different from home, and I’m ready to explore a bit, says Shomo.
In what ways is it different?
– It is very steep, very “mountainous” compared to where I am from, where it is mostly flat. Also, I’m not from a city, so some of these big buildings are new to me.
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The friends do not have big plans for the evening, but want to get some food and drink. But they can’t let loose too much, as they have to be back on the ship by midnight.
See the full interview with Brendin and Matthew here:
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– Just do my job
Naval captain at the naval school in Bergen, Tor Ivar Strømmen, tells NRK that the ship is primarily coming to reassure its allies.
– They show that the Americans are willing to stand up, that they are the security guarantor they say they are. In order to be that, they can not only be present, but also practice with us and make sure that the ship works together with the military capacity we have, says the naval captain, who says that this is therefore also a diplomatic mission and that they are doing this to show that they can be trusted, says Strømmen.
– It is also a signal to Russia.
This backdrop tells Shomo and Armagost that they do not think much about, and will not answer what they think about the situation in Ukraine.
– I try to stay out of the news as much as possible and just do my job, says Shomo. Armagost agrees.
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– Extremely boring
The ship is on its first operational voyage ever, and Oslo was the first port to be visited. The crew on the giant ship has access to, among other things, a hairdresser, dental clinic, several shops, a coffee bar and a fully equipped infirmary. The soldiers still don’t have much positive to say about life on the boat.
– It’s just a big metal ship, metal walls everywhere. We just work every day, eat in the canteen, and work more. It’s the same every day, says Shomo.
Is it getting a bit boring?
– Extreme, replies Armagost
– We don’t have internet or anything, so we just sit there and stare at each other.
Shomo laughs and breaks in.
– So it’s good to get out and see lots of people, and all the dogs walking around
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– Must feel a bit at home
Several pubs have prepared for the arrival of the Americans, for example Heidis Bier Bar has opened to accept dollars as payment. Morten Guldvik, owner of the Irish pub The Wild Rover in Karl Johans gate, says that they have not opened for the same, but that they have nevertheless prepared well for an American visit in the next few days.
– We have tried to use the opportunity to at least make sure that they are welcome, he says, pointing to the American flag they have hung up for the occasion.
– We have flags, we will have live music, tomorrow night we will have ice hockey with the USA on the TV here, and simply make sure that they will feel a bit at home while they are in Oslo.
Guldvik says that they have already had many Americans come by, who make life on a Wednesday that is otherwise quite quiet for them.
– So far it’s one of the best Wednesdays we’ve had in 2023, so it’s great fun, he says.
2023-05-24 17:33:08
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