‘The fighter jet jocks got with us and came up with this slant, on an age-old tradition, of releasing a greased pig, onto the deck of the relieving ship. Three pigs painted with Red, White and Blue food coloring and lathered in grease,’ Brian Michaels, former Aircrewman/SAR Swimmer with HS-11 helo squadron.
Dating back to early 60s, a prank played by US Navy carriers in the Mediterranean was to surprise their relieving carrier by releasing greased pigs on the flight deck.
This 1986 video is of a helicopter from USS America dropping off pigs on USS John F. Kennedy, as Brian Michaels, who filmed the video, explains in the clip description:
‘This was filmed in 1986 while I was stationed aboard the USS America CV-66. I was an Aircrewman/SAR Swimmer with HS-11 helo squadron. We were at the end of a 6-month deployment to the Indian Ocean/Mediterranean Sea. We were being relieved by the USS Kennedy. The fighter jet jocks got with us and came up with this slant, on an age-old tradition, of releasing a greased pig, onto the deck of the relieving ship. Three pigs painted with Red, White and Blue food coloring and lathered in grease. The Kennedy never seen it coming! LOL.’
