Sixty-five of AFE’s members, guests and family gathered aboard the USS Hornet in Alameda. The ship was built almost 70 years ago and operated flawlessly without the type computers and electronics that we all use today. We were shown the powerful catapult system used to launch the aircraft off of the deck, we also saw the fog foam firefighting system with its pump stations, the torpedo bay, as well as the Captain’s cabin. We had an outstanding tour, delicious food, great networking, and a spectacular view across the bay to San Francisco, the Bay Bridge and Yerba Buena Island.

For those who don’t know the history of this infamous ship, here are a few highlights: • In 1942, the seventh HORNET (CV-8) launched 16 Army B- 25s to strike the Japanese home islands in the “Doolittle Raid.” She went on to fight at the Battle of Midway and was lost to an overwhelming air attack at the Battle of Santa Cruz. • HORNET participated in World War II, the Vietnam War, and the first moon missions.

These activities and tours are sponsored by the Golden Gate and Silicon Valley Chapters of the AFE. In addition to being a lot of fun, these gatherings provide excellent networking opportunities. We bring together professionals who ensure the optimal operation of plants, grounds and offices at Fortune 500 manufacturers, universities, medical centers, government agencies and innovative small firms from around the world. And, they all look to AFE as the leading technical resource on engineering issues. AFE's mission is to provide education, certification, technical information and other relevant resources to plant and facility engineering, operation and maintenance.