Cookin' on a bird farm

These official Navy photos of the cooks and bakers on-board the USS Harry S. Truman were taken by three different photographers. Each brings a slightly different perspective of the working life of today's culinary specialists while deployed to the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean. Air craft carrier cooks work long hours during increasingly longer at-sea periods. These floating airfields were affectionally called "bird farms" in my day.

PERSIAN GULF (Feb. 28, 2008) Culinary Specialist Seaman Samuel Mckever, left, and Culinary Specialist Seaman Danny Viera prepare steaks for the enlisted galley of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Matthew A. Lawson.

PERSIAN GULF (Feb. 28, 2008) Culinary Specialist Seaman Jamie Snyder checks an officers order ticket as she prepares grilled chicken in the wardroom's galley aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ricardo J. Reyes.

PERSIAN GULF (Feb. 27, 2008) Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Jessica Guenard decorates a cake in the bakeshop aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Kevin T. Murray, Jr.

Truman and embarked Carrier Air Wing 3 are deployed supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations.