Business leaders go 0 to 150 MPH for Veterans Day

By Linda Roth, CNN

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

The deck of the USS Harry Truman is about as long as the Empire State Building is tall
The ship's two anchors each weigh 30 tons, and each link is 365 pounds
Mike Brooks, of Venrock, a venture capital firm, says his trip highlight was "the flight deck ... watching it work like clockwork and marveling at the teamwork."

A group of CEOs, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and other VIPs recognized the nation's troops with rare visit to the USS Harry Truman.

The group, representing top firms like Morgan Stanley and handbag giant Vera Bradley, flew out to the aircraft carrier, which is operating about 100 miles off the coast of Buford, South Carolina, to see U.S. sailors and naval aviators in action.

The group flew aboard a C-2 Greyhound, completing an "arrested landing" on the nuclear-powered carrier's 4.5-acre flight deck. Once on board, they had the rare opportunity to see new naval aviators "carrier qualify" -- meaning the pilots were taking off and landing on an aircraft carrier in both day and night for the very first time.

After a visit to the flight deck, the business leaders toured the ship and its extensive operations, meeting many of the thousands of sailors living and working aboard.