DON’T BE SO QUICK TO MOTHBALL CARRIERS

The so-called “Dinosaurs at Sea” (by Michael Wright, May 15) may be expensive and somewhat vulnerable (they haven’t been scratched by the enemy since World War II), but they now may offer a haven to career-demanding women in the air Navy. As a former Marine carrier flyer, I’d say that carriers are still the most effective tool that this megapower can deploy to take on both brush-fire military engagements and incipient major wars. Until something better comes along, they offer us the best bargain around.

It we are not going to reconstruct ourself as a minor power, as has not-so-Great Britain, we must keep this striking force at its best while it awaits the go-ahead sign to do the job we’ve paid it to do: displaying the flag everywhere. There’s nothing better than an air show to put the fuzzy-wuzzies down before the shooting starts.

JOE RYCHETNIK

Palm Springs

We mustn’t forget that our potential adversaries can read the lessons of the Gulf War as well as we can. One lesson Wright omitted: Don’t give the United States months to move its land-based tactical forces into position. If Iraq had continued into Saudi Arabia, there would have been no force to defend the tactical air fields, leaving such protection to our long-range bombers, which at that time were without Stealth capabilities.

Had Iraq known we would respond, perhaps they wouldn’t have attacked. The number of carriers, as well as the size of other forces, should be discussed after the government decides what our foreign policy is to be.

WILLIAM R. MUSSATTO

MAJOR, U.S. AIR FORCE (RET.)

Claremont

Wright says that the carrier Ranger was used for joint force experiments in 1993. That retired ship was mothballed last year; the joint experiment carrier that was used was the Theodore Roosevelt.

WILLIAM R. COOPER

Bonita