Commanders on the Enterprise have adopted a posture of extraordinary caution in discussing the mission, declining even to allow their last names or those of their crew to be published.
The first news of the change of plans came about a week ago, when the commander of the Enterprise, Capt.
"This capture is indicative of the need for continuing maritime patrol of the gulf in order to stop the movement of terrorists, drugs and weapons," said a statement from Rear Adm. Jim Stavridis, commander of the Enterprise aircraft carrier strike group.
"Without Air Force tactical air, the Navy has a lot to do, and that has also limited the number of strikes," said the commanding officer of the F-14 squadron, a Navy lieutenant commander whose full name -- along with those of everyone else aboard this vessel -- cannot be published under ground rules imposed by the commander of the Enterprise battle group.
Dave Mercer, commander of the Enterprise-based Carrier Air Wing 8, which dropped the first bombs of the war.
He is temporarily demoted from captain to commander and first officer when Kirk takes command of the Enterprise.
The half-human, half-Vulcan sidekick of Captain Kirk, commander of the USS Enterprise, Spock's curious appearance was initially a concern for producers who feared his satanic looks might scare children.
In World War II he was commander aboard the Enterprise in the battle of Midway.
That head turns out to be a crude prototype of the Enterprise's resident android, Commander Data (Brent Spiner), who takes it back to the ship for testing.
The Romulan Commander jumps into Spock's beam at the end of The Enterprise Incident and Gillain Taylor jumps into Kirk's arms (who wouldn't?) at the end of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.
