HELICOPTER TAKES OFF FROM THE U.S. DESTROYER THE USS JOHN PAUL JONES, 2001-10-07 (photo)

A helicopter takes off from the U.S. Aegis class destroyer John Paul Jones October 7, 2001. The plumes of Tomahawk missiles sliced through the darkening skies over the Arabian Sea and warplanes thundered from the decks of the USS Carl Vinson on Sunday to exact America's revenge on Afghanistan for the September 11 attacks. The Tomahawk cruise missiles were launched from the Aegis-class destroyer John Paul Jones at about 1800 Indian Ocean time (1600 GMT). About a half-hour later a wave of more than 20 planes, including four F-18 Hornets, a half dozen F-14 Tomcats, surveillance planes and radio-jamming planes roared off the decks of the nuclear-power aircraft carrier Vinson, which has been cruising and training in the Arabian Sea area for weeks. REUTERS/Ruben Sprich KM