WATERLOO

The biggest body of water Mitch Heskett grew up near was the Cedar River, on which the largest navigable craft would probably be a houseboat.

Now he's helping build a ship that stands 20 stories tall from the water line, has propellers as tall as a tree, more air traffic than a municipal airport and a crew the size of a small city.

Heskett, a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy who grew up in Waterloo and Dysart, is the project officer and supervisor of shipbuilding for the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, scheduled to be christened Sunday in Newport News, Va.

Of all the duty assignments he's had in his 25-year career, Heskett said this is unique - because one doesn't get to build an aircraft carrier every day.

"I would dare say this has no doubt been the most challenging, but no doubt the most rewarding," said Heskett. He works with the private sector contractor building the ship and the Pentagon, coordinating funding and various aspects of the undertaking.

Although there are many hands working on the project, it's nonetheless a lofty assignment for someone who's worked his way up through the ranks as an enlisted man.

"Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd be doing something like this," he said.

Heskett, who attended East High School and graduated from Dysart High School, enlisted in 1975 and became an officer in 1986. He has an aviation and weapons background and a previous assignment aboard the carriers Enterprise, Coral Sea, Ranger, Kitty Hawk and Nimitz. He also worked on a special project team in the U.S. air attacks during the Kosovo crisis last year.

In 1983, while serving aboard the Ranger, Heskett received a commendation for saving the life of a shipmate who was about to be sucked into the intake of a jet aircraft, diving in front of the intake and pulling the man to safety.

In addition to his naval duties, Heskett has a full crew at home. He and wife Tamara have seven children.

"It keeps you busy," Heskett said of his present job. "Being from a weapons background, I was familiar with that, but I have to become familiar with the whole ship, from top to bottom."

The ship is powered by twin nuclear reactors capable of displacing 97,000 tons of water. It can move along at 30 knots - about 34 mph on land. It will carry more than 80 combat aircraft, plus missiles and deck-gun armaments. It will have a crew of 5,600, of whom about 2,300 will be flight-related personnel.

As project coordinator, Heskett offers the contractor the perspective of someone with experience on such a ship. In 2003, after the ship is equipped and launched and his assignment is complete, Heskett will become the carrier's weapons officer.

About 20,000 people are expected to attend Sunday's christening ceremonies. Former first lady Nancy Reagan is the ship's sponsor and will perform the christening rituals. President George W. Bush will speak at the ceremony, which was scheduled for Sunday to coincide with the Reagans' 49th wedding anniversary.

This marks the first time a carrier is christened and launched while the ship's namesake is still living.

Reagan, 90, who suffers from Alzheimer's disease, was recently hospitalized following a fall at his home. He no longer makes public appearances and will not attend. But Heskett said he and many others consider it an honor to work on a carrier named for the 40th president, "because of the influence he had on the military in the '80s."

"To do it for President Reagan's namesake, it just doesn't get any better than that," he said.