Security is unusually tight. The US military is saying its battle is unlike any past war. It has refused to allow members of the US forces to be fully identified, a move intended to protect relatives at home; some can be identified by first name only.
Some Navy officers are sticking black electrical tape over the names stitched to their uniforms.
Commander Andrew L, 38, of Los Altos, California, said his target was a terrorist training camp in southern Afghanistan where there were "pretty significant signs of activity" including lights.
The F/A-18 pilot said his mission was only specific targets in the camp and these were hit.
"There are quite a few other things left [at the camp]."
He ran into light weapons' fire only.
Others spoke of more significant resistance, from anti-aircraft missiles and heat-seeking missiles.
The main complaint of the pilots, who flew about 70 sorties in the first 15-hour wave of strikes, was the length of the flights.
Some missions lasted eight or nine hours as pilots switched from striking ground targets to providing cover for humanitarian flights as daylight approached.
Lieutenant Commander Eric, 34, of Virginia Beach, said his mission changed from combat air patrol to striking at ground targets just before takeoff.
Other pilots reported the same shift, an indication the Taleban were not putting up a fight in the air.
One recorded strike was the bombing of an anti-aircraft missile storage site. The explosion was followed by a second that sent at least one missile from the site into the air.
Tomahawk missiles fired from cruisers targeted mainly air defences, the battle group commander said.
"What we've proved in past campaigns is your efforts in the early hours in taking down the air defences will make your mission later on a little easier," he said.
By the second night, a rhythm was developing.
Reloaded with precision-guided bombs every few minutes, well into yesterday morning the aircraft were catapulting off the flight deck.
