Art,. .You hit the nail on the head with the crucifiction theme-you only have to look at the Chinook accident investigation to prove your point.
Flying tactical aircraft on and off ships by day and night in marginal weather is a dangerous activity-far more dangerous than flying from a land base. I've done both for years and 99% of all my scary moments happened at sea. If you fly at sea, expect some attrition. But when it happens, find out why, and how the risk of recurrence can be minimised within the framework of your operational requirements. Most Navies around the World that operate aircraft have a higher accident/incident rate than their respective air forces. That is not a reflection on their attitude to flight safety; it is just the nature of the game we play.