America (CV 66) - Naval Cruise Book

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-1:.-fa-T Q-iq,,..,.- , . .Q - I . , ,..,.,-.,,-.-.VM ,, AMER l5:A AMERICA departs Newport News Shipbuilding. H ' J 4, 'K Mrs. David L. McDonald speaking at christening ceremony. I On March 10, 1986, AMERICA departed on her fifteenth major deployment. After arrival in the Mediterranean, AMERICA par- ticipated in tri-carrier operations with the USS CORAL SEA ICV 431 and USS SARATOGA ICV 601 near the Line of Death in the Gulf of Sidra. On March 24, Lib- yan missile batteries fired on air- craft from VF-102, one of AMER- ICA's embarked F-14 fighter squadrons. In defense, aircraft from VA-34, AMERICA's A-6 at- tack squadron, sank a Libyan La Combattante class patrol boat. After several other scattered clashes, Libyan offenses de- clined, and AMERICA departed Mad Dog Station . On April 15, 1986, after Libyan- sponsored terrorism claimed the lives of several Americans over- seas, AMERICA joined with the USS CORAL SEA LCV 431 Battle Group and the U.S. Air Force for a retaliatory strike against Libya. Eb-P x I' -ui History 17

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- ' ' 'Y ' ' -'--A --' ' 7 V 5-1'-Ii- lil-t1f1f '--Z.',37'f.':'T 1551 Af 'fl-9S.?':ffY'5J5555f53'f37.5f I5! W5?'3I Lf- lfT5'7i1?f7 l7t..1.' - .' ' '- V ' -- . V - K , I . .,..,,- wk., .,,, ., ,H . . .. . . 113 171, .f.. I , .,,, - .. . . -. . . M . , , .K . -.f ,.,,.,.,-,,.y.:: ,.,.,. ef ,E -.:f-:-f.:.'.- 1.g.:-pu. .-,.-.c1.-a,ff,f. Aff-'11, -,. .,:,,,, f 7 f . . . V ., ., . . -1 .. ......,,,..., ,.., ... .,.. Y .,,... , x.. .f..,,,, ..,, ,. , ., , , . . AMERICA made her first deploy- ment to the Indian Ocean in 1981, and during this period, she became the first carrier since 1967 to transit the Suez Canal. In 1982, AMERICA participated in the exercise Northern Wedding '82 as well as operations in the Mediterranean in support of U.S. forces in Lebanon. The carrier re- b ' .3 , 'f'f T ':-r'1zfr-1f'Pr1Wf-f.w,' . :si-ff-Y-fur-f -was..-ml--,,,s.,.,.,4 . . . ,. M , ,, ,, , ,V ,I fe. 1 ' Aff fvff ,.f ,f f ww ' Mi ,-V 122 ., ,,B,!,,,,: , 1, .,,, , K ' . . !7'f E , ,, W,,Zf,,,. A I I l I turned to Norfolk in November 1982 - I to prepare for a regularly scheduled deployment to the Mediterranean I I and Indian Ocean, departing Nor- W1 ' folk December 8, 1982, for six I I months. AMERICA left homeport April 24, I 1984, participating in exercise I Ocean Venture before transiting the Atlantic Ocean enroute to the I Mediterranean for another six month deployment. n AMERICA celebrated her 20th anniversary of commissioned ser- I vice in Ianuary 1985 in homeport. I That fall, AMERICA participated in exercise Ocean Safari '85 in the I North Atlantic, Norwegian Sea, and in Vestiiord, Norway in the process I becoming the first U.S. aircraft car- rier to operate inside a Norwegian I fjord. I- Aerial view of AMERICA as construction continues at Newport News Shipbuilding. I as : mm? N 1 l l I l l 1 l l I S I - l 1 16 USS America AMERICA at anchor for another liberty port. . . . ., ...,, . ,,,.,- -,,,.,.,.,..,.. ,. I, ,., ..,...-......,.. .,f. .,,...-.,.1..,.u- --........,..4...,....,.i ,,,,A-,,

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wvfv.-gy-I.,-..., . --- 1, Q, , S ' ' ' -f' -- -'W'Y v-V-mv-as-u-vygv AMERICA heels far on her starboard side during a high speed acceptance trial. After successful strikes against targets in Benghazi and Tripoli, all of AMERICA's air- craft returned safely. AMERICA returned to Norfolk from this deployment September 10, 1986. AMERICA entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard November 20, 1986, for an extended Complex Overhaul. The ship departed the Shipyard February 15, 1988, for sea trials, but took a break in April to participate in FLEET WEEK Naval Celebration in New York City. In February 1989, AMERICA departed for exercises in the Caribbean and North Atlantic, again operating in the Vestiiord before making a port visit to LeHarve, France. Upon her re- turn to Norfolk, AMERICA immediately began preparing for a 183-day deployment to the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean. AMERICA returned to Norfolk from this deployment No- vember 10, 1989, and celebrated her 25th an- niversary of commissioned service in Ianuary 1990. After a period in the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in the summer of 1990, AMERICA began com- pressed Workups in preparation for deploy- ment to the Middle East in support of Op- eration Desert Shield. When Desert Storm commenced, she was the only aircraft carrier to participate in combat operations from both the Red Sea and Persian Gulf., launching over 3000 sorties Without a single casualty.After hostilities ended, she returned to a hero's wel- come in both Norfolk and New York City, Where AMERICA again participated in FLEET WEEK and took part in the largest tickertape parade and victory celebration since World War II.