Bennington (CVA 20) - Naval Cruise Book

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in October, this time with her new commanding officer, CAPT Robert E.C. Jones. The Air Group would be different, too: BENNINGTON and ATG-181 were to have a second chance to oper- ate together. vital tati tic Overall length Length of flight deck Extreme width Extreme width of flight deck Highest point above water line Ht of flight deck above water Displacement Fuel oil capacity Fresh water capacity Speed Crew Number landings on flight deck Meals served daily 894 ft 891 ft 1 1 9 ft 21 0 ft 195 ft 53 ft 40,000 tons 1,500,000 gal 150,000 gal over 32 kts over 2700 over 42,000 over 9,000

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history afterwards CDR Ralph L. Werner, the present Air Group Commander, relieved CDR Hanley as Commander of Air Task Group 181. eanwhile BENNINGTON left the shipyard. She was one of the most modern aircraft carriers afloat. One striking addition was the new hurricane bow , a closed, streamlined bow that was designed to reduce the chance of damage to the bow and flight deck from heavy seas. Fur- ther, an angled deck and a starboard deckedge elevator were added. These modifications were completed by March of 1955 and by 19 March, BENNINGTON concluded her sea trials. The fighting was over in Korea but the Pacific Fleet needed this most modern carrier for duty in the Western Pacific. Her sailing orders arrived and on 8 September 1955 BENNINGTCN started her 14,000 mile voyage from Jackson- ville to San Diego. Too large to pass through the Panama Canal, Big Benn sailed down the east ccast of South America and rounded Cape Horn. Steaming north the ship went from winter weather to spring weather, then to the warm tropics and finally into the balmy latitudes of Southern California. She arrived at San Diego on 20 October and ioined the Pacific Fleet. Shortly thereafter, with the Jacksonville-based Air Task Group 201 embarked, CVA-20 departed the United States enroute to ioin the U. S. SEVENTH FLEET in Asiatic waters. A highly successful peacetime cruise of six months followed. BENNINGTON returned to her new home port, San Diego, in April 1956. Another cruise to WESTPAC was in the offing, scheduled to leave

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n respectful memory of our departed shxpmates who gave their lives In s rvlce to the Nation war that thenr homes mlght never know death through aggressnon May Gods Blessmgs be with them They practiced in peacetime the hazardous skills of l l