Constellation (CV 64) - Naval Cruise Book

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DEPARTURE (Below) EM 2 Guy Middleton says goodbye to his wi Maria Rocia. An early morning departure to a long deployment The aircraft carrier Constellation slipped her moorings at Naval Air Station North Island in the early morning hours of Dec. I. and headed west for a six-month deployment to the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans. The crew and air wing of over 5000 men said goodbye to their loved ones on the pier, knowing that it would be a long time before they would see them again. For many, this would be their first deployment. For others, it was a repeat of many deployments past. Most would agree, however, that saying goodbye doesn ' t get any easier each time. So, for the next half year, family ties would be reinforced through letters and phone calls from foreign ports. Despite the melan- choly, both crew and family members realized that Constellation plays a vital role in preserv- ing a tenuous peace in a troubled region. (Above) LCDR Bruce Blandy spends a few precious moments on the pier with his wife Judy and son Justin. (Above right) Capt. Zerr holds one last inter- view with the media. (Above) Despite the early morning departure, family members were in force to wish Connie a safe voyage. (Right) A family member waves goodbye as Connie prepares to leave. 32 DEPARTURE