Constellation (CV 64) - Naval Cruise Book

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In 1894, Constellation became a training ship for the Naval Training Center in Newport, R.I. In addition to being used extensively as a training ship for Naval Academy midshipmen, she also helped train more than 60,000 recruits during World War I. Decommissioned in 1933, Constellation was recommissioned as a national symbol on August 24, 1940 by President Franklin Roosevelt. Shortly after the country's entry into World War II, she became the flag- ship for Admiral Ernest J. King and Admiral Royal Ingersoll. The treasured warship was decommissioned in February 1955 and was taken home to her perma- nent berth in Baltimore Harbor. Now a national Historic Landmark, she is the last existing Civil War era naval vessel and the last sail-powered warship built by the U.S. Navy. Ironically, just as the aircraft carrier USS Constellation CCV 645 was beginning her 19th overseas deployment, the U.S. Sloop of War Constellation com- pleted a S9-million restoration project in July 1999. The restoration will allow a new generation of Amer- icans to learn about the important role Constellation had in our nation's history. ' Like her famous namesakes, USS Constellation CCV 641 has a proud and distinguished record. Connie, as her crew affectionately calls her, has almost 38 years of service, which has seen her sail into harm's way from Yankee Station off the coast of Vietnam to the turbulent waters of the Arabian Gulf. Built at the New York Naval Shipyard as the second ship in the Kitty Hawk class of aircraft car riers, Connie was commissioned on October 27, 1961, under the motto Spirit of the Old, Pride of the New. She has been homeported at Naval Air Station North Island 0 in San Diego since July 1962. Just like the original Constellation, America's newest and best Navy ship was immediately put to the test. In response to North Vietnamese attacks on U.S. destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin in August 1964, Constellation departed from a scheduled port visit to Hong Kong and was the first U.S. warship to launch i Above: l Construction workers work feverishly on the Connieis flight deck. Below: The belly of the ship under construction at the New York Naval ' Shipyard in 1959. Total cost for building Connie was 400 million in 1961. Above far left: The Frigate USS Constellation, one of the first ships ever built for the U.S. Navy sails toward its new homeport, Baltimore Harbor in february 1955. X