Forrestal (CVA 59) - Naval Cruise Book

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L et the Soviets come out and see what we ' re doing. I hope they do. We ' ll show them what we can do, said Vice Admiral Charles F. Larson, Com- mander, 2nd Fleet, to visiting European journal- ists in a press conference held aboard USS FOR- RESTAL. One of 1 20 NATO warships which operated in the Soviet backyard and the fjords of Norway, FORRESTAL was the lone American flat top and the centerpiece of the operation. Conducting simulated air strikes against land and sea targets as well as hidden submarines, FORRESTAL flexed her muscles and showed the curious Rus- sians what she could do best. The six-week cruise took FORRESTAL further north than she had ever steamed before and was the longest continuous underway period the ship experienced in over five years. 1 28

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IN THE SOVIET BACKYARD 27

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HHHHr ! Below the deckplates and out of the grasp of the below-zero windchill temperatures, it was business as usual. Engineering De- partment remained busy securing air conditioning units and redirecting steam for heating purposes. Cold weather gear was at a premium and the sweet taste of hot chocolate was available on the mess decks. On September 13, USS FORRESTAL en- tered the realm of the Arctic Circle at longitude 010 degress 14 ' east. In the Foc ' sle, Deck Depart- ment paused and paid homage to Boreas Rex, Ruler of the North Wind. Ensign Mike Hovious, ship ' s disbursing officer and most junior officer aboard, was lowered through the bull nose to paint it blue which foretells FORRESTAL ' s passage for all ships to see. , 29