Ranger (CVA 61) - Naval Cruise Book

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ZXRANGER HISTORY THUG SPIE? IT OH? 'TH HC IRHCVO HJUTHON 445. I 'St However, that same year fin fact on the same dayj as Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes as our nation's official flag, they also appointed Captain John Paul Jones as Commanding Officer of Ranger. Captain Jones was truly a determined man and had great aspirations for his new ship. But there were a num- ber of setbacks that the young Captain would have to contend with. First, none of his officers was even in the Navy! Secondly, his crew had only limited experience sailing and next to none fighting a ship. Worse still, construction of Ranger at Portsmouth was being de- layed so that the Raleigh, a 64-gun frigate, could be completed. As a result, Ranger had to settle for inferior quality materials. As an example, her sails were made jute and hemp instead of canvas. It certainly looked as though Captain Jones was in for some rough going. Taking Ranger out on sea trials Jones discovered that the 20-gun sloop was overgunned for her size and ordered that two cannons be removed. Additionally he noted that Ranger's masts were too tall and bulky, causing the ship to heel about in only a moderate wind. Still the young, ambitious Captain was determined to have a squared-away vessel. The original Navy jack. As our great nation celebrates her proud 200th birth- day USS Ranger joins in the celebration, for she has earned a place in this Bicentennial salute to the U.S. Indeed, the very first Ranger, commanded by Captain John Paul Jones, received the first recognition ever giv- en this nation by a foreign power way back in 1778 at Quiberon Bay, France, one of the turning points of the Revolutionary War. Thus, the sloop-of-war Ranger earned her place in America's proud and glorious his- tory. But there is more to the story. . . Even the name Ranger has significant historical meaning. In 1777 as construction began on Ranger at Portsmouth, New Hampshire a name was needed for the new sloop-of-war. Because a large portion of her original crew had served in a New Hampshire army militia known as Rogers' Rangers the ship was christened Ranger. As yet she had no Captain. ki The first salute at Qulboron Bay, Franco.

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IAXISI li' ill-' l'l5Y'l'l'2N VH . g 4 . 2 History 6 Command 12 24 32 45 60 65 80 102 108 112 128 139 CONICARGRU-5 Hawaii Air AlNlD Nlar Det Philippines Engineering Medical Dental Hong Kong Deck Supply 161 Singapore 170 Air Ops 176 Operations 196 Weapons 208 Communications 214 Administration 232 Navigation 236 Ship Life 241 CVW-2 321 4th of July 324 Photo Contest 328 Homecoming 337 Equator Crossing 340 Cruisebook Staff

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A PRUVEID 'il'Yl3 ilBll'WUN UA TR Rl HCS UN At Ranger's first port-of-call, France, Jones had her hull scraped, her masts refitted and new sails of canvas made. Finally, Ranger was ready to fight for the cause of freedom. Ranger's first battle action came when, after at- tempting a raid off the coast of Ireland, she encount- ered the H.M.S. Drake near Belfast. The two ships were almost evenly matched, Ranger with 18-9 pounders and Drake with 20-6 pounders. But Ranger's gunners proved more accurate and soon Drake's sails and rigging were blown away. The Drake suf- fered 42 men killed yet Ranger had Iost but three men during the brief, hostile encounter. RANGER HISTORYI3 Throughout Ranger's Naval service in the Revolu- tionary War she was involved in numerous skirmishes. Then in 1779, as part of the Continental Navy's last squadron, Ranger and the frigates Providence, Queen of France and Boston were defending the Port of Charleston, North Carolina when the British rallied their forces to capture the city as well as Ranger and two other squadron ships. After the capture, the British renamed Ranger, the Halifax. At that point it seemed that was the end of Ranger. ' Yet that was not the last time a ship named Ranger would set sail. In fact, in the next 198 years this nation would spawn 7 more Ranger's.