America (CV 66) - Naval Cruise Book

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-----HISTORY------ USS AMERICA (CV-66) The keel of the aircraft carrier AMERICA was laid on January 9,1961. as Hull 561 in Shipway »10 at the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company. Newport News, Virginia. Following three years of construction, the ship was launched on February 1. 1964. and was commissioned in ceremonies at the Norfolk Naval Station on January 23. 1965. AMERICA made her first deployment in 1966 to the Mediterranean Sea. AMERICA made three deployments to Southeast Asia, the first in 1968. She was one of four aircraft carriers on “Yankee Station” when the Vietnam Peace Agreement went into effect in January 1973. In January 1974, AMERICA began her fourth deployment to the Mediterranean. She returned to Norfolk on August 3, 1974, prior to participating in the NATO exercise Northern Merger in September of that year. The carrier embarked on her fifth Mediterranean deployment on April 15,1976. AMERICA returned from this deployment on October 25, 1976. After a three-month maintenance period. AMERICA deployed as part of a seven-ship task force to South America. During this period AMERICA conducted exercises with units of the Brazilian Navy. Shortly thereafter, AMERICA started on its sixth Mediterranean deployment. On March 13, 1979. AMERICA embarked on her tenth major deployment. Returning to Norfolk on September 22. 1979, AMERICA conducted initial carrier qualifications for the F A-18 prior to a one-year overhaul and maintenance period at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. During the upkeep period. AMERICA was fitted with the NATO Sea Sparrow missile system and the Phalanx close-in weapons system. AMERICA made her first deployment to the Indian Ocean in 1981. During this period, AMERICA became the first carrier since 1967 to transit the Suez Canal. In 1982, AMERICA participated in “Northern Wedding ’82” as well as operating for a short period in the Mediterranean in support of U.S. forces in I eba-non. The carrier returned to Norfolk in November 1982 to prepare for deployment to the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean. She departed Norfolk on December 8, 1982, for a 176-day deployment to the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean. On April 24. 1984, AMERICA left her homeport once again, participating in exercise Ocean Venture” before transiting the Atlantic Ocean on the way to the Mediterranean. On November 14, 1984, AMERICA arrived in Norfolk, Virginia, and celebrated her 20th anniversary of commissioned service in January 1985. The carrier then entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for a four-month maintenance period. On May 13. 1985. AMERICA left the shipyard for sea trials, refresher training, and carrier qualifications. On August 24,1985, AMERICA left her homeport to participate in the NATO exercise Ocean Safari ’85 . During the exercise. AMERICA operated in the North Atlantic, Norwegian Sea. and in Vestjford. Norway, in the process becoming the first U.S. aircraft carrier to operate inside a Norwegian fjord. After a port visit to Portsmouth. England. AMERICA returned to Norfolk on October 9. 1985. On March 10, 1986, after preparing for deployment in only two weeks instead of the usual month. AMERICA departed on her fifteenth deployment. After arrival in the Mediterranean. AMERICA participated in tri-carrier operations with the USS CORAL SEA and USS SARATOGA near the so-called Line of Death in the Gulf of Sidra. On March 24. Libyan missile batteries fired on aircraft from VF-102, one of AMERICA’S embarked F-14 fighter squadrons. In defense, aircraft from VA-34, AMERICA’S A-6 attack squadron, sank a Libyan La Combattanteclass patrol boat. After several other scattered clashes. Libyan offensives declined, and AMERICA departed “Mad Dog Station , as the Libyan operating area came to be known. On April 15, 1986, after Libyan-sponsored terrorism claimed the lives of several Americans overseas, AMERICA joined with the USS CORAL SEA battle group and the U.S. Air Force for a retaliatory strike against Libya. After successful strikes against targets in Benghazi and Tripoli, all of AMERICA’S aircraft returned safely, having met some of the stiffest surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft barrages since the Vietnam War. AMERICA returned to Norfolk from this deployment on September 10. 1986. After a short carrier qualification period in October 1986. AMERICA returned to Norfolk and entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard on November 20, 1986, for an extended Complex Overhaul. AMERICA left the shipyard on February 15, 1988, for sea trials and work-ups in preparation for the next round of intensive operations. In April, after completing a shakedown cruise, AMERICA participated in FLEET WEEK ’88. Sailors and ships were sent to New York City to promote the image of the Navy in preparation for the USS IOWA battle group’s move to Staten Island in 1989. In February 1989. AMERICA departed for exercises in the Caribbean and the North Atlantic. AMERICA again operated in the Vestfjord before making a port visit to Le Havre. France, and returning to Norfolk on April 3. 1989. Upon her return. AMERICA immediately began preparing for a 183-day deployment to the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean. AMERICA completed the large-scale NATO exercise Display Determination’’ involving the armed forces of Belgium. West Germany, Italy, Portugal. Turkey, Great Britain, France, and Spain. AMERICA returned to Norfolk from this deployment on November 10. 1989. and celebrated her 25th anniversary of commissioned service in January 1990. 20

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AMERICA’S Mission Traditionally, it has been the Navy's mission to control the seas. Without this control. U.S. forces abroad would soon wither for lack of support, and industry at home would decline, even halt, for lack of raw materials that must be delivered via the sea routes of the world. The coming of the nuclear age has not changed this concept. In fact, it has been broadened to include maintaining control of the air over the seas. This is the mission of aircraft carriers like AMERICA, ships that embody two key advantages of our Navy: mobility and versatility. AMERICA is, in effect, a completely equipped air base. However, instead of being a stationary point on the map. a point that can be singled out by ballistic missiles. AMERICA can range the oceans of the world, changing her position hundreds of miles in a single day. AMERICA and her sister carriers of the fleet allow the U.S. to quickly assemble great concentrations of firepower and to deploy it rapidly and skillfully, exerting continuous pressure on the enemy. Unlike bases overseas, these carriers are not dependent on the political temperament of any foreign government. Versatile as well as mobile. AMERICA can be used alternately or simultaneously against submarines and their bases, surface ships and their yards, aircraft and their fields, and for the support of amphibious land and air operations. In brush fire conflicts. AMERICA can move quickly to apply the exact amount of offensive firepower required by the situation. In the event of total war. AMERICA represents a mobile, hard to find base from which retaliatory strikes can be launched against enemy targets. Most importantly, the recognized offensive and defensive capabilities of AMERICA give support to our foreign policy and strength to the Free World, a powerful deterrent to conflict and a force for peace around the world.

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HISTORY Carrier Air Wing One Carrier Air Wing One (CVW-1) has been in commission longer than any other Navy Air Wing. Since commissioning on June 4, 1934, CVW-1 has served aboard 19 different carriers, made 39 deployments, and had a majority of the East Coast squadrons as members of the Navy’s “First and Foremost.” CVW-1 was originally “The Ranger Air Group” and served aboard USS RANGER (CV-4) during the early days of carrier aviation. CVW-1 also operated aboard the three other carriers in commission at that time: USS LANGLEY (CV-1), USS LEXINGTON (CV-2), and USS SARATOGA (CV-3). During World War II, Air Wing One participated in the North African campaign and operated in all parts of the Atlantic. In 1943, the Air Wing was redesignated CVG-4 and transferred to the Pacific Fleet. Serving aboard ESSEX and BUNKER HILL, the Air Wing saw action against Japan from the Philippines to Tokyo, earning two Presidential Unit Citations in addition to having nurtured many naval aviation heroes. After the war, CVG-4 was reformed in California, reassigned to the East Coast, and redesignated CVG-1. Between 1946 and 1957, CVG-1 served aboard nine different carriers. During the 1956-57 Suer crisis, the Air Wing was aboard the first supercarrier, USS FORRESTAL, which operated in the Western Atlantic, and then completed a deployment in support of Allied forces in the Mediterranean. The Air Wing made five Mediterranean deployments aboard USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT between 1959-65. In 1962, the Air Wing was temporarily assigned to USS ENTERPRISE for her shakedown cruise and fleet review for President John F. Kennedy. The Air Wing made a WESTPAC deployment aboard USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT and conducted combat operations off the coast of Vietnam between June 1966 and February 1967. In 1967, CVW-1 was assigned to USS JOHN F. KENNEDY (CV-67). They made eight deployments to the Mediterranean, including operations during the 1970 Jordanian crisis and the 1973 Arab Israeli War. Since 1971, the Air Wing staff has been homeported at NAS Oceana, Virginia. Deployed to the Mediterranean in 1975, aboard USS JOHN F. KENNEDY’, the Air Wing brought to those waters the Navy’s newest tactical aircraft, the F-14A Tomcat air-superiority fighter and the S-3A Viking anti-sub-marine warfare aircraft. In late 1977, CVW-1 participated in the operational trials of USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (CVN-69). The CVW-l USS JOHN F. KENNEDY’ deployment of 1980-81 was a hallmark of aviation safety. After eight months of intensive operations, the Wing returned home with all aircraft, without a serious injury, and with a record sortie completion rate. In August 1982, CVW-1 deployed with USS AMERICA for a 21 .• month North Atlantic operation. During this period, the Air Wing participated in the NATO exercise Northern Wedding ’82 as well as a short period of time in the Mediterranean in support of U.S. forces in Lebanon. On December 8. 1982, CVW-1 deployed with AMERICA for a 176-day Mediter-ranean Indian Ocean deployment. They returned on June 2,1983. On October 26. 1983, CVW-1 participated with AMERICA in a successful No Notice’’ exercise. deploying the entire Air Wing aboard AMERICA within an eight-day period. CVW-l’s 37th deployment to the Medi-terranean Indian Ocean began in April 1984 with participation in exercise Ocean Venture in the Gulf of Mexico. While deployed in the Med. CVW-1 participated in exercise Display Determination” with Italian, French. Turkish. Belgian, and U.S. Air Force units. The CVW-1 AMERICA team returned home in November of 1984. In 1985. CVW-1 deployed with AMERICA for the NATO exercise “Ocean Safari’’, journeying through the North Atlantic to Vestfjord. Norway. CVW-1 deployed to the Mediterranean Sea with AM ERICA in March 1986, carrying out successful combat air strikes again Libyan forces in March and April of that year. The CVW-l AMERICA team returned home on September 10. 1986. In January and February of 1987, CVW-1 completed the first major Air Wing operations aboard the Navy's newest nuclear-powered aircraft carrier at the time. USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN-71). In February and March 1989, CVW-1 deployed with AMERICA for operations in the North Atlantic to Vestfjord, Norway. On May 10. 1989. CVW-1 deployed with AMERICA for a 183-day Indian Ocean Mediterranean cruise. They returned on November 10, 1989. 21