Antietam (CVA 36) - Naval Cruise Book

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if if 'V if-e, rf ,X 5, 'r ' I . w i R l P i i CDR. J.D. Blitch was attached to the USS ANTIETAM in November 1952 and served continuously as Executive Officer throughout this Canted Deck Evaluation Cruise. Born in 1914 in Charleston, S. C. , he received his commission at the Naval Academy in 1936. In 1939 he was designated a Naval Aviator at Pensacola. CDR, Blitch was engaged in action from the very first day of World War II. While assigned to Bombing Squadron Six aboard the USS -ENTERPRISE, he participated in combat at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Except for one year, he remained in the Pacific Theater participating in practically every major raid from the Marshall Islands, right up to Oki- nawa and the homelands of Japan. CDR. LD. Blitch was singled out on numerous missions for his, Heroic conduct and meritorious achievements. In addition to the Navy Cross, Silver Star Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross with two Gold Stars, Bronze Star Medal, and the Air Medal with five Gold Stars, Commander Blitch has Ribbons for, and facsimiles of, the Presidential Unit Citation to the USS ENTERPRISE Qwith starj and the Navy Unit Commendation to the USS WASP fwith two starsj, and the Purple Heart Medal for wounds received in combat. I-Ie also has the American Defense Service Medal with one star, Asiatic-Pa- cific-Campaign Medal with seven stars, the American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Philippine Liber ation Ribbon with two stars, and the Expert Rifleman's Medal. After the war, he fulfilled such assignments as: Commanding Officer of the Naval Air Facility, Bermuda, Operations Officer at Patuxent River, Md., Commander of Air Group Two. Prior to his attachment to the USS ANTIETAM, CDR. LD. Blitch was assigned to the staff of Commander, Carrier Division Six. ll

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s The Ship History Having had her keel laid on 15 March 1943 and being commissioned on 28January 1945, ANTlETAM's building time was a record for a ship of this size. QThe record still stands., However, the time neces- sary for fitting out, trials, shakedown, etc. saw her almost ready to sail west when VJ Day was an- nounced. Although frustrated in her attempt to take part in the Pacific Theatre of World War II by the Japanese surrender, the ANTIETAM operated in support of the Japanese occupation. In 1949 she was mothballed at Alameda, Califomia as part of the Pacific Reserve Fleet. To support the Korean conflict, the ANTIETAM wasreactivated on January 17, 1951. Operations in combat for almost four months saw her responsible for 5, 728 sorties against the North Koreans, during which time the bomb weight that left her magazines totaled more than twice the weight of one of our des- Iroyers. There followed a period in the inactive Pacific Fleet again from April until August, 1952, at which time she sailed for the East Coast. Shortly after her arrival, the now famous ANTIETAM-SHANGRI-LA personnel shift of complete crews was made. ' In September, 1952, the present canted-deck in- stallation commenced and on January 5, 1953, the ANTIETAM sailed from New York harbor to com- mence experimental operations. The experimental operations included: Phase I, initial evaluation by a group of experienced pilots from the Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Maryland, Phase II, air group training for Carrier Air Group Eight, which consisted mostly of pilots com- pletely inexperienced in the jet aircraft they were flying, Phase III, post-shakedown repairs, and Phase IV,.fullscale air operations with fleet units embarked.