Antietam (CVA 36) - Naval Cruise Book

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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.

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X W . , W, 1 if Y fj4f'r'E'32 ' ' K Y- . ,a an 7 ., g f S, rypi l , qw ,M ,, 2' ..., Captain Mitchell assumes command of the USS ANTIETAM at the Brooklyn Navy Yard on September 5, 1952. , The first section of the Canted Deck is hoisted aboard the ANTIETAM for construction. ob ,J 5' ' fa X S 'fn . f ff X The First Days The USS ANTIETAM entered the Brooklyn Navy Yard in September 1952 to become the first carrier in history to have a Canted Flight Deck. While in the yard, the ship received a new Skipper, Captain S.G. Mitchell, who remained Commanding Officer of the AN- TIETAM during the entire Canted Deck Ev- alution Cruise. E . ,.. 2 X .51