Enterprise (CVN 65) - Naval Cruise Book

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CVN-65 HISTORY A - r IM ! ' i-T - ! ' U.i . A. 1 L u. i: «ii? V (HMilD .ca -

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As the Big E departed Alameda for he r 11th WESTPAC deployment, the Nation prepared to welcome athletes from all over the world to the 23rd Olympic Games in Los Angeles. These competitors train for endless hours, sacrifice precious time with their families, and dedicate their lives to the pursuit of a lofty goal. Crews of ENTERPRISE . past and present, have demonstrated the same qualities as world class athletes. Without the crews ' hard work, sacrifices, and dedication, the Big E is just 90,000 tons of cold steel. With it, she is a WORLD CLASS CARRIER! TABLE OF CONTENTS History Home Port Dependents ' Cruise REFTRA ORE San Diego Departure Hawaii 4 RIMPAC 16 Philippines 20 Hong Kong 26 Indian Ocean Ops 32 Philippines 40 FLEETEX 44 Tiger Cruise Homecoming. . . Awards Command Ship ' s Company Air Wing In Memoriam . . ....134, 138 140 348 460

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le name ENTERPRISE is inherited from seven former ships of the U.S. Navy, including the famous Big E of World War II — the indestructible attack carrier that earned 20 battle stars againt the Japanese in the Pacific. The latest Big E was commissioned on Nov. 25, 1961. The new carrier went to sea )an. 12, 1 962 for her shakedown cruise, finishing April 1 5 with the highest score ever attained by a new aircraft carrier. Carrier Air Wing Six came aboard June 22, 1962, to form, along with ENTER- PRISE, the most powerful seaborne unit in existence at that time. In August, ENTERPRISE joined the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean for her first deployment. Following her return to Norfolk on Oct. 11,1 962, she was assigned for a month to the U.S. Navy blockade involved in the Cuban crisis. After returning in September 1 963 from a second Sixth Fleet deployment, the Big E alternated periods in port with deployments at sea with the Second Fleet until Feb. 8, 1964, when she once again returned to the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean. On May 1 3, the world ' s first nuclear-powered task force was formed, bringing ENTERPRISE together with the guided missile cruiser USS LONG BEACH and the guided missile frigate USS BAINBRIDCE. On |uly 31 , the three ships were designated Task Force One and sent on Operation Sea Orbit, a 49,190 kilometer (30,565 mile) voyage around the world. ENTERPRISE and her nuclear-powered sisters performed a new feat in naval history by steaming 52,465 engine kilometers (32,600 miles) with- out a single replenishment or refueling. In October 1964, ENTERPRISE returned to Newport News Shipbuild- ing and Drydock Company for her first refueling and overhaul. She was ready for sea again the following Spring. The nuclear-powered surface force soon transferred to the U.S. Pacific Fleet. With Carrier Air Wing Nine reporting aboard in September, the Big E joined the Seventh Fleet on Nov. 21, 1965, and became the first nuclear-powered warship to engage in combat. During the next six months, Big E plans carried out bombing raids against the enemy mi litary transport and supply areas, bridges and coastal shipping in Vietnam. ENTERPRISE concluded ber first combat cruise, arriving at her home port of Alameda, Calif., on June 21, 1966. ENTERPRISE again left the United States on Nov. 19 to rejoin the Seventh Fleet. Following a brief call at Pearl Harbor, she sailed for her second combat cruise in the Gulf of Tonkin. Air Wing Nine planes were again in the air over North Vietnam by Dec. 1 8, beginning six months of combat. On March 27, 1967, ENTERPRISE was awarded the battle Efficiency E, her first award as part of the Pacific Fleet. The Cruise ended in June with 13,400 battle missions flown, and ENTERPRISE returned to Alameda July 6. On Oct. 9, the Secretary of the Navy announced that the Big E had won the Navy Unit Commendation during her 1966-67 deployment. After Christmas at Alameda, ENTERPRISE sailed again on Jan. 3, 1968, for her third Western Pacific Cruise. Opposite Page: USS Enterprise, the world ' s first nuclear powered aircraft carrier, keel laying at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, 1958. (Inset) Completely refurbished Enterprise underway for 1982-83 WESTPAC Cruise This Page (Left): Hull No. 546 takes shape, 1 958. (Right): Construct on progresses during 1959. HISTORY I 5