Essex (CVA 9) - Naval Cruise Book

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X, I7QQ ,- '1f W.r'V!l 2 lx 1 Qi P kv 1 ESSEX The icirst ESSEX was a 30 to LLO gun Erigate built in I7QQ. ln the War ol: I8l2, she was commanded by Captain David porter. The Captain had his Foster son appointed to serve with him as a midshipman when he was just one month over ten years ol: age. This vvas David G. Earragut. The ESSEX did so much damage to British ERN ping that a Fleet was sent to capture her. She ix i l i -rl 4 was captured oft Valparaiso, Chile, and I an ikxv i 'llll i lg part ot the British Navy. Une of the iii -in II Whalers, captured previously by Captai , --- 'lli f L I, .ir , vvas armed and named ESSEX JU ., li Fought in the same battle vvith th ifilff m il -i , Nl.- if e survivin risoners o o f ' il 1' th gp ., 'wM' econ i to gm ,i:,r g ...W . i.iZF. ,f . iiii . H -K. i paddle wheel ' 31 V lj, W,-ml converted in v V . X ?lN l N! sire had Q speed O ri ,,, M. X2 Nr 5 E 1 ,, ,b. N 471 ,i iceet, and was 'v . l inches oh iron For armor. She inch, three nine inch, and a numbe H ---ef : guns. Active during the Civil War, a ter it, she was sold at auction. ' ESSEX number three was a wooden screvv steamer built in IES76. She performed her peace- time duties vvell and was used as a training ship until lQ3O, when she was sold and stricken From the Navy lists.

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OFFICEP Captain FPANK TURNEQ U.S. Navy I3 Eebruary IQ5LL-- ln formal change of command ceremonies held aboard the USS ESSEX on Saturday, I3 February IQ51-L, Captain Frank Turner, USN, relieved Captain C. l-l. Duborg, USN, as Com- manding Officer of the ESSEX. Captain Turner reported to the USS ESSEX from Staff, Heavy Attack Wing ONE, NAS Norfolk, Va. After graduation from the Naval Academy, the newly commissioned Ensign was ordered 1 to the USS MARYLAND where he was assigned to the Navigation and Gunnery Divisions for two years. ,ln June of IQZQ, ENS Turner reported to NAS, Pensacola, Ela., where he underwent flight training as a Naval Aviator. Upon completion of flight training, ENS Turner was sent to Scouting Squadron SIX and served aboard the USS DETROIT and USS OMAI-lA. l-lis promotion to Lieutenant ljunior gradel came in June of I93O. 'LTJG Turner next served with Patrol Squadron SIX at EAB, Pearl l-larbor, and with Fighter Squadron EIVE. ln June of IQ36, he was promoted to Lieutenant and served six months with Patrol Squadron ELEVEN before receiving orders e to NAS, Pensacola, Ela., where he served for two years as flight instructor. Erom June of 1939 to June of IQ!-L2, he was with Scouting Squadron SEVENTY TWO aboard the USS WASP, eventually serving as commanding officer. LCDR Turner next served as Air Operations Officer for the Gulf Sea Frontier. ln November of IQLLZ, he was sent as operations officer to the Moroccan Sea Frontier, Casablanca, where he was awarded the Bronze Star for participation in assault landings in the North African Campaign. ln July of IQLL3, he was elevated to Commander and served as Operations Officer in the Elight Division, Navy Department. l-le reached his present rank in March of l9LL5, and assumed command of the USS A NASSAU, a CVE operating in the Pacific. While serving as skipper of the NASSAU, he was awarded another Bronze Star. Erom IQLL6 to IQLLQ, Captain Turner was Deputy l-lead of the Training Division in the Navy Department. Captain Turner next commanded the Eleet All-Weather Training Unit, Pacific, after which he was operations officer on the staff of Commander Air Eorce, Pacific Eleet. Captain Turner attended the National War College from August I95I to July I952, prior to assuming his duties as Wing Commander of Heavy Attack Wing ONE.

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l-IISTCDQY The present ESSEX was launched and com- missioned in IQLLZ. It took twenty months to build her at an approximate Cost ot SI5oQ,ooo,ooo. During World War Il she earned the name orc the tighting'est ship in the Navy. ln IQLLQ, she was dry-docked For redesigning and remodelling to her to handle larger and more powerful GD o D X5 u 4ig W,,,,n-jfii She was recommissioned in Puget Sound , hipyard Bremerton Washington on January ,iq . Y A r u l I l A Wir-'Q ol: the remodelling was about 'Mlllll' l'l,9C Arcter Shakedown and training .,m llil ordered to Korean waters. She pmbat zone, on August 2I, lQ5I. eturned From the lfirst tour on l'-s departed For Korean waters ith Air -l-ask Group TWG Q Wi' MV months ot the second Ili , ll gl N if d d 3i,ooo b b d illion rounds ocigmmaichaiiie 3 FI ying 7 ,000 this tour, the ESSEX coordinated UN strikes all 'es to the Yalu lQiver in North Korea, destroying over I,I00 'buildings and damaging more than 500 others. ln close air support ol: UN Front line troops, ESSEX planes killed an estimated 500 enemy soldiers and smashed IL!-Li bunkers. Cn September 12, lQ52, Captain paul D. STR00l3 temporarily relieved Captain QQDEE as