Essex (CVS 9) - Naval Cruise Book

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I - cw -rw fri v 0 f ..:s 1. ,.,..x-.Q.1wa.ia:..,..1 ..-.., . ..Mt....g.,...f:g' s.sa.z:-.u... VAW-33 Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron THIRTY-THREE, De- tachment FORTY-FIVE, the present AD5W Skyraider unit aboard the Essex, is only one of many AEWXASW detachments to serve the Essex during the past ten years. In past years the Essex Early Warning detachments were furnished by VC-12 and VAW-12. At the beginning of 1958, Detachment-45 - from VAW-12 at Quonset Point- participated in the Essex Med cruise with the mission of AEW, the Guppy provided air control services for AD-6, AD5N, and F2H type aircraft. During the Med cruise, which included the Essex assistance in the Lebanon Crisis, the 0- in-C of Det-45 was LCDR W. S. D'EPAGNIER. In 1959 the detach- ment O-in-C was LCDR S. D. MARVIN, and after the Essex was con- verted from a CVA to a CVS in the spring of 1960, LCDR. J. J. MUR- PHY became the O-in-C of the VAW-12 detachment. During this time LCDR. MURPHY made the 99,000th arrested landing aboard the Essex. On 8 July 1960 the detachment played an important part in the SAR services which the Essex provided in connection with the blimp disaster off Long Island Sound. With CAG-60, the team participated in the 1960 Midshipman Summer Cruise and then again deployed for a Med cruise and a visit to the Red Sea and Arabian Sea, at which time the Essex participated in joint ASW exercises with forces from the United Kingdom, Pakistan, and lraq. ln the fall of '60 the Det was very successful with the mission of S2F air control and the AD5W was instrumental in submarine detection. During this time, a detachment pilot made the Essex 100,000th arrested landing and another AD5W pilot became an Essex DOUBLE CENTURION. In the summer of '61, after the Essex Caribbean cruise of April, Det-45 was again aboard the Essex for the joint U.S.- Canadian exercises with the HMCS BONAVENTURE. LCDR. D. P. JONES became the Det O-in-C in June '61 and on 1 August 61 Detachment-45, along with all VAW-12 AD5W units, was trans- ferred to VAW-33. LT. G. P. HODGES, Jr., the present O-in-C of VAW-33, DET-45, took over the unit in October 1961. The fas- cinating 1961-62 Essex Good Will Cruise to the North Atlantic will stand as a landmark in the history of the long Iine of VAW Hdetachments forty-five which have served the Essex in recent years. 204

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CDR S. P. HILLS Commanding Officer CDR GLENZER Executive Officer HS-9 Anti-Submarine Warfare is one of the major defenses of the United States. This defense becomes the responsibility of the U.S. Navy. The mission of HS-9 is the support of this responsibility. From the rolling decks of the OLDEST AND THE BOLDEST ASW is continued by the HS-9 Sea Griffins to whom profes- sionalism of mission is routine. The men and machines of HS-9 comprise a weapons system capable of submarine detection and destruction. The aircraft presently used is the HSS-1 helicopter which becomes such a weapon by virtue of the pilot, copilot and sonar men that operate it, maintain it, and sail with it. Although capable of independent detection and strike, maxi- mum effectiveness is achieved, as always, through teamwork with the other ASW squadrons aboard a CVS. A natural pride is fostered within the squadron because of its assignment with the MIGHTY ESSEX. Simultaneous with the commissioning of ESSEX as a CVS, HS-9 was adopted as the helo squadron capable of supporting her in a continual and already enviable record of can do. Enviable records are not foreign to HSf9. In 1960, the SEA GRIFFINS came away with the following awards: The Battle Readiness Excellence pennantp The Chief of Naval Operations Safety Award, The Admiral Isbell Trophy for Excellence in ASWQ The Commander Naval Air Force, Atlantic Fleet, Accident-Free Year Award, and the Admiral's Sports Trophy. Record collecting, however, is not the goal of HS-9. Rather, it is battle readiness at sea. And so for more than 102,000 miles, the SEA GRIFFINS have sailed with ESSEX. Under the inspiring leadership of Commander Stetson P. HILLS, the SEA GRIFFINS have already begun transitioning to the most advanced ASW helicopter weapons system in the world. Summation of HS-9 consists of record par excellence, activity continuous, and future one step ahead. 20

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W, VAW 33 DET 45 CENTURION CLUB Front row, I-r: LTJG P. W. Shoemaker 8. D. W. Hoelting, AT2. Back row: LTJG P. L. Dooley, LT G. P. Hodges, LT T. L. Olson idoublel LTJG C. G. Wilburn. l '