Forrestal (CVA 59) - Naval Cruise Book

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FORRESTAUS 1978 MEDITERRANEAN CRUISE by Joi Mark stevens 1 APR. 4: The long wait is finally over. We're steaming toward the Mediterranean-FORRESTAL's 14th deployment. Anticipation has been building for a long time. Keep the home fires burnin', and keep those letters coming, Captain P. B. Booth instructed families and friends on the pier over the loud speaker. And we'll be back before you know it. , APR. 6: We rendezvoused with eight other ships southeast of Bermuda enroute to join the Sixth Fleet in the Med. APR. 8: Dozens of men are leaving the barber shops with nary a hair on their heads! Certainly this fad will die out before we return to Mayport in October. APR. 15: We've inchopped. Liberty is restricted in Rota and we get a good taste of waiting in line for our liberty boats. APR. 19: We passed through the Straits of Gibraltar, headed toward the Tyrrhenian Sea for NATO operation numero uno. APR. 27: It looks like we may have water problems off and on this cruise. An evaporator broke down, lowering the ship's water-making capacity by 20122. We're beginning to find out there are certain pleasures that are dispensed with on a Navy ship, such as Hollywood showers. MAY 9: That week-long visit in Naples was nice. For us who've never seen Italy before, Naples gave us something new: karimari instead of McDonald hamburger, narrow streets and Fiats rather than eight-lane freeways and Cadillacs, hustle-bustle activity instead of luxury, sidewalk vendors instead of K-Marts. An interesting place. MAY 11: It's AAW Week, with operations north of the island of Crete. MAY 15: The snow-capped mountains of Crete beckoned us but, anchored out, we could only enjoy People's Day-our first holiday-routine at sea with all the trimmings. MAY 19: Dawn Patrol started today, our first NATO exercise. The scenario portrays the mythical Blue and Orange forces at war. May fate and our strength and stragegy lead us, the Blues, to victory over the dastardly Orange forces. Of course there's those Russian ships out there too, monitoring our every action. MAY 30: We were told two weeks ago that our trip to Split, Yugoslavia was canceled. Instead, here we are at Catania, Sicily for five days. This town is quieter than Naples, and some of the sailors may have to contain their energy after being out to sea 22 days. 1 JUN 6: What kind of reception is this? Three water boats, a 'brass band on the pier, a few lucky wives to meet the ship in Marseille. JUNE 20: We feasted in their homes and in their restaurants, we trekkedl their streets. We've tasted the spirit of France. What a beautiful place to visit, this Marseille! The mini-shipyard period was a success, and so was our stay. JUN 23: The largest replenishment so far began this morning at 0430. Over 700 men mustered for working parties, they hauled aboard and stored 734 pallets of groceries. Replenishments of this magnitude will take place about once a month. I I JUL 5: Another stop in Naples. Many spent the 4th of July weekend at Fiesta Americana, where there was activity galore. JUL 6: FID joined in Operation Tridente, an Italian exercise involving about 20 ships from Italy, France, Britain, Greece and the U.S. . JUL 11: The mail just keeps on coming! 1 JUL 16: Here we are in Naples again. Mt. Vesuvius hasn't erupted yet. Buzzardex exercises begin today. It will be missile-for-missile as our pilots shoot out of the sky outdated Talos missiles being used as aircraft targets. JUL 23: National Week kicks off today.

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-i - - ea. PREPARE T O DEPLOY Predeployment training began in late Sept. 1977 with Refresher Training and culminated in FORRESTAL's successful completion of her Operation- al Readiness Evaluation on January 30, 1978. Green crewmembers quickly became seasoned hands due to the seemingly endless series of emergency drills and the fast operational pace. The long, hard days and nights at sea off Florida and in the Caribbean had payed large dividendsg we were ready for the Med.

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f ' , a e -3 , ,, fl - s ' ff' 'W-'q ' 'J L .- C A 1 I ' V Y r . 9 A F ID CREW ENJOYS CHRISTMAS PARTY W W ,J' .l 4.5, 'u 'L'fSf9. .., fag, iwfffm.. fa... . Lxght hors d oeux res were serxed throughout the mght wh1le couples danced to musu: proxmded by two bands happxlw toastmg one another and groupmg around a MERRY CHRISTMAS FORRESTAL cake Provmded by the shlp baker MS2 L N Newton the masterp1ece used 16 lbs of flour 16 lbs of sugar and 300 eggs . .1!'f.-U , H ...NL