Forrestal (CVA 59) - Naval Cruise Book

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FORRESTAL COMPLETES NINE EXERCISES IN 7 MONTHS IN MED. JUL 30: Records are made to be broken, and the V-2 arresting gear team did it again: they set up the emergency barricade on the flight deck in a record one minute and thirty seconds. AUG 7: Valencia is nice. The sun is warm, the people are friendly, the food is good: some of the men's wives are here, a few men went home on leave, we still have another week here before we go out for more operations. AUG 17: Another one of those major replenishments today. AUG 23: The Captain says we'll like this port and from the way it looks out here, we don't doubt it. Where else except in Holland have you ever seen windmills? Palma, here we come! AUG 29: What a change! We leave the warm Mediterranean to go into the North Atlantic. The warnings are out: it will be cold, the seas will be rough, tie everything down. If we can manage this 21 days at seas, we'll definitely earn the title Sailors They say we'll be operating with 40,000 men, 200 ships, 22 submarines and 800 aircraft from nine countries during this NATO exercise called Northern Wedding. SEP 6: The seas aren't too rough . . . only about a third of the crew has gone to sickbay because of seasickness. We are thinking pretty strongly about home now. SEP 13: It's chilly outside. Good thing the ship has steam heat inside. SEP 18: We transited the English Channel early this morning, encountering 50 to 60 other ships. SEP 22: After Northern Wedding, a few days in Malaga, Spain looks good. Along with the rest and relaxation, must get some last minute shopping done. SEP 28: Display Determination 78 began today, our last major exercise. SEP 30: Thirty-nine men reenlisted for orders and SRB this month, a new FORRESTAL record. OCT 1: Today, this Old Girli' is 23 years old. FORRESTAL men celebrated with a 350-pound cake on the mess decks. OCT 10: Rota, Span and outchop at last! And here's our sister ship USS SARATOGA to relieve us. Right on schedule. OCT 15: What a surprise! We're taking an alternate route back to the States-by way of Iceland. The Captain said to tie everything down again, because we'll surely run into some rough weather. The crew is asking the big question now: Will we get back to Mayport on the 26th? OCT 20:We are being tested by this bad weather. We've already encountered seas to 34 feet, winds over 70 knots and temperatures to 0 degrees with wind chill. The Captain, XO and Navigator say we'll make it home on time, but in weather like this, our fingers are crossed. OCT 24: Two more days and all is well. OCT 26: At 1300 FORRESTAL's crew mans the rail as the ship awaits high tide. Soon F ORRESTAL heads past the sea buoy and toward the pier. Planes fly over with welcome home banners. There is electricity in the air. There it is . . . Mayport Harbor. It is love at first sight. The band plays. Families reunitef And soon it is all over. F ORRESTAL savors the taste of another homecoming. Starting tomorrow, the men will start new work hours, will start rehabing the ship for another cruise in 1979. The evolution is never complete. The task of being First in Defense goes on. ,TMMY Mali g ,fl 1 l l l I l ,,, ,-5 1

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The entire Thunderbird Motor Hotel ballroom and lounge was rented for FORRESTAL 'S 1977 Christmas Party which was attended by two-thirds of the ships crew and their ladies. A 200 lb cake in the shape of the ship was the center of attraction with door prizes running a close second. A stereo, clock radio, car speakers and several instamatic cameras topped the list of prizes. Captain P.B. Booth greeted everyone, taking a turn at the microphone to say he was having a super time and complimenting the crew for their hard work in getting the ship ready for sea after the long yard period.

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dvi 9 ,, 9 , 4 THE FINAL ONLOAD Before a carrier deploys to the Mediterranean massive amounts of food, stores and spare parts must be loaded aboard. Airwing personnel and equipment were flown from their Naval Air Stations in Virginia, Washington and California while Mayport area squadrons utilized truck transportation. Working parties manhandled tons of gear into working spaces as aircraft under repair were hoisted aboard. Below, a plane captain catches a few winks while waiting for the movement of his bird.