Forrestal (CVA 59) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 7 text:

CONTENTS Maneuvers Ocean Safari 26 Suez Transit 36 Teamwork 88 50 Track Chart 382 Benidorm 100 Portsmouth Return 112 The Brass Carrier Group Six 8 Commanding Officer 10 Executive Officer 14 Command Master Chief 147 Staff Carrier Group Six Air Wing Six ' Cruisebook 130 384 542 I Inside . . . History Carrier Group SIX Commanding Officer Executive Officer Mayport, Fla. Departure Ocean Safari Underway Repl enishment Suez Transit Flight Quarters PACE Teamwork ' 88 Beer Day Enlisted Surface Warfare Diego Garcia Beach Det VR-24 Det Enlisted Aviation Warfare Blue Nose Ceremony Portsmouth Port Visit New Orleans Port Visit Naples Port Visit Benidorm Port Visit Return to Portsmouth Non-rated Seamen First Class Petty Officers Chief Petty Officers Carrier Group SIX Staff Ship ' s Company Command Master Chief Parting Shots Track Chart Carrier Air Wing SIX Sta Air Wing Navy Wives Memorial Cruise Book Staff ff 4 8 10 14 16 20 26 30 36 40 48 50 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 72 86 100 112 124 126 128 130 136 147 376 382 384 388 535 540 542

Page 6 text:

TABLE OF m rcra w. ' wm S-3 Viking 41 E-2C Hawkeye 41 7j A-6 Intruder 4481 EA-6B Prowler 449 A-7 Corsair II 482 B|Pi% ' ' gBM P F- 14 Tomcat 516 U A SH-3H Sea King 534 SN B Features Ships History 4 Underway Replenishment 30 PACE 48 Blue Nose 64 First Class Petty Officers 126 Navy Wives 535 Mayport 16 Flight Quarters 40 Beer Day 54 Non-rated Seamen 124 Chief Petty Officers 128 Ports of Call Portsmouth 66 New Orleans 72 Naples 86 Achievers Enlisted Surface Warfare 56 Enlisted Aviation Warfare 62 Memorial 540

Page 8 text:

ERA in j u y ] 95 ) , the iNuvy announced plans to build a 60,000 ton, 1.039 fool earner designated CVB-59. The keel was first laid in July 1952 and less than 30 months later, USS FORREST AL, the first super carrier , was launched. Mrs. James V. Forrestal, widow of the first Secretary of Defense christened her. In fall of 1956, FORRESTAL was called to assist forces in™ the Mediterranean during the Suez crisis. From 1958 through 1966, FORRESTAL alternated between the Second Fleet in the Atlantic and the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean. In June, 1967, she departed Norfolk for duty in the waters off Vietnam. After only five days of combat operations, a tragic fire broke out on the flight deck which claimed the lives of 1 34 crewmen. The entire nation felt the tragedy, and LIFE magazine reported that in five minutes, everyone became a man . FORRESTAL deployed to the Mediterranean twelve times between 1968 and 1986. In March 1973, she conducted rescue op- erations in the flooded Medjerda River Valley near Tunis. FORRESTAL was Host Ship for the International Naval Re- view in New York City. On July 4, 1 976. on FORREST AL ' S night deck. President Ford rang in the nation ' s Bicentennial and reviewed over 40 Tall Ships from countries around the world from FORRESTAL ' s flight deck. She celebrated her silver anniversary in October 1980. On September 12, 1982, FORRESTAL transited the Suez Canal for the first time in her 28 year history. From January 1983 to May 20, 1985, FORRESTAL completed a $550 million Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) which is designed to extend the life of our aircraft carriers another 15-20 years. In October 1987, FORRESTAL returned from Ocean Safa- ri ' 87 , a most successful NATO exercise, operating above the Arc- tic Circle and in the fjords of Norway. FORRESTAL departed Mayport, Florida on April 25 1988 on her 19th career deployment.: TRIALS 1955 ,j, jjfc, •ajai JF ' '