Franklin D Roosevelt (CV 42) - Naval Cruise Book

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R next crmse aboard the spaczous Lm D.. Roos:-:-even. F3H DEMON OF VF14

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After a trip to the Caribbean, July 7 to August 12, 1952 she began her fifth overseas tour August 26. She was redesignated CVA-42 on October 1, 1952. Returning to Norfolk for the Christmas holidays, ROOSEVELT ended this cruise December 19, 1952. Following six months of upkeep and preparation FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT again turned eastward for the Mediterranean Sea on June 11, 1953. This was to be her sixth cruise, and her last as a straight deck carrier. After six months she returned to Norfolk December 3, 1953. Leaving Norfolk astern on January 7, 1954, she was enroute to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard via Cape Horn, since she could not be accommodated by the narrow Panama Canal. Making goodwill port calls at Montevideo and Rio de Janiero before rounding Cape Horn, she then visited Callau, Peru, and San Francisco on March 3, 1954, arriving at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard on the 5th. She was decommissioned there April 23, 1954 for extensive modernization. The overhaul performed at Puget Sound was to make the FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT a first-rate carrier in the jet-age, capable of operating advanced high performance jet aircraft, including the A3D Skywarrior, the F4D Skyray, the F3H Demon, and the F8 Crusader. Included in the modernization was the installation of three steam catapults, an angled flight deck fone catapult being installed in the angled deckl, a hurricane bow, a deck edge elevator aft tNumber 31, and improvements in aircraft fueling capabilities. This extensive work would require two years to complete. Emerging from the shipyard with a completely new appearance FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT was recommis- sioned April 6, 1956. Arriving in San Francisco June 16, she loaded stores for her return voyage around Cape Horn to Mayport, Florida, her new homeport. Arriving there August 8, she began her return to the fleet by qualifying the pilots of Carrier Air Group 17 in carrier landings using the mirror system. Underway from Mayport October 25, 1956, she arrived in Norfolk on the 27th. On arrival, ROOSEVELT'v7as placed in a 72 hour notice status for deployment, because of the Suez crisis, and in fact found herself enroute to Portugal, November 7. Patroling in the eastern Atlantic she was prepared for contingencies which never came. With the crisis abated she returned to Norfolk December 9, 1956. Following this upkeep period in Norfolk she returned to Mayport February 9, 1957. Following an operating period off the coast of Florida, ROOSEVELT steamed North into the Gulf of Maine to evaluate the cold weather performance of catapults, aircraft, and carrier based equipment. During these tests, conducted from February 6 to March 3rd, she also fired a Regulus surface to surface missile from the flight deck. Rear Admiral Pirie, embarked in FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT, was the task force commander for these exercises. Steaming south on March 21, 1957, her aircraft staged an aerial demonstration in the waters off Bermuda for President Eisenhower, who was embarked in the missile cruiser CANBERRA CAG-2. She celebrated Armed Forces Day on May 12 by taking part in the live telecast of the Wide Wide World while off Miami. FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard May 19, 1957, for repairswhich were followed by operations in the Virginia Capes, before her return to Mayport June 8. Air Group Seventeen was embarked and Vim a, --1, , .w ' 'K-'fr f 1- fr gtg fff 2 s 5,1

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the carrier sailed on the 17th for a routine exercise. On the morning of June 19 an explosion in number one pump room killed two men and injured 29 others. Prompt action by crew members prevented further damage and casualties. Returning immediately to Mayport, she disembarked the air group and got underway for the Norfolk Naval Shipyard to repair the damage. - Departing Norfolk July 12, 1957, ROOSEVELT began her first deployment since recommissioning. It was, however, her seventh trip to the Mediterranean Sea. Arriving at Gibralter July 20, she relieved the LAKE CHAMPLAIN CVA-39. Because of Middle East tensions she was soon moved to the Eastern Mediterranean where she remained for the majority of the deployment. Stopping at Athens, Rhodes, Corfu, and Salonika, she spent Christmas in Cannes and made one visit to Barcelona. Relieved by the SARATOGA CVA-60 on February 13, 1958, she departed the Mediterranean. Her arrival in Mayport was delayed, however, until March 5 by an unsuccessful seven day search for a Navy WV-2 Constellation radar aircraft reported down off the Azores. Underway from Mayport April 18, 1958, ROOSEVELT was enroute to Norfolk, from which she proceeded to Bayonne where her uppermast was removed to allow her passage under the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges. She then steamed up the East River and entered the New York Navy Yard for a four month overhaul. She conducted her sea trials off the coast of New Jersey August 18 and 19, and left Bayonne September 3rd enroute to her homeport. She participated in an Atlantic Fleet exercise from January 7th to the 23rd. On February 13, 1959, ROOSEVELT departed Mayport enroute to Gibraltar and her eighth Mediterranean cruise. Onboard was Carrier Air Group 1 which consisted of VF-14 in F3H Demons, VMA-214 in F4D Skyrays, VA-172 and VA-46 in A4D-1 Skyhawks, VA-15 in AD-6 Skyraiders, VAH-11 in A3D Skywarriors, and VFP-62 in F8U-1P photo Crusaders. ROOSEVELT visited Genoa, Pollensa Bay, and Palma before the cruise ended in Mayport, September 1st. On the morning of October 4, ROOSEVELT collided with the USS PAWCATUCK AO-108 while alongside refueling. The number 3 aircraft elevator was put out of commission and two 5 inch mounts were damaged. The ship steamed for Bayonne, New Jersey, where the elevator was left behind for repairs. ROOSEVELT participated in a joint U. S. Navy-Air Force weapons systems evaluation program which took place off the eastern seaboard during October and November, 1959. She stood out from Mayport the morning of January 6, 1960 and launched aircraft of Air Group One on simulated nuclear strikes against targets through the eastern United States with Air Force instructor pilots from Moody Air Force Base observing. Once more turning her bow eastward FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT began her ninth Mediterranean deployment January 28, 1960. ,