Franklin D Roosevelt (CV 42) - Naval Cruise Book

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re Z2 Z Q QSNERXM XX E Si XX 'L KS Off the coast of Spain on February 9 for a three day operation, Air Group One squadrons were launched against Spanish targets. For this cruise Air Group One had exchanged the Marine Fighter Squadron's Skyrays for VF-11's Red Rippers flying the supersonic F8U-1 Crusader. . I FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT relieved the ESSEX CVA-9 on February 12, 1960 and was host to the Honorable Simon H. Vissor, Minister of Defense of the Netherlands on March 1st. He was greeted with full honors by Vice Admiral George W. Anderson, Jr. USN, Commander Sixth Fleet, Vice 'Admiral Fitzhugh Lee, USN, Prospective Deputy Commander in Chief, U. S. Atlantic Fleet, Rear Admiral I. J. Golatin, USN, Commander Cruiser Division Two, and Captain Hugh Winters, Commanding Officer of FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT. The Minister was briefed on the Sixth Fleet, witnessed day and night air operations, and participated in a destroyer orientation cruise. He returned to the Hague on March 3rd. Operating off Athens, Greece on March 22, 1960, FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT received a message indicating a Greek civilian had been seriously injured on the island of Sifnos. ROOSEVELT altered course and launched a helicopter with a doctor aboard to the village of Apollonia. The injured man was transported to the ship by helicopter and later was transferred to a hospital in Athens. On April 2nd a surprise training exercise Quicktrain was conducted on the FDR simulating a wartime condition wherein aircraft were armed and launched as the ship got underway. The exercise was to evaluate the carrier's ability to retaliate with little prior warning of hostilities. ln the following weeks FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT launched aircraft to support amphibious assault exercises on a beach, providing landing ships and infantry, with naval air support. She also launched simulated nuclear strikes against Italian, Greek, and Turkish targets. She arrived in Palermo, Sicily June 12th in preparation for joint exercises with the FORRESTAL CVA-59, the British carrier HMS ARK ROYAL, and a large number of escort ships as well. On July 25th, 1960, LTJG R. D. Richards of VA-46 flying an A4D Skyhawk, made the 97,000th carrier arrested landing aboard the FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT since her original commissioning. She was relieved in the Mediterranean August 16 by the INTREPID CVA-11. She arrived in Mayport on August 24th. For her outstanding safety record the FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT was awarded her first Admiral Flatley Aviation Safety Award for the year 1960. She was forced to sortie from Mayport September 10 to escape the fury of Hurricane Donna and spent two days riding out very rough seas and winds up to 65 knots. She set course to New York on September 17 and tied up at the New York Naval Shipyard on September 20 for a repair availability which lasted until December 16, 1960. Returning to Mayport for the Christmas and New Year's holiday leave period, she then conducted refresher training out of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. N - unv-

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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. ,

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