Independence (CVA 62) - Naval Cruise Book

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The Sovret ship Kasnmov at sea with 15 IL-28's on board. Her crates were voluntarily opened for U.S. air inspection,

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Finally, after three and a half years of frustration and sweat, this massive ship of the line was ready for sea. Commis- sioned January 10, 1959, ln- dependence moved out of the Brooklyn Yards and into the East River. At the helm was Captain R. Y. McElroy as lndy's first com- manding officer. He may have pondered what was in store for his ship as she steamed passed the Statue of Liberty and on into the Atlantic Ocean Independence was expensive at 200 million dollars but the effort will prove well worth the price. She will be expected to protect the Western Hemisphere by making a stand near Cuba: encourage a free people in Viet- nam: and represent a balancing influence in the Mediterranean waters from Gibraltar to the Middle East.

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'5 'f During October 1962, Presi- dent John F. Kennedy sent an armada of ships to block Rus- sia's attempt to establish mis- sile sites in the western hemi- sphere. Independence played a significant role in this history making Cuban crises and proved herself ready on arrival. From Nlay until December 1965, Independence operated in the South China Sea as the Flag Ship of Commander Attack Carrier Striking Forces. CVA-62 launched the first successful coordinated strike against a surface-to-air missile site, and more than 8,000 combat strikes against the Viet Cong in both North and South Vietnam. More than 10,000 landings were recorded during CVA-62's seven months as a member of the Seventh Fleet. Her air-wing, Carrier Air Wing SEVEN, com- piled an extensive combat rec- ord. Independence returned to Norfolk in December 1965, after steaming over 68,000 miles- nearly twice the distance of a normal Mediterranean deploy- ment-and operating in three oceans: the Atlantic, Pacfic and Indian.