Independence (CV 62) - Naval Cruise Book

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Ship's Company Admin AIMD Air Chaplain Communications Deck Dental Engineering Legal Maintainenoe Medical Navigation Opeiations Public Affaiis Safety Supply Weapons CTF-7O!F1ag DESRON 15 CV W-5 VF-154 fB1ack Knightsj VFA-192 fGolden Dragonsj VFA-195 fD3111bUStCISD VFA-27 fRoya1 Macesj VS-21 fRedtailsJ VAQ-136 CGuantletsJ VAW-1 15 fLiberty Bellsj HS-14 fCh2lI'gCI'SJ VQ5, Det 5 CSea Shadowsj VRC-30 Det 5 CProvide1'sJ

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History and Tour Yokosuka, Japan Pearl Hafoor, Hawaii Indy Memories Chain of Command Southern Swing Apra Harbor, Guam Sydney, Australia Perth, Australia Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Wog Day Singapore Pattaya Beach, Thailand Hong Kong Tiger Cruise Otaru, Japan Friendship Day Pusan, South Korea Foal Eagle 697 ANNUALEX '97 Arabian Gulf Crisis United Arab Emirates Bahrain

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UTY ' U ' Y ' ' .A '41 pq D ack --3 'g' 11 B - I. 1 N Till... ' 'I I ' Mrs Thomas S. Oates. wife of the Secretary oft christened the ship June 6th. 1958 he navy. '-Juv USS INDEPENDENCE ICV 621 was commissioned asa Eorrestal Class attack aircraft carrier ICVA 621 at the Brooklyn Naval Shipyard. New York. on January 10. 1959. She was the fifth U.S. Navy ship to bear the name INDEPENDENCE. After commissioning. Freedoms Flag- ship was on the cutting edge in project- ing naval air power and protecting U.S. na- tional interests around the globe. Called on by President John F. Kennedy during the 1962 Cuban missile crisis. INDEPEN- DENCE provided a strong. visible re- minder of U.S. determination and resolve while it acted as a key participant in the U.S. naval blockade ofCuba. In 1964. the ship deployed for more than seven months. including 100 days in the South China Sea off the coast of Viet- nam. In 1973. President Richard M. Nixon delivered his annual Armed Forces Day address from the decks of INDEPEN- DENCE. While based in Norfolk. Virginia. the ship made deployments to the Mediterra- nean Sea and Indian Ocean. In 1982. the ship provided critical support to the mul- tinational peacekeeping force in Lebanon. In 1983. aircraft from the embarked air wing flew missions in support of Opera- tion URGENT FURY. the action to liber- ate the Caribbean nation of Grenada. Re- turning to Lebanon that same year. the ship's air wing conducted air strikes against Syrian positions. In .Iune 1988. INDEPENDENCE com- pleted the Service Life Extension Program tSLEPJ at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. It was fitting that the ship should be rejuve- nated in Philadelphia. home of the Revo- lutionary War's Liberty Bell which is rec- ognized worldwide as a symbol of liberty and freedom. The Liberty Bell also serves as the ship's official seal. Later in 1988. the ship transited the tip of South America and arrived at her new homeport of San Diego. California. In August 1990. with Carrier Air Wing EOURTEEN embarked. INDEPEND- ENCE was sent to deter Iraqi aggression during Operation DESERT SHIELD. Indy was the first carrier to enter the Arabian Gulfsince 1974. The ship remained on sta- tion for more than 90 days and perma- nently recstablishcd a U.S. Naval presence in the region. INDEPENDENCE changed homeports 11321111 O11 September 1 1. 1991 - this time to Yokosuka. Japan. einbarking Cl11l'1'iCl' Air WINS FIVE and becoming the Navy's only