John F Kennedy (CV 67) - Naval Cruise Book

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CAPT EARL P. YATES 7 SEP 68 - 3 SEP 69 CAPT JULIAN S. LAKE 3 SEP 69 - 4 SEP 70 PAST COMMANDING OFFICERS 1 ■4; CAPT FERDINAND B. KOCH 4 SEP 70 - 1 OCT 71 CAPT ROBERT H. GORMLEY 1 OCT 71-30 NOV 72

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with the Australian aircraft carrier HMS MELBORNE: a missle shoot on the Salto Di Quirra range and PHIBLEX 7-77. Turnover finally came in July as the USS SARATOGA relieved us on the 21st and KENNEDY outchopped the Med headed for home - Pier 12 Norfolk, Virginia. After a month long leave and upkeep period in August, KENNEDY brought family and friends aboard for a Dependent ' s Day cruise during the opening days of September; then on 6 September she made the brief trip up the Elizabeth River to the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for a three month Ship ' s Restricted Availability. On 1 and 7 December. USS JOHN F. KENNEDY received official notification that we had received the COMNAVAIRLANT Battle Efficiency Award for 1976-77 and the Golden Anchor Award. These awards designated KENNEDY the best carrier in the Atlantic Fleet for operational excellence and crew retention, respectively. 1977 then closed with KENNEDY moored at Pier 12 eager to face 1978 striving to attain yet higher standard of excellence and possibly her fifth Battle E ' ! The 1977 Mediterranean deployment began on 15 January. Eleven days later KENNEDY relieved USS NIMITZ (CVN-68) in Rota. Spain. The high pitched tempo of the deployment was set almost immediately by KENNEDY ' S participation in Exercise Locked Gate ' 77. Exercise National Week XXII in March provided the outstanding opportunity to train and gain experience in the total war-at-sea scenario, as USS JOHN F. KENNEDY and USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT and their respective task groups faced each other as opponents. On 28 March USS JOHN F. KENNEDY became the first American aircraft carrier to visit Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia, and on 2 May she became the first U.S. carrier to visit Alexandria, Egypt in over 30 years. Between these two unique port calls, KENNEDY participated in Exercise Shahbaz ' 77, a joint NATO-CENTO exercise conducted to develop coordination between the two organizations. Even the normal late deployment slow down didn ' t really ease the tempo by much. May brought on Exercise Dawn Patrol, and June followed with a PASSEX

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CAPT JOHN C. DIXON JR 30 NOV 72 - 24 MAY 74 CAPT WILLIAM A. GURECK 24 MAY 74 - 29 NOV 75 CV 67 CAPT JOHN R. 29 NOV 75 - C. MITCHELL 14 MAY 77 CAPT JERRY O. TUTTLE 14 MAY 77 - 28 NOV 78