Kearsarge (CVA 33) - Naval Cruise Book

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l-'ere is the Mighty Kayii: a little of her background, her vital statistics, and an idea ot her capabilities. l Sh d The USS KEAQSARGE, the third USS. ship ot that name, had her keel laid in Brooklyn Nava ipyar on March l, l944, was launched on May 5, l945, and made her debut as a Fully commissioned warship on lvlarch Q, l946. She was weaned in the Atlantic, vacationed in the Mediterranean, and trained Midshipmen during her young years. Removed from circulation tor a reconversion liace-liliting in l95l, she emerged a mature H Fighting Lady ii in February l952, and was blooded eight months later when she joined Task Force 77 to Fight the Communist forces in Korea. She's been back twice to the Far East, helping to defend a disturbed peace. The nlfayii is an enormous cavern ot space, displacing over 40,000 tons: Put a Destroyer on her Flight deck and sheid sink barely a toot: negligible to her 30 Feet ol: dralit. The water she displaces would cover a 50 acre area. The KEAQSAQGE tigure isn't quite a Fashionable U hourglass U, but it has a stolid grace: 897 Feet long, or almost the length ot three football Fields, and she spreads l52 Feet amidships. Every square toot ot this vast space is crammed with her vitals and her brood ot men and planes: a tremendous engineering plant ot eight boilers and Four diesel engines, generating a total l50,000 HP: storage space For hundreds ' ' ' ' k F r over a million gallons ol: liuel, diesel and lub oil, ot thousands ol: tons ot provisions, supplies, ordnance, tan s o and aviation gas For her Flock ' ' ' ' ' ' d orkin compartments to accomodate a maximum crew ol: almost 3500 people. lviany ot you come lirom towns ot smaller population, and altho it's not an original observation, the KEARSAQGE is a selt-sustaining small community: her generators supply electricity to service thousands ot homes: her distilling Plant has an output ol: 90,000 gals ol: Fresh water daily: at least tive movies are shown daily thruout the ship: there are 370 dial telephones in operation and countless outlets lior hand and headset phones: she boasts a 52 bed hospital, equipped lior major surgery: a Four unit dental clinic: a Fully stocked dispensary: soda Fountains and variety stores: give messes preparing three Full meals a day: areas tor vollyball, basketball, badminton courts: six motor vehicles and well over a dozen tractors, and six boats. She could stay at sea indetinitely provided with weekly replenishments FFOYY1 auxiliary ships, and herself serves as a Fueling station lior escorting destroyers. Although she carries over 30 3 and Si' guns, the KEARSAQGE isn't a brute tor Fighting like the heavily armored Battleships, but she makes up For it with her air-arm, a devastating horde ol: tighters and bombers that can deliver the explosive punch equal to a Fleet of Battleships. And she's built For speed : her Four screws can push llef DlOughing thru the waves at a top speed ot slightly over 30 knots, The USS KEAIQSAQGE: one ot the biggest, toughest, Fastest, most expensive men-of-war in the world. ol: almost l00 jet and propeller aircraft, living, eating an w g . . . the ship

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the cruise . . . This is the story ot the third liar Eastern cruise ot the United States Ship Kearsarge. It is a long story with a sad beginning and happy ending. ln between are eight months Filled with much worlc, lots ot routine, a little sadness and laughter and over 50,000 miles ot travel. It is a true story ol: almost 3000 men living aboard a -40,000 ton ship tar away lirom their homes and women. lt is a Fascinating story ol a wellknit team, ship's company and air group, manning their ship and planes with prodigious labor and exacting skill to create a Fast, awesome strilcing liorce 1 the most devastating weapon to ever sail the seas. lt is a travelogue ot exotic lioreign ports, once only names seen on posters or read in boolcsfl-lonolulu, lvlanila, Yolcosuka, l-long Kong, Singa- porewanow Familiar on the tongue and vivid in the mind with memories ol: good liberties and welcomed relief lirom the days at sea. lt is an accounting ol: days ot dull, drab routine----watches, plane pushing, painting, typing, chipping, chow lines, station l4eeping punctuated by movies, church, bingo, replenishment, mail call, an emergency dispatch. It is these things and all the other thoughts, energy and emotion gener- ated by the men aboard the USS KEAQSARGE on her third Far Eastern cruise. -7' !iL51,

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l-lere is the Mighty Kayu: a little ot her background, her vital statistics, and an idea ot her capabilities. l Sh d The USS KEAQSAQGE, the third U.S.S. ship ol: that name, had her keel laid in Brooklyn Nava ipyar on March l, l944, was launched on May 5, l945, and made her debut as a Fully commissioned warship on March 2, 'l946. She was weaned in the Atlantic, vacationed in the Mediterranean, and trained Midshipmen during her young years. Qemoved from circulation For a reconversion Face-lifting in l95l, she emerged a mature U Fighting Lady ii in February l952, and was blooded eight months later when she joined Task Force 77 to Fight the Communist Forces in Korea. She's been back twice to the Far East, helping to deliend a disturbed peace. The Kay is an enormous cavern oi: space, displacing over 40,000 tons: put a Destroyer on her Flight deck and she'd sink barely a Footy negligible to her 30 Feet ot dralit. The water she displaces would cover a 50 acre area. The KEAQSAQGE figure isn't quite a fashionable ii hourglass ii, but it has a stolid grace: 897 Feet long, or almost the length of three Football Fields, and she spreads l5Q Feet amidships. Every square lioot of this vast space is crammed with her vitals and her brood ot men and planes: a tremendous engineering plant ot eight boilers and tour diesel engines, generating a total l50,000 l-lp: storage space tor hundreds ot thousands ot tons ot provisions, supplies, ordnance: tanks For over a million gallons ol: Fuel, diesel and lub oil, ' ' ' ' ' ' d rkin com artments to and aviation gas For he accomodate a maximum crew ol: almost 3500 people. Many of you come From towns ot smaller population, and altho it's not an original observation, the KEAQSAQGE is a self-sustaining small community: her generators supply electricity to service thousands ol: homes: her distilling Plant has an output of 90,000 gals of Fresh water daily: at least Five movies are shown daily thruout the ship: there are 370 dial telephones in operation and countless outlets For hand and headset phones: she boasts a 52 bed hospital, equipped For major surgeryg a Four unit dental clinic: a Fully stocked dispensary: soda Fountains and variety stores: liive messes preparing three Full meals a day: areas For vollyball, basketball, badminton courts: six motor vehicles and well over a dozen tractors, and six boats. She could stay at sea indeliinitely provided with weekly replenishments from auxiliary ships, and herself serves as a fueling station For escorting destroyers. Although she carries over 30 3 and 5 guns, the KEARSARGE isn't a brute for Fighting like the heavily armored Battleships, but she makes up For it with her air-arm, a devastating horde ol: liighters and bombers that can deliver the explosive punch equal to a Fleet of Battleships. And she's built For speed: her tour screws can push her DlOUQhing thru the waves at a top speed ot slightly over 30 knots. The USS KEAQSARGE: one of the biggest, toughest, Fastest, most expensive men-ollwar in the world. r Flock ol: almost l00 jet and propeller aircraft, living, eating an wo g p . . . the ship