Kearsarge (CVA 33) - Naval Cruise Book

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MEG... Captain William l.. Kabler assumed command ot the USS KEAl2SAlQGE on September il3, i954 after serving as Aide to the Assistant Secretary ot the Navy tor Air. A native cl: Qoanolce, Virginia, he entered the U. S. Naval Academy in i925 and was graduated and commissioned Ensign in 'l929. l-lis first duty assignment was aboard the USS MAQYLAND, Followed by a year's lilight instruction at NAS, Pensacola, being designated Naval Aviator in l93il. During the next ten years he served under various commands including duty aboard the USS l.EXlNGTQN, USS OKLAHOMA and USS LANGLEY. l-lis First command was the USS l-iEl2ON which participated in defense of the philippines and Netherlands East lndies early in WW ll. lfle was awarded the Navy Cross For extraordinary heroism as Commanding Qliticer ii ot this ship during an engagement with enemy aircralit. l-le also served as Navigator ot the USS TlCQN- DEQOGA and Executive Qliliicer ot the USS ENTERPRISE During the war. While still in command ol: the USS QENDQVA in January i953 he was given TAD orders to command the USS SlTKOl'l BAY, serving in this unique dual assignment until March l953. ln addition to the Navy Cross, Captain Kabler has been awarded the Commendation Ribbon with Combat V, Army Commendation Ribbon, Army Distinguished Unit Badge, and the Ribbon with star for the Navy Unit Commendation. is 4 CAPT. W. L. KABLER Commanding Officer E SHE it . ,,,. my ' ,E Wi E Si .f s fi 5 3s 5' E? fi- if if J, 3 E' x ,, ,,

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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

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fl iz.: M, cDR Re. Dosifz, usN Executive Officer 'il p-3- -- , -3 F... .,, V, Y! si 9 K I, 4 ,. ,I jggvigi' 3-Q 5 im!! I 1 .. A ' .1-u ' ' .5 I zen a 1 1 Commander Qobert G. Dose has been Executive Ctliicer ot the USS KEAQSARGE since July 'l954. Prior to this he served on the staffs ot the Chieli ot Naval Air Training, and Commander Fleet Air, Jacksonville, Florida. As a pilot with Fighter Squadron TWELVE during World War ll he Flew over 200 combat hours in Navy Corsairs and l-lellcats in the South and Central pacific and indian Oceans. He became squadron commander in the summer ot i943. ln i946 he toolc command ot Carrier Air Group FQUQTEEN. Then came a tour as Com- mander ot Air Group ElGl-lTY ONE, which became Carrier Air Group Tl-lllQTEEN and was deployed to the Western pacific just betore the outbrealc ol: the Korean War. Following his tour as CAG, Commander Dose was ordered to Washington where he spent two years in the Cttice of Naval Research. l-lis decorations include three Distinguished Flying Crosses, seven Air Medals, Asiatic-Pacific Area Campaign with six stars, and British Combat Decoration.