Kearsarge (CVS 33) - Naval Cruise Book

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So outstanding was the career of the first KEARSARGE, the Secretary of the Navy, Hilary A. Herbert, urged upon President Cleveland and Con- gress that a battleship designated KEARSARGE. Through this proposal, by an act of Congress, a bat- tleship was so named in 1895 and commissioned in 1898, though it violated the policy of naming this class of vessel for states. In the history of naming U. S. battleships, this was the only exception ever made. The second KEARSARGE, weighing 11,525 tons and having a complement of 39 officers and 618 men, was a first class battleship. Her firepower con- sisted of four 3 inch guns, four 8 inch breech-loading rifles, twenty 6 pounders, one Gatling gun, and one field piece, which combined with a top speed of 16 knots, made the second KEARSARGE the pride of the Navy. Among the more notable achievements of the sec- ond KEARSARGE was her participation as a mem- ber of the Great White Fleet which sailed the globe in 1908. After searching for German sub- marines during the early parts of the first World War, the KEARSARGE was then used as a training ship. In this capacity, she saw more Navy personnel on her decks than any other five ships combined. Still her service was not at an end. . l 5 A 1 I' .f -Y. -.-,:'-'T5,,, 7 3 . 3 '-, ...A -ug, -.1:J:,' . '. i.. , Qc -.. -'-,,,v- :. 4.4. ..- ... .... - . , - , - V-. J ' -,-- N 4- 'ff f-rt: ,fig ' - .,..1.f -4:.71- LT'-2-'- .: , - - , ,--- --, - -r 1F?'.:-'- 1-5-.' ' '2- ,-P.-'01, L. s. Y, .....,,,4 -- grin JJ'.h'-dia, ',,.' 9.,,' - - + l 'iv 2 vlgj' 9114119 ' ... -...,-'-ne-.Y-3.-N.. - E ,Q -,-.,s. , -'A '3 --' 7,-'i'.f4:-J' .rpg--,, g,.- -v, --rg, , - - .. ' - .-.r --. ---- - - -1 'T'-P--H ' .v- . ,, r .., Q ,, , , ' ..: -Qs. - - f 44,---' - , .315 --Q?-lk .4-g--0- -- - .. . .., 1-- A-5-. -11,7 -- f.,-4,-rf- 1 :f:' -. ',- V- -1. A 5, 19,4 , -.. j 4 . .r ,. , . gl

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l 1 l I 2 i ! i i ...4 u fig v i , K . H gi Ti vie IS .-S- li ima r -- - -, , . -1, A ,N V E ,K A., J- s ' F, L . ,, . L - -ggi, .. -. ' 2: --- -Z- . A ,-., .Un - Aga?-gms SL-J 'ef , '? f,g:. f- M . ' ' -'f:'5:f52f5-2v- W iii ,. . , .P ,W I . , ed 'Ilia-ogg , 'r 1' o.. be lgg S rx 1 ll Sli or KEARSARGE - - - A NAME, sq A TRADITION - - - 4 A CENTURY OF SERVICE In the Southeastern ranges of New Hamp- shire's White Mountain there stands an ob- scure peak bearing the name KEARSARGE. L From a small girl's early impression of this r little known, picturesque mountain, a tradition ' was born of which the United States Navy has l always been proud. For on 5 November 1861, Ellen Stanton, daughter of a U.S. Congress- man, christened a 1,031 ton Sloop-of-War, USS MOUNT KEARSARGEY' In the ensuing century, many ships have borne this illustrious name, all adding honorably to a century of service. MOUNT KEARSARGEH first saw action during the latter stages of the Civil War, un- der the able direction of Captain John Wins- low. After patiently waiting for 5 days outside the harbor of Cherbourg, France, the challenge posed by KEARSARGE was finally accepted by the notorious Confederate Blockade Runner, ALABAMA. In a bitterly contested battle lasting 65 min- utes, the ALABAMA expended 370 rounds of ammunition to that of 173 by KEARSARGE. However, the fire from KEARSARGE proved to be far more accurate than her opponent's and the ALABAMA was never to run another blockade. 1- - we-ui:v.wmuuum:'q-rr. ---,-A - - fa- r-:-a2vvf'frvw '-Ys'P 1 -3+

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Q I .y-,div-. wai:.:.Sl-1 'IS w V MT. KEARSARGE, NEW HAMPSHIRE If- . , .w 'f. t , 1 Lilieahh A ' ' K V l I 1 . . . . - - At tho f-logo of Vvorld War 1, KFIARSARGE was convortod to a rranoship, As cranvship No. 1, she as- sistod in tho raising of the SS. SQULUUS WhiCh had sunk off tho coast of Now Hampshire. Following- tho attack on Pearl Harbor, some 43 voars aftor hor launching, the KEARSARGE was towod to Poarl Hai-hor wh:-ro sho was use'-d in tho oxtonsivc- salvagto one-rations. PM-sentlv, the Frann- ship givos a full moasuro of sorvivo in Boston Naval Shinyzirrl and remains ono of the largest floating vranos in the Navy. Whon Congross ronvoncd in 19-12, they authorized a groat, now aircraft Carrier to furthor hc-ar the proud name and tradition of KE.-XRS.-XRGE. On 2 Marrh 19-16, following' tht' Customary siweclies, sot- ting of tho watch, and rovoption of tho flag, the commissioning nonnant was hauled up the main trunk. After oxtonsivt- opt?-rations on the East coast, including training and cruise-s to tho Moditorranoan, KEARSARGE partir-inatt-d in tho all important in- togration of jot nropolli-d aircraft to c-arrior Condi- tions. On 29 August 19-17, KEARSARGE loaded two now airvraft known as Phantoms, and proceeded to catapult those ji-ts for thoir part in tho National Air Ravos in C'l-'ivwlainls-tlio first time a ji,-t-iwoncllod fightor piano had takon off from a carriur at sea and landod at an inland haso, Another first for the proud namo of KEARSARGE. 19-18 and 19-'19 woro spent training, ox:-rcising, and ops'-rating: on tho Fast roast, and doing: much the samo typo of work tho hattlig-wagon KE.-XRSARGE had dont- 30 yt'-ars hoforo. Thi-n, on 21 January 12950, tho KEARSARGE stoamod from Boston Harhor to San Diego via tho llanama Fanal. On 16 Juno of tho samo voar, sho was doc-oinmissionod and plavod in tho Pugfot Sound Naval Shipyard whoro sho was 1-onve-rtod from the Fssox Class Carrior to an Oriskany Class carrior. In 20 months tho Kay was ,tfivr-n tho capabilities which onahlod hor to handlo tho fastor and mort' vorsatile typos of Naval jot airt-raft. Tho KEAR9.-XRCIC was rot-omniissionod 15 Fola- X 1952 and tastod c-omhat for tht- first timt- the owing wintor off tho r-oast of Kors-a, Return' ruarj foll ing to thi- I .S in lfr-ln'uary 19:13, sho romainod at homo tor a-short yntriod, dopart1ng.g' for he'-r st-sfoiirl tour of dutv in tho Par luast aroa, Aft:-r hi-r arrival in .lulv f'm: l'Hl'7HM1IIlllS' lXL1YHSlWIlt.tlio nvxt six months ll-lllulllrul tht- trouhlod watt-rs of the China Sea. V951 'ind 1055 tw th KI'-XR?-X A -' - N 1- . . RCE tour tho Urn-nt for the third and fourth tinn-s. On hor third vruiso shi- f7Df'1'Iltt?fl with tho 1'.S, SIFTYICNTII Flt-Qt 'l'tllUl' IW? llllfl ill llh' i1lUl'ilX' 'l'ai,'lion islands ovat ua: tion, whit-h saw many Nationalist Cliiiiosi- rt-inovf-d from tho 1-ommunist-tliroati,-iiod art-a. 1 Lato 1055 and oarlv 12156 mit si with powt-rful Task I ort-o TT. 'P 'T -'l nt oxt-rcising In Juli' of 19512 iii-31-xiots.-xratiii again visit.-fi l'ng'i-t Sound to undorgo t-onvi-1-sion tp Uh. ,ww lm- glvd d--4-li, Ainong' othi-r clizizigog off.-1-tt-fl 11.--1-,X tw.,-ft addvcl hahitahilitv fvatuits ind 1 shaft till td ln1ri'im'anohow, i i: z .' 1-lg '1'0S-' .'n:'1r.- -' 1 q- - s