Kenneth Whiting (AV 14) - Naval Cruise Book

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.71 « j y I lie sciip iinr l,-iiJcr Kciniclh Viiili)i,j wtii liitmclicJ in h J ill lin u)ni, Wiisnnhiloii , iDui L ]iiippcJ lo supply iiiiJ iiniinliiii! loinj junnjc rcdm- ' ' )iai??aiicr sciipuiiiL-s. ConiDiissioiicJ in June, 101 I, l!ic IJ.C-C ' hvi ' ?sc is 7 vclowi of WoiLI ir II iinJ {lie Korean dnnpoujii. L n niinJ lor llie closnuj staqcs oj the war lUjainst jopon, llie lenJer move J Iroin isLinJ lo islonJ in llie locijio provianni provisions ana material services to aitodieJ patrol squaJrons. Slie JolloweJ tlie I ' . S. Wival I ' orces in the islana-hoppina ciniipa njn that uH iinately lea to Japan. I wice Jiirina tlie jiqlitina, she haJ close calls jroiii Japanese air strikes. Oil I ' lilhi Islana, two Japanese suiciae planes attacKcJ, one crashiinj into the flialit Jech oJ tlie carrier KanJo ph, aiichoreJ 1000 yarJs jroni the Whitiinj. . t Saipan, the Whitiinj s quiis aownea an enemy plane hut it ' s enaine smashed into the siJe oj the ship close to the water line. Siirviviim not only air raias, hut several typhoons, the lender parti- cipated in the invasion oj Okinawa and the operations ac]ainst the Japanese homeland. She earned battle stars for each oj these operations. y .fter tlie war and kejore heiiny decommissioned in 10 , the Whitiiu] took pari in the Idcijic atomic homh test. In lOc ! sue was recommissioned and stationed at i an Dicl o, C al. Since then the vessel lias had several tours oj duty in the l ir hast, completing! the latest in July, 1050. Last IX cemher tlie tender was transjerred jrom San Dieqo to a new home port at Whidhey Island Xaval Air Station at Oak llarhor, Washinaton. rhe Whitina is named in honor oj Captain Kenneth Whitin ?, a pioneer oj Xaval aviation who died in 1043 ajter 3o years oj service. Captain Whitiinj, who was taiijht to fly hy Orville Vn jlit, hecame the Xavy ' s sixteenth aviator in 1011. In World War 1 he hecame the commander oj the jirst Xaval air unit in France. He also held command of several suhmarines and the aircrajt carriers Lancjley and Saratoga during his distinguished career.