Lexington (CV 16) - Naval Cruise Book

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, ,, ,, H... H ,,,Vf ,in -- ---4--ff' -- gf -f-- 7-if-f-w --f i1f-- - ,f..,m,uxq-1.xmw.wnr,f.:,.L,,,,,,,-znfm:nuw:- 1-am:--'gm :qP .-r-:xznxvs-avr-m'--v1v'v1-'r H The initial five and a half months of 1961 were spent alternately conducting operations at sea-and visiting friendly ports in the Western Pacific where ship 's company engaged in a num- ber of constructive projects in implementation of our People-to-People Program. Lex thus con- tinued to serve her country in two vital ways- further solidifying friendly relationships with na- tions already allied with the United States, and standing by ready to defend the interests of free peoples against hostile forces. With her long deployment finally drawing to a close, Lexington turned and steamed back towards home, arriving in San Francisco on June 5 for a brief visit before eventual docking at San Diego. Leave periods, liberty and opportunities for naval schooling were made available to her per- sonnel over the summer months, while routine up-keep, brief training periods and some special events dotted the calendar for the ship herself. Two of the latter included a July visit by a con- tinent of NATO officials and the mid-August par- ticipation in the Navy's Golden Anniversary Air Showf, This featured, in addition to an uopen house for local residents, the hourly launching of jets from Lex 's catapults-the first time this had been accomplished in San Diego Bay from a ship not underway. The public-relations-'minded carrier hosted 1 14 former naval aviators-many' of them the real old-timers-for a view of modern naval aviation in mid-September, and then received wide-spread press coverage from thirteen guest editors who remained aboard for a three-day cruise. ' It seemed all to soon for the veterans of the most recent deployment in the Western Pacific, but on November 9 Lex steamed forth again, and after a brief but pleasant stopover in Hawaii, made her initial foreign port, Yokosuka, Japan, December 4. This city, Lexington is traditional Hhome port in Asia, offered plenty for experienced and boot crewmen alike to see and do. This particular stopover, lasting until the 17th, additionally of- fered sufficient time to take the variety of planned 82 tours available. Since immediately after World War II, japan has offered the most popular liberty ports in the Pacific, and CVA-16 officers, and crewmen were anxious to capitalize on the benefits of their first foreign port of the cruise. Particularly popular with those making their initial visit to the island nation were. the scenic beauty of the gardens, buildings, and mountain- studded landscape. The quaint fishing villages, the booming modern industry, and above all the hospitality of the people would all be long remem- bered- and practically every man ashore carried a camera to record the highlights of the visit for those at home. The night life was interesting too, and proved itself well-adapted to the 16V2 odd years of American servicemen. Even signs read- ing 'cCome on in, suffer, brownbaggerf' and We have only ugly girls, poor drinks, rotten musicn failed to deter crewmen from some of the waterfront nightspots. After a gay Christmas holiday at sea, Lex returned to Subic Bay for the New Year's holiday. A week at sea, a week in Sasebo, ten days more of operations at sea and then two more weeks back at Yokosuka-so it went moreor less through the deployment. A variety of training exercises were conducted on the brief cruises out of port, but at least there were not as many of the tense patrols in the South China Sea that had marked the previous deployment-although the 14-month Geneva negotiations on the fate of Laos were still rambling along without a conclusion in sight. A week-long visit to Hong Kong in February was one pleasant respite from the routine, but all hands kept busy enough Withtheir duties and frequent in-port periods that the Weeks literally flew by. May 4 the ship departed Yokosuka for Lexington made stops in Hawaii, both on her outward voyage to the Western - Paczfc ana' her return trips from the WesPac deployments wz'th the Seventh Fleet. Members of the crew spell out ALOHA 50, honoring the jfftieth state.

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.....:x:-...,,L.,...,.. ...... the final time, heading east to San Diego where she arrived eleven dayslater to arousing welcome of wives, families and Sweethearts. A lot of the families would be moving shortly, for Lexington had been designated to relieve USS Antiefavn. Her new role would be to train pilots of the Basic and Advanced Naval Air Training Commands, her new home port-Pensa- cola, Florida, her longest cruise probably to Vera Cruz, and her area of operations, the Gulf of Mexico rather than the expansive Pacific. Arrangements were quickly expedited for moving both the carrier and families of her per- sonnel, and on july 23, 1962, she departed San Diego for the last time. The cruise to the other side of the continent was a pleasant one for all hands, however, providing many of them their initial opportunity to visit a number of colorful cities never before encountered. After a stop at the tourist haven of Acapulco, Mexico, where she received the silver tray now gracing her quarter- deck from the Navy League of Mexico, Lexing- ton continued south across the equator, where the ushellbacksa' were duly initiated into the Realm of King Neptune. This traditional Navy cere- mony was reportedly endured well by the Upolly- wogs making their first crossing on August 2, and was certainly marked down as one of the highlights of the journey around- the horn. Valparaiso, Chile was the remaining port visited on South America's West Coast, with Rio de Janeiro, Brazil the first and best stop on the Northward voyage. I A final visit was paid to Trinidad September 5-6, with Lex finally pulling into Norfolk, Virginia on September 12. Shortly thereafter Lexington moved farther up the coast -and for a routine six-week overhaul period in New York Naval Shipyard. The fall of 1962 was not a routine period, however, with the Cuban missile crisis capturing the headlines. When the Cuban blockade was established, Lex was ordered to expedite her repairs and make ready to get underway. Set for action in a manner of days, the carrier steamed south, and began qualifying various ,, ,. . . , ,. , - V . . ... ..-,..,.,.-.,.y...,-,-.1:.:i:er.,..:.:rq.-gina.... 1- -f- v F- ff- f '