Lexington (CV 16) - Naval Cruise Book

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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 '

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Left page a pretgz rnzss from the USO show Laugh wzth the Gzrls poses at the wheel on the carrzer 5 brzdgezn anu ary 1962 Lexmgton sazled rom San Dzego on 23 1962 kr a trzp around Cape Horn bound or new dugz zn the Atlanfze Fleet At left zs a radar ozew as the shzp rounded Cape Horn Below zs the same scene vzewed rom theflzght deck - --- .::-uv-. ,,:::::. ,-r'z::1:.::1r'::'-m.:,.1Lf.r..rV-...:1.-..,f --Q Q 1-wxzax'-IJ T T lf ' 111: :z : 2:1a':..':L1':.z':1.1.': -'- - -'--2171?-F-1'lI'f1TJ-Tfxliizi 7 rc . . pp . 5 . . f , - f . 1 . J , f . . . 3 , , f .