Oriskany (CVA 34) - Naval Cruise Book

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JE' 7 Schatzie had adapted well to the noisy and busy life of an attack carrier. And she handled 3,000 masters as no woman ever did. When she would encounter a hatch 'comb- ing too high for her sausage frame, sheld merely look cute and wait for a passing sailor to lift her over. During the Korean War Schatzie had aroused quite a few rumors when it was noticed that she was expecting. Grave suspicions among the crew ended only when it was learned that, the Chaplain had Schatzie mated before the cruise. With her superb sense of timing she delivered a litter of four puppies in the midst of intense combat opera- tions. Eyes were on radar screens and instrument panels, but hearts were with Schatzie that day. The four pups were given the names Ike, Marilyn, Annie and Debbie. They were raffled off to the members of the crew. With increasing nonchalance Schatzie brought forth two more litters. Through puppy raffles she raised over 322,000 for charities, a generosity to which few mothers aspire. At the farewell ceremonies Captain Simpler lauded her gentle-heartedness, perseverance, uncommon sacrifices and exemplary conduct. He noted that she had always re- turned to the ship on time, traversing the gangway under her own power and in a seamanlike maner. Having served her country well, the proud dachshund left for dry ground and green pastures. ORISKANY completed her yard overhaul in February 1955. The ship made a third cruise to the Western Pacific from March through September. Although a less eventful cruise, it was a more enjoyable one, for the ship visited widely throughout the Far East, including Hong Kong and Manila, as well as Japan and Okinawa. And it was a reward- ing cruise, for ORISKANY won the Big E that year- the Naval Air Force's QPacific Fleetj Battle Efficiency Award. In October of 1956 ORISKANY entered San Francisco Naval Shipyard to begin an extensive angled deck conver- sion and modernization. She was decommissioned on janu- ary 2, 1957. During the next two years the workmen of San Francisco Naval Shipyard made a new ship of ORIS- KANY. The most striking change was her new silhouette: the angled flight deck for safer landings, and the stream- lined hurricane resistant bow. The old hydraulic catapults were replaced by steam driven ones capable of launching much heavier aircraft. The cramped combat information cen- ter was relocated in a safer area of the ship and enlarged into an electronic suite. Writing tables were placed in the crew's berthing compartments and the decks in the mess- ing, living and office spaces were tiled. ORISKANY is the last of the Essex Class carriers to be modernized. On March 7, 1959, ORISKANY was recom- missioned in a ceremony held on the ships hangar deck. Vice Admiral Alfred M. PRIDE delivered the principal address. CAPT james Mahan WRIGHT, who served aboard ORISKANY as Executive Officer in 1951-1952, assumed command upon recommissioning. CDR Vincent A. DAHL- STROM became the shipis Executive Officer. After commissioning the ship underwent extensive build- ers trials and bureau tests. She reported to her new home- port of San Diego on june 11, 1959, and immediately started underway shakedown training. At the start of Fiscal Year 1960, ORISKANY was just three months out of San Francisco Naval Shipyard. The first air operations since her recommissioning were con- ducted in August, with the skipper himself, CAPT james Mahan WRIGHT, flying the first aircraft launched and recovered. In September of that year, Vice Admiral Alfred M. PRIDE retired as Commander, Naval Air Force, Pacific Fleet, in a ceremony on ORISKANY's flight deck. His suc- cessor was Vice Admiral C. E. EKSTROM. Upon completion of the shakedown period the carrier passed her first post-conversion administrative inspection with flying colors, receiving an excellent and praise from the inspectors for having started from scratch only eight months earlier.

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