Randolph (CVS 15) - Naval Cruise Book

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An heroic helicopter transfer of an injured officer from the wet pitching deck of the destroyer USS BACHE to the hospital-equipped Randolph was a dra- matic triumph over the elements that we accomplished during our ready duty on a relentless sea. Randolph and the destroyers and subs of ALFA flew shamrock banners as they steamed into the Hudson River on March 17 enroute to a St. Patrick's Day week- end in New York City. A very successful Shamrock Ball in the gaily-decorated Randolph hangar bays kicked off a happy visit that brought 15,000 New Yorkers across the carrier's brow and in contact with the fighting elements of anti-submarine warfare. The brief respite ended, and the Randolph steamed into the Atlantic on anti-submarine ready-duty. A summer's trek to Quebec and New York with the ele- ments of Task Group ALFA, more ASW operations off the Virginia coast, and another milestone was reached. ln September 1960, the Randolph again received all the Battle Efficiency Awards, plus the Admiral Flatley Aviation Safety Award. Four Battle Efficiency E's in a row, an unprecedented feat in carrier history. The Randolph entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in October, 1960. Sonar was installed -the first installa- tion of its type on any carrier. CIC spaces received completely new capabilities, and the Communications equipment became the most modern and efficient in the fleet. Stainless steel became the hallmark of the galley, a new center-line bow anchor gave the ship the look of a Walt Disney singing whale. The Citv of Portsmouth invaded the Randolph on April 1, 1961 and the ship played host to the families of the men who had labored in her renovation. A brief period in Norfolk, and the ship left for extensive opera- tions in the Caribbean area. One stop at Kingston, Jamaica, broke the relentless pace of readying the ship for ASW, a midshipmen cruise in the Atlantic waters saw the Randolph participate in the recovery of Cap- tain Virgil Gus Grissom, upon completion of Ameri- ca's second manned sub-orbital space flight and a visit to New York City for a brief liberty period. Upon returning to Norfolk from New York, Randolph learned that once again she was the recipient of the Admiral Flatley Aviation Safety Award. ln February the Randolph took her station once again as the primary recovery ship for Lieutenant Col. John Glenn, and used the time allotted to visit St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, and San Juan, Puerto Rico as ambassadors of America's Navy. Finally the green light was given to Lt. Col. Glenn and after his historic tri- orbital flight he landed safely near the Destroyer NOA from which he was transferred by helicopter to the Randolph. Randolph returned to Norfolk and ASW operations, marched the warm spring days, and a new sense of preparation was in the air. During a long in-port period in May, stores were loaded aboard, long postponed painting was accomplished, and Randolph readied her- self for a summer's cruise in the Mediterranean. These operations with the Sixth Fleet were the first over- seas deployment of the ASW carrier since early 1959, over three years. Steaming through the Mediterranean, Randolph proved to all who steamed with her and her embarked flag, COMCARDIV 20, that she is - and will be -the best in the business of ASW! The U.S. Sixth Fleet lies at anchor off Athens, Greece, in December 1957. This was RAN- DOLPH's last visit to the Mediterranean as an attack carrier. , 'ig' Q sw fniitrk new

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for NROTC midshipmen and of proving her capability as a CVS. During that summer, as a part of a Hunter- Killer group commanded by Com Car Div 18, she visited the ports of New York City and Quebec, Canada. Returning home to Norfolk on 2 August, Randolph found herself the recipient of the 1959 COIVINAVAIR- LANT Battle Efficiency Pennant for the third consecu- tive year, once again making a Clean Sweep. In late September, 1959, after a short yard period to install anti-submarine equipment, Randolph became the flagship of Task Group ALFA, a special hunter- killer anti-submarine force, and commenced a period of concentrated anti-submarine operations. During an October in-port period, the Randolph cele- brated her fifteenth birthday with an all-day depend- ents' cruise, conducted in conjunction with type train- ing and competitive exercises. Always a vital force, the Randolph, with her men and their families embarked, launched her sixteenth year - steaming as before. Randolph marked Thanksgiving Day at sea, but tied up at Norfolk's NOB early in December and remained at home for the holidays. lt was the first Stateside Yuletide for the carrier in four years. Stunning topside displays and a hangar bay party for more than 300 children highlighted the Christmas season aboard. January and February steaming in the turbulent waters of the winter Atlantic was a challenge Randolph had to meet in fulfilling the intensive demands of her anti-submarine mission, as coordination flagship for the air, surface and subsurface ASW training exercises of Task Group ALFA. Often operating around the clock, we continued our all hands efforts to better develop our ASW techniques and to better utilize the ASW tools that we now have. Recommissioned in June 1953, CVA-15 steams in a wide turn through Caribbean waters. i iz A proud attack carrier lies at anchor and full dress, in June 1957 Notice the new angled deck, added in 1955.

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-W .re-fa-W - GLENN History in the making it was as LT COL John H. Glenn, USMC, was inserted into his Mercury capsule at Cape Canaveral, Florida, by eager NASA technicians and fellow astronauts early in the morning of February 20, 1962. After weeks of waiting the Marine Aviator was told that all systems are go and that the recovery vessels were waiting for him. And waiting we were! All hands were on edge for the moment of history in which they would share for after three orbits around the earth John Glenn would land nearby and be brought to their ship Waiting watching counting the minutes as the capsule circled the earth Listening for the word that one then two then three orbits were suc cessful Finally a beautiful chute crackled over the 5MC and we knew that COL Glenn was on his way down Frank Carey of the Associated Press aboard for the recovery wrote it this way 2 46 PM The Navy reported that the Friendship Seven capsule was sighted by the destroyer NOA 31 miles northwest of this recovery ship at 2 40 PM EST The Randolph sped toward it at 31 knots The NOA reported that the capsule was still in the air when spotted 2 52 PM This carrier sped to the position of the capsule now estimated to have splashed at 244 PM Marine helicopters were also enroute to the position 258 PM The Navy reported that the destroyer Noa was alongside the Glenn space capsule at 257 PM EST The Randolph is speeding to the same area 3 08 PM The Destroyer Noa reported shortly after 3 PM to this ship that the astronaut had reported by radio that his condition was good 312 PM Officers of the Randolph said that the space capsule with Glenn in it had been taken aboard the destroyer The Noa reported that Glenn s condition was excellent Doctors from the Randolph took off by helicopter to loin a medical team aboard the Noa which was conducting the initial stages of a , xref Q 2 f' , Jive? The road to the launching pad is long . . . John Glenn s trip was longer. debriefing session ln another helicopter from the Randolph a team of space agency officials and pho- tographers flew to the Noa to inspect the capsule. Officers aboard the carrier said they expected that Glenn would be brought aboard the Randolph either by helicopter or by highline stretched between the ships but most likely by helicopter 4 26 PM CDR James M O Brien Executive Officer naut will be ready for a helo transfer from the Noa upon completion of his debriefing The debriefing session aboard the Noa was being conducted by a two man medical team especially assigned to the Noa for the Glenn shot 4 30 PM The Noa is not equipped to take a chest X ray and an electrocardiagram two of the aspects of the physical examination of the astronaut - so these two tests will be made aboard the Randolph. 454 PM Astronaut Glenns first words upon emerging from his space capsule were 'it was hot in there' The Astronaut also skinned his knuckles slightly when he blew the side hatch of his capsule, officials of the space agency reported by radio from the Noa EST.approx.imately 55 miles northwest of the Randolph. Of the Randaph declared at 4:20 PM EST: 'The astro- 24