Shangri La (CVA 38) - Naval Cruise Book

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against Tokyo - just as Jimmy Doolittle's band of B-25s had done in 1942. As the Third Fleet closed in to destroy the remnants of Japan's Imperial Navy, Shangri-La pilots struck hard. When the Shangri-La marked her first anniversary, with war at an end, her record with CAG-85 read: 50 planes destroyed in air, 134 planes destroyed on ground, 22 ships sunk, 65 ships damaged, 32 personnel lost, total landings 14,247. Famous even before she entered combat, the Shangri-La was greeted by 37,192 vis- itors at an open house upon her return to the United States. Then came drydock and a rest. Now came a succession of missions that continues today. February 1946, Shangri-La was designated to operate drones for Operation Crossroads, the historical atom bomb tests at Bikini. This was a milestone in unmanned aircraft, the drones flying into the explosion area to record scientific data. An entry in the log on July 3, 1947, must have brought a lump to the throats of men who once served on the Shangri-La. It read, Reported San Francisco Group, Pacific Reserve Fleet, for inactivation . . 3' Inactive status lasted until May 10, 1951, when the Shcmgri-La was commissioned once again. But, her new life was short. When the Korean War subsided and bogged down into truce talks, the Shang was decommissioned once more. Recommissioned again in 1955, the Shcmgri-La now engaged intensive training and mod- ernization. New fleet records for performance were established. There was Operation Hand- clasp, when more than seven tons of food, clothing, and toys were distributed in the Orient. The Far East, Cuba, the Mediterranean, missions to ports in almost every ocean - the Shangri-La saw them all. In 1961 Shang helicopters assisted in rescue operations in the wake of Hurricane Carla at Galveston, Tex. The following year brought NATO training ex- ercises - the ports of Istanbul, Athens, and the Riviera. Trouble between Haiti and the Dominican Republic brought the ship to this crisis spot on the globe in 1963. However, Americans were not avacuated from the island and the flare- up subsided. Though civilian populations often regard naval missions as purely military, there is much more to be told. Cruising the world in a continual state of readiness, ships such as the USS Shangri-La have another important role. The 'tpersonal diplomacyn exercised by Navy men also instills confidence in America's mission as the champion of freedom everywhere.

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t li ,A ' f v i 4 . tau 'i .1 L 541 1 5- ' 2 .i-t 4 i Jn HQ n' 'X N A 'x QS. it 'KG X !Ck .. 4, i 045, A-4-, Ns USS Hornet and struck Tokyo - a dll-'lit iitiiitlitvits tliuittlt-rt-ti off the deck Of the d t l n er runways on land bases This was in iw-iiigii'l-ttililv i'--.it lij. .itzipjv plaiics. accusloiiie 0 O g - th.. Q'JI'll,' .tit t of l.'.'-.itil Vtlir ll, on April 18, 1942, when Japan was thought to be out of range froiii .iXiiivi'ii'.iti .ltr .tttnig .lqipaii was stunned, the world was cheered, and the spirit of a ship was burn l'ni tr lt l ti- 'wvvii-vii 'who wanted to know from what base such heavy bombers were I uessl' - tltiwit, l'rt'.sitli-nt tmnkliii ltnoscvelt laughed and quipped, f'From Shangri-La, g the tiiystttxil iitiipiqi iii .lzititcs llilton in his book, Lost Horizon. lt-tl by mint-r.ii .izmiiiv Doolittle, the daring raid created a spark which was to forge thc grt-.it ttrrratt t-.- i mor. the VSS Sltmigri-La. In the ensuing six months, there began a uitissivv t'.tmp.itQn to raise money by public Subscription for a new Carrier. This was to be called thc Sf:-:'1g':-in Fund Drive for 53130 million. it liccamc every' .-1merican's dream ship. Women, children, and men gave dimes and dollars More than 5 miihmi sales people sold government savings bonds and stamps across retail counters. Here was a chance to be a part of something, to be proud . . . Vliristetiing ot the Shoitgri-Lo was to come February 24, 1944. At Norfolk Navy Yard, the l-fsscx-class carrier took shape as men swarmed over her structure with eager hands. She was going to be the iongest ship ever built in the United States. When the time for launching arrived. the wife ot Gen. James Doolittle performed the traditional honors. Also present were .-Xuthor James Hiiton and 100.000 other Americans whose hearts and lips roared bless- inns .ts their ship went down the ways into the Elizabeth River. The dream ship that em- bodied the spirit ot Americans everywhere had come true. Evetrtodav there is an air of pride and mystery wherever the Shcmgfri-La appears. But. it she was born of a myth, there is nothing mythical about the Shqmgri-La'S prowess. Her-tirst action against the enemy came seven months after commissioning. OI1 April 20. 1943. Air Group 85 lifted from the decks of Shangri-La and assumed air patrols overffask Force a8. On April 29 one of her pilots Hsplashedt' the first Jap encountered by the air group. A month later. after flying anti-submarine warfare and air combat patrol Shcmgfi- Lt: pilots downed ten Japanese planes over Okinawa. i A5 the battle Sitept tOv-'ard Japan, the words spoken in jest by President Roosevelt were fuhilled. On July 10. planes did take off from Shcmgri-La to make their first strike

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hw T Robert I.ee 'Ihtsnseml nas horn tn f'E.er'lzr-srillr-. Ark.. on .-Xngnst 2. 1911 Ile t'Illi'i't -Il the 1'S Naval .-Xctnleiny at .-Xnnapolis in 1930 and was connnissioneil Ensign in 1934 After two years as ,innior offifer on the ISS 'l'RI'IN'l'ON. he went to Pensacola. Fla. for flight training. Ile was designated Naval .-Xviator in 1937 and joined Itonihing Squadron 2 on the ISS LEX- INGTON for three years. Returning to .-Xnnapolis. he studied aeronaut- ical engineering. In .Tune 1943 he received a Master of Science front the T-Iasachusetts Insti- tute of Technology. During World War II, he exerutsve officer of the newly coininisioned ISS TRIPOLI until 1946. in hunter-killer submarine warfare. De- tached. he served in the Plans Coordination Di- vision of the Bureau of Aeronautics until April 19-18. Ile then served three years with air station squadrons at Moffett Field. California. and Patux- ent River. Maryland. In September 1951. he became Head. Weap- ons Branch. in the Atoznic Energy Division in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. He was Special Weapons and Plans Officer on the staff of the Coniniander-in-Chief. US. Atlantic Fleet with headquarters at Norfolk until July 1955. He REAR ADMIRAL ROBERT L. TOWNSEND, U. S. NAVY attended National War College in Washington, DC. After completion, he was Assistant Head of Research and Development Division, Bureau of Ordnance, in June 1956. June 1959 he assumed command of the USS KEARSARGE ICVS-333 which participated in rescue operations at Nagoya, Japan, after Ty- phoon Vera. A year later, he became Chief of Staff and Aide to Commander, Carrier Division THREE. His selection for the rank of Rear Ad- miral was approved by the President in July 1960, after which he became Commander Carrier Di- vision SEVENTEEN. ln December 1961, he became Assistant Chief of the Bureau of Naval Weapons for Financial Management 1 Comptrollerj, Navy Department. Q Rear Admiral Townsend became Commander Carrier Division SIX in March 1964, and has par- ticipated as -Officer in Tactical Command of the Carrier Striking Force in large-scale NATO operation. Rear Admiral Townsend has the American Defense Service Medal, the American Campaign MQC12113 European-African-Middle Eastern Cam- Pfillgfl Medalg Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, Xl orld War Il Victory Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal.