Ticonderoga (CVA 14) - Naval Cruise Book

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l I ' - I A Q'-1.2 ' 1 Pilots, man your planes! Dressed in khaki flight suits with their helmets under their arms the pilots move out to the waiting aircraft. They climb into the cockpits, make their checks, then wait. Start engines H W The great ship turns into the wind. A plane director steps forward to the first plane to be launched. To the movements of his hand arms the plane moves forward. He turns the plane over to a spotter whose arms direct it into position on the catapult. Men scurry beneath the plane's belly, attack the bridle, and scurry back away. Flight Quarters! Flight Quarters! Scores of men, dressed in blue, red, yellow and brown jerseys and caps, scurry out of the ship's hiding places, up to the catwalks and on the flight deck. Down on the hangar deck more jerseyed men push planes to the ele- vators which are raised to the flight deck to be readied for the days operations. W3 i When all is clear the engines begin to roar louder and steadier. The plane backs, seems to hesitate moment- arily, lurckes forward, and springs into the air. It leaves behind only a cloud of steam. Photos by LTJG Lawder

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On September 11, 1954, the T ICONDEROGA was recom- missioned. Captain William A. Schoech, assumed command during recommissioning. On January 6, the TICONDEROGA steamed into Hampton Roads to pay her first visit to her home port of Norfolk since 1949. In February, the ship sailed for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba on a two-month shakedown cruise. In April the ship went into the Norfolk Naval Shipyard at Portsmouth, Va. for six weeks of post-shakedown availability. During the period August 18-22, the TICONDEROGA visited New York, to take part in the city's Summer Festival. Over 18,000 visitors toured the ship during the T ICONDEROGA's three day openhouse period. In September, the TICONDEROGA participated in the National Aircraft Show in Philadelphia. With crew members lined up on the carrier's flight deck spelling out the ships name, she entered the Delaware River and moored to a pier near the International Airport. The voyage marked the first time a carrier had navigated the Delaware since World War II. Although visiting hours at Philadelphia were shorter than those in New York, 24,315 visitors fiocked aboard to see the TICON DE- ROGA's aircraft display. Some 289,000 visitors massed at the city's International Airport as the TICONDEROGA launched her jets. It was the first time a U. S. carrier catapulted jets from dockside for the American public. Captain Andrew Jackson, relieved Captain Schoech as com- manding ofiicer in brief ceremonies held aboard the ship Sept. 9, I955. When the ship sailed out of Norfolk later in September, she carried with her observers from the Bureau of Aeronautics, engineers from the Douglas Aircraft Corporation and three surprise packages-A4D-1 Skyhawk the F4D-1 Skyray and the F3He2N Demon The new Skyhawk and the first produc- tion models of the Skyray and the Demon were initiated into the fleet aboard the TICONDEROGA. The TICONDEROGA arrived at Gibraltar, B. C. C., 14 November 1955, relieved the carrier USS INTREPID, and officially began its tour of duty with the U. S. SIXTH Fleet. On June 8, 1956, Rear Admiral Harris, Commander, Carrier Division FOUR, hauled down his fiag on the TICONDEROGA. Being relieved by the USS RANDOLPH, the BIG T headed for her home port, Norfolk, Va., arriving August 2. The nine month cruise for the TICONDEROGA was the longest training deployment recorded for an Atlantic Fleet carrier operating with the U.S. SIXTH Fleet. The TICONDEROGA entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Port- smouth, Va. late August to start construction of a 3510 million angled-deck and enclosed hurricane bow. CAPT W. A, Stuart became Commanding Officer in October 1956, upon relieving Commander Harold Miller, Executive Ofiicer, who was acting as Commanding Officer. The six month moderniza- tion ended with a two day post-repair trial run off the Virginia Capes, March 5-6. Some 75-tons were added to the original ship's weight. The newest feature added to the carrier was a landing mirror system Cfixed and portableh on the flight deck. The 40,000-ton warship departed the Norfolk area and the Atlantic Fleet April 15 for her new home port Alameda, Calif., arriving there May 30. . After underway training and fiight operations off the California Coast, the TICONDEROGA deployed on September 16 to West Pac. for seven months. While in Hawaii, Captain Irwin Chase, Jr., relieved Captain Stuart as Commanding Officer. The ship returned to Alameda April 1958. After a yard availability, she operated off the California coast. In August she again entered the shipyard where she remained until October. On September 20, Captain W. M. Coleman relieved Captain Chase as Commanding Officer. On October 4, the TICONDEROGA again deployed to West Pac. ' 'i' ' -' - . ' ..-Q,-3 I

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N ,,4W,,,.,, Photo by LTJG Lawder Photo by LTJG Astrich