USS Enterprise (CVN 65) - Naval Cruise Book

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1 1 1 1 v I Y S i A B . F v,' 4 L ,Q 3,5 , I Q r J 1 4 on its I com- I masi-war i :hant- E editer- It ' rding ? vli ' vra 1 I S Q 1' the Gulf I es. 9 nmis- 23 foot Q ne I an made nth 4 ri 1, 1877. sphct' v ....--..-.1 ,,?E I '. QQ y t7t..5f::.f:eL- 1 ' Q-8 J-4 Q - E D 351 A? ,fa 7? - The next year, ENTERPRISE was sent to South America to survey the Amazon and the Madeira rivers. The survey took the ship 1300 miles inland from the rivers' mouth. On January 2, 1883 ENTERPRISE sailed from Norfolk to join the Asiatic squadron. The route selected by the Navy Department was via the Cape de Verde Islands and the Cape of Good Hope. From the Cape, it was to cruise along the coast of South Africa, then to Madagascar, the Comoro Islands and Zanzibar. From Zanzibar, ENTERPRISE was directed to cross the Indian Ocean by way of the straits of Sunda and proceed to China, touching Bomeo en route. During this 38-month cruise, ENTERPRISE also visited all the Chinese treaty-ports, and was present during the French bombardment of Foochoo Arsenal, Pagoda Anchorage, witness-. ing the destruction of the Chinese fleet. Upon its return in 1886, ENTERPRISE was refitted and sent to the European squadron, 1887-90. In 1891 it was sent to the U.S. Naval Academy for midshipmen training. The following year it was assigned to the Massachusetts Nautical Training School where, for many years, it helped teach seamanship to Massachusetts youths. ' The ship finished its service in 1909, when it was sold out of the Navy. - The sixth ENTERPRISE was a 660 foot motor patrol craft purchased by the Navy on December 6, 1916. It was placed in service at the Second Naval District and performed harbor tug duties at Newport, Rhode Island. On December ll, 1917 the patrol craft was shifted to New Bedford, Massachusetts for operations inside the breakwai Bureau of'Fis11ef15 1. Its overall length was 827 feet and had a maximum breadth at the flight deck of 114 feet. Its full-load displacement was 25,000 tons and had a trial speed of 33.6 knots. When ENTERPRISE was first commissioned, it was manned by 82 officers and 1447 men, exclusive of its four-squadron air group. At the outbreak of the World War II. ENTERPRISE was retuming to Pearl Harbor from delivering Marine Corps fighters to Wake Island. It launched aircraft in an unsuccessful attempt to locate the Japanese carrier force. 1 ENTERPRISE was flagship for Vice Admiral Halsey and later for Vice Admiral Spruance. It accompanied USS HORNET and the Doolittle raid against Tokyo and canied Admiral Spruance into the Battle of Midway. With Rear Admiral T.C. Kinkaid aboard, it supported landings at Guadalcanal and Tulagi and took part in the battle of Santa-Cruz. In both actions it received considerable battle damage, but kept operating. ENTERPRISE was the first carrier to receive the Presi- dential Unit Citation. The ship pioneered night air operations and its torpedo bombers made the first night radar bombing strike by U.SL9arrier planes when they attacked Truk on February 17. 1944. , . ENTERPRISE planes were in on the Marianas Turkey Shoot, the Battle for the Philippine Sea and was in action against Japanese forces in the'Battle for Leyte Gulf. It was decommissioned on Februzuy 17. 1947. 9 ters and was subsequently on August 2 I is R

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1 4' Hrstory of Xsitik On January 20, l96l, John E Kennedy was swom in as the 35th President ofthe United States. One of his first initiatives was the establishment ofa bold and imaginative program to help disadvantaged, poverty-stricken countries around the world. On March l , President Kennedy signed an executive orderestablidr- ing the Peace Corps. The altruism of office soon was overshadowed by crisis. The year before, President Eisenhower approved a CIA plan to train and supply anti-Castro Cuban refugees for the purpose of invading the Latin island andoverthrowing theoommunistregime. Kennedy was reluctant to go ahead with the plan. brrt finally yielded to combined advance and urging ofthe CIA. Secretary of Defense and Joint Chiefs of Staff. On April I7. a force of I.5m Cuban refugees landed at Bahia de Cocinos tBay of Pigsl. 'I'he invasion was crushed within three days. The embarrassment over the 'Bay of Pigs' soon changed to pride when Commander Alan B. Shepard. Jr., became the lirst American to break the barrier of Earth. On May 5. Shepard ascended l I 6.5 miles above the earth in a Mercury capsule. Another highlight ofthe yearcame in Novernberwhenthe eighth U.S. ship was commissioned bearing the name ENTER- PRISE. During the commissioningceremonies held in Norfolkon November 25. Secretary of the Navy John B. Connally. Jn. called the ship a worthy successor to the highly decorated seventh ENTERPRISE of World War II fame. In his remarks, Connally said ENTERPRISE will reign a long. long time as 'qtreenof the seas. Xia'-' 'i On January l2. l962. ENTERPRISE left Norfolk fora tour-month shakedown cruise. When the Big 'E' linislred in April, it retumed to Norfolk with the highest score everattained by a new aircraft carrier. Air Wing Six came aboard June 22. The ship was now the most powerful seaborne unit in existence and in August. ENTERPRISEjoined the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean. Soon after its retum in October. ENTERPRISE would be called upon to respond to its lirst international crisis. e , During the summer, the U.S. noticed a significant How of economic and military aid to Cuba hom the Soviet Union. In September. President Kennedy wamedthe Soviets that if Cuba became a military base ofsignilicant capacity forthe Soviet Union the U.S. would do whatever must be done' to protect its security. On October I6. President Kennedy was shown hard evidence the Soviet Union was building missile bases in Grba to house missiles that could reach into the U.S. Six days later the President announced his decision. ENTERPRISE with other ships in Second Fleet would set up ar strict quauantine of all oflensive military equipment under shipment to Cuba. and told the military to be ready for any E-9.4 ' -5 .-. -- -an-we-cream 1961-1996 eventnality. The blockade was put in place on October 24, and the first Soviet ship was stopped the next day. On October 28, Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles and dismantle the missilebasesinCuba. , X955 As a result ofthe Cuban Missile Crisis, the need for rapid communications between the White House and the Kremlin became evident. On August 30, l963, a hot line between the ' two super powers became operational. Also during the year, other events took place that would change the eoruse of American History. Among these were a limited test-ban treaty: a build-up of American troops in South Vietnam increased to over l6,000: a freedom march from Montgomery, Alabama to Washington, D.C. took place and Dr. Martin lutlrer' King told of his dream fiom the nation's capitol: and on November 22, the Camelot years ended in Dallas with an assassin's bullet. During much of this time, ENTERPRISE was with the Sixth Fleet on its second Mediterranean deployment. V36-N On February 8, I964, ENTERPRISE retumed to the Mediterranean for a third time, but for a shorter period. On May I3, the world's first nuclear-powered task force as fonned with USS LONG BEACH and USS BAINBRIDGE joined ENTER- PRISE. On July 3 l, the three ships were designated Task Force One and sent on 'Operation Sea Orbit, a 30,565 mile voyage around the world. While ENTERPRISE and Task Force One were begin- ning tlreiraround the world cruise, our nation's leadership fo- cused atother naval events. On August 2, the U.S. destroyers MADDOX and TURNER JOY were attacked by three North Vieurarnese patrol boats in the Tonkin Gulf. When Mrs. William B. Fanlce. wife of llre fnrrncr S!.'l'l'l.'llIl:I' of llrr' Nurjrz r'lrri.vlr'm'rl Ihr ENT ERPRISE on September 24. I 96l. slre brought in a mm' cm QI' .rm pmrcr: :lx H f '-V fin' 'U'd'-'l'f'l'0We fll Super carrier: ENTERPRISE has ser uml Crllllillllfl ro sci llrc .rmrulard nf power in motion. . I' I, U- v W hw --Y iki Y-V glib! Y IT-.-

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Japan, the USS PUEBLO was seized by North Korea. ENTIR- PRISE was immediately ordered to the Seaof Japan andon January 25. President Johnson ordered thecall-upof Mill? Navy and Air Force Reservesas well as AirNatioml Guard. ENTERPRlSEremained intheSmofJapanforamomh as the flagship for the specially-created Task Force 7l. Man- while. on January 30, the North Vietnamese initiiedthe l'et Offensive. attacking Saigon atrdall towns in South Vietnatn. , On February I6. EN'l'ERPRlSEIefttheSaofJq:anand proceeded to Yankee Station. commencing combs operiionson February 22. But on March 3l. Presidentlohtrsonamounceda halt of all airand naval bombatdmentof North VUUHBISI precondition for initiating peace negotiations Although theTet Olfetrsive wasa rrrilitzydisstsfor Nonh Vietnam. it did succeed in strengthutingthelli-wl movement in the United States. Anti-warprotests incrusedand became much more visible and debate over the wlbeclne a - major issue in the Democratic primaries. Other tragedies ofthe year included theassassitmionsof two important leaders. On April 4. DL Mmin Ltlher King.Jl'.. was shot in Memphis. Tennessee. An escaped convict. .lanes Earl Ray. pleaded guilty to the killing and wassenl:noedb99 years. The shooting. however. set offa wave of riots in l25 cities in 29statesfrom April4-I l.TlICSCCIlKiWlSS8lll'RdE1E Kennedy. while campaigning forthe Democriic nonilion it Califomia. He was shot in the Hotel Atnbassadrr, Los AIQKJII Junehnddiedthenextdayfromagtmslrotwotlrdinllicedbya Jordanian. Sirhan Bishara Sirhan. EN FERPRISE retumed to hotneport July I8 mdtb- paned nine days later for a minor overhaul tu the Puget sllld Naval Shipyard in Washington. The shipdepmed Bremerton on September 20. X969 On January 6. I969. ENTERPRISE leli Alarnedaetr route to Hawaii. The Big E arrived in Pearl Htlborottllaray I I and started preparations foran Operational Readiness Inspec- tion. Three days later tragedy struck when a Zrmi rocket acciden- tally exploded on the flight deck. 'lheensuirtg liremrlexplosiorrs killed 28 men. destroyed I5 aircralland lelt horrendousholes in the flight deck. ENTERPRISE retumedtoPearI Harbortobeginexten- sive repairs. It was ready for sea again in less thrm two months andon March l l.lIdEPiII1Bdf0l'ilSf0lll'li'lv'I8UHllllllll'3Y3IlkG Station in the Gulf of Tonkin. Richard Nixon was now the 37th Ptesidentof the United States. ln March, he authorized intensive bombing raids over Cambodia. That same month, U.S. troop strength in South Vietnam reached a peak at S4I .500. ln June, however. the President announced the lirst U.S. troop withdrawal tobegin in , Augtuzt. I rs , V , 951 1'r 7 xt On April I6. Nortlt Korea shot down a Navy EC- I 2l recorluissanee aircraft and ENTERPRISE was once again ordered tothe Seaof Japan. The Big E became the flagship of the recreated Task Force 7l and was joined by three other cariers, becoming the largest task force assembled in 25 years. On July 20. Neil Amrstrong became the first man to walk on the nroon. Annstrong was commander ofthe 'Apollo l l tnission. E retumed to Alameda in July and depart- tnetl soon agin for its birthplace. Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company. xQ70 In l970, ENTERPRISE remained at the shipyard for overlnrl atrd refueling the entire year: While in the yards, a federal july found the 'Chicago Seven innocent of conspiracy to incite riotsduring the I968 Democratic Convention lFeb. I Slg U.S. and South Vietnamese forces crossed the Cambodian border to strike enemy Strongholds lApr. 301: and four students were killed by National Gttardsmen at Kent State University lMay 41. x9 ' ln I97 I . ENTERPRISE completed its sea trials in January and departed the Norfolk area enroute to its homepott, Alameda. The same month, Charles Manson and three of his followers were convicted of first-degree murder in the l 969 slaying of Sharon Tate and six others. ......-'f'f . - ' 5 5 V ' ' .L . -,4 U N A I ' tg Q h Q, ,-,,..,,T-.' h ,-'ij 1 -. . L' . V' f., 5' . . ---- W .e ,., C..- S ., M I I i I r l lnllarch. lhcHousea1rdSe llilliunrlfalley lata! murderof IQ March I6. 1968. lnlunel WESMQ Ltr. Tonkinkleruri ' ENTERPRISM 059311 and cundu lllllcrtrlt llkGulftrt'T0nkil E on Une fwtl lo Ihc Mlm jlllllftl wclul force. Set ruth 5 llltlirnu :dll .l lm dh Ollmtn Alum-1, . . PV. A ttrlcntxi i .ju I ewlttn , - A ltll MQWW. I 'N