Valley Forge (CV 45) - Naval Cruise Book

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an lego This is the story of a United States naval ship and her cruise. She is by no means an ordinary vessel, nor is it an ordinary cruise. The USS VALLEY FORGE is the newest ESSEX Class carrier in the fleet. According to those in the know she is, to quote, the hottest thing in carriers today. ln her short eighteen months since commission- ing, she has established an enviable reputation in both the Atlantic and the Pacific Fleets and has distinguished her- self with the British Navy as well. The cruise distinguishes her, too. She is the first United States aircraft carrier to circumnavigate the globe. She, with her two escorting destroyers, USS LAWE and USS THOMAS, made up the first force of American Naval vessels to cruise around the world since i907 when the Great White Fleet under Admiral Dewey made its tour of the world. The events portrayed here are the living expe- rience of the ship's crew on the good-will cruise. lt all started at pier Mike Nan at Naval Air Station, San Diego, California. The day was 9 October l947 and the hour was 0830. lt was a delightful Southern California day. The formal farewell to San Diego had been held at the Pacific Square Ballroom 3 October l947, on which night Miss Valley Forge of I947 was honored. Goodbyes had been said and the day of departure was a reality! For the majority of the crew it was a matter of anticipation of new adventures, but for the minority whose families and friends stood on the dock, it was a solemn affair. However, everyone was quite content in knowing that he would have a chance to visit Honolulu, Hong Kong, Tsingtao, Yoko- suka, and Guam and return to California in the Spring. Mooring lines were cast off. The Navy tugs chugged rhythmically until the carrier was in the stream and headed toward the sea, then the ship's own engines churned the harbor water to its very bottom and the ship got underway. Slowly the old familiar landmarks drifted by . . . Solar, consolidated, the Marine Base, the Naval Training Center, the Amphibious Base, Fort Rosecrans, and Point Loma. Then as she gained speed she passed Los Coronados and finally was surrounded by the sea alone. Thus our story begins.

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- V4 m f, L ..4. .,..L.....e.,...L,...-.....a1f1--.-fs-r:-.-.e-ra,-.-f'w:fv-.-,........,mw----.- J -Q-N,,,,...,.,..,.-.,.s..,L.LQ.. M .. ,...,.... J. 1 H A K . ..,. . 0l'l'lI'l'l6ll'L6!el WC1g:54l'00L COMMANDER FRANK GEORG E RAYSBROOK, U. S. NAVY, reported to the pre- commissioning detail of the USS VALLEY FORGE as r ' 1946 Foll ' p ospective Executive Officer in January . owing graduation from the Naval Academy in 1931, he went to NAS Norfolk for elimination flight training. After a two-year tour of sea duty aboard USS SALT LAKE CITY, he completed his flight training at Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida in 1934. COMMANDER R AYSBROOK's service record includes: aviator in USS CHESTER Div B ing Squadrons ONE and FORTY ONE ' , e omb- - in USS RANGER, Patrol Squadron ONE operating PK flying boats, Patrol Squadrons THIRTEEN, EIGHTEEN, and TWENTY-TWO operating PBY planes, flight instructor at Pensacola, flight instructor and Squadron Commander, NAS Corpus Christi, Commander of Patrol Squadron TWO HUNDRED-SEVEN, flying PBM patrol planes, Commander of Naval Air Facilities at San Julian, Cuba, Officer-in-Charge of lnspectio Facilities on 'the Staff of Commander A' F ' USS ns and ir orce, Atlantic Fleet, and Executive Officer VALLEY FORGE. as sw 1 ' 5 3 1 x i- Y v 5 y . fi .1 . .413 wtf 0' ' I f S Q .f Xt, .cc syrcc ' ,X v vdix 1 N M Xx 3 kg: ANN: . j 'fs 55512 'N . X s X :SN xi- T ,R Sffc YQ, . ,. X 31 A ' Qs5:gcyQc. f v .N is - Fixx I . U X, XA Y as Q M9 N Srssk A ' X .G X T' 1 .1 ii -i on

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L- .,A,,,, . ' rv ks 1.: , V -i-'Q WJ X t g 1, Y, ' -.Xi A I f , . V Q7 9. 0 9 I' . . h ,,.....,,,.,.,,,,.,..,, A,. .. all . ..:V.-A , I A is . ,,1: 1 V fzi ,,...', , '- . , :,.:2a::::g:.1.i:.1 ,,,.,i::.:1:,'.:::-vi.:1.1:,,.gzziwzzgzi::wr.,-1el:ga-:,:1er1::11,:,:::,.:f:,1:,::1-::-11+:1:1:.::1-.-.,:-:----M--- ,A.QEE:1SE':112?E11f:25'E1E2:1:Q-j:::5.i21':IE5l5E1Ef12Ef1Ei5?E1f-:IE'5f:1EiE1I5:2?i2E':52f1Ef1:IE'fl-Fir.,i1 ::: I ' ,-i.-,1-:,:::::1::-1r1::-gm2:,1,.v:p:,1:,5g-gl1:5-.:51gf5,,:gg:t:,,5-g13:55s-,15:j:gg,1:,-gi.I:4,1i.,q,11g,.w.-... VALLEYVFORGE became the Flagship of Task Force 38 and Carrier Division EIVE just prior to sailing from San Diego. REAR ADMIRAL HAROLD M. MARTIN, U. S. NAVY, was Commander of the Mobile Striking Force which made the historic ' cruise. , .,. . f V f s . ,L EFF ' 1 ' . 1. .. e ww: 1 The Chief-of-Staff for the Task Force Commander was CAPTAIN BENNETT W. WRIGHT, U. S. NAVY.