HAVE YOU CHECKED THE HOME PAGE FOR THE LATEST INFO?
I have managed to resurrect some of the Guest Books from the previous FDR Websites. There are some that are lost forever but this is the best there is at the moment. There is a lot of good stuff there.
Click on the year you want to view. Click on the left arrow at the top of your browser to return to this page.
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006-09
MISUSE OF INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN COULD BE AN INVASION OF PRIVACY!
Sign in using the comment form at the bottom of the page and please leave a valid email address. It will NOT be viewable to visitors! If you want to hear from your shipmates leave your email address IN THE MESSAGE ALSO.
SO
Please put your email address in your message so your shipmates can get back to you (if they can remember you).
There is software on board that makes it unreadable to the “bots” who collect that sort of stuff.
All entries must be approved before they will appear in the book. Any inappropriate entries, as well as those with invalid email addresses, will be deleted and will not appear. I check daily so don’t despair if your entry doesn’t appear immediately.
Due to a rash of automated spam messages we now use “captcha” authentication. Just enter the “captcha” code and then SUBMIT. Don’t worry about upper or lower case….either will work. If you have trouble reading it just click the little button to the right and it will “refresh”. Thanks!
Many shipmates have told me, via email, about having visited this site. Oddly many have not left entries here for their shipmates to see. THEY do wonder how you are and probably would love to hear from you. This is a great way get back in contact.
REMEMBER….THE ONLY WAY FOR YOUR SHIPMATES TO GET IN CONTACT WITH YOU IS HAVING YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN YOUR MESSAGE
For YOUR protection – No home phone numbers or addresses please. Please save that for when you make email contact.
REMEMBER….IF YOU WANT TO BE CONTACTED MAKE SURE YOU PUT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THE BODY OF YOUR MESSAGE
I was onboard from ’68 to ’70 in CR Div. Saw an earlier post from Fred Bretz, I remember you well. Norfolk yards to 1970 Med cruise. I had a lot of great experiences and met a lot of memorable people. I would love to hear from Fred and anyone else who was around at that time. email: tomglennon@mindspring.com
Hey Shipmates
I was on board the Rosie from Dec 69 to April 1971. Stationed B Division 4 Alpha Boiler Room
I haven’t heard from anyone since. Hope all is well. Also have great memories of the 1970 Med cruise.
Have a great holiday to all members of USS FDR 1945-1977 crews
I served with VA72 @ the begining of the westpac. On the shake down cruise I was hurt when a bomb fell from the “merr” and stuck me in the side of the head. I was then wrapped in a turban.
I hope every one has a very nice holiday.
Would love to get in contact with anyone who knew my father – esp his co-pilot Bill Hickok.
I was an Aviation Ordanceman with VA-176 on board during the 1972 Med Cruise. Many fond and wonderful memories. I completely enjoyed the experience.
Part of VF 84 engine shop aboard Roosevelt Med cruise 70-71 time frame. Would like to hear from anyone from then.
WANTED TO UP DATE E MAIL ADDRESS .WAS IN V1 DIV CAT SPOTTER ON FDR FROM 62-65 WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM ANYONE FROM THIS TIME .TOM EMAIL ME AT JUSMEPAT@YAHOO.COM
Joined june 1955, boot camp, Baltimore,Md. MM School Walkeagon (The Naval Station]
Assigned by drawing names to Fdr. Went on board in San Diego. Went on board the troopship General Anderson to Bremerton,Wash. FDR recommissioned 4/56. Went over the Equator, survived the crossing, kissed the belly of King Neptune, I think lol. Around the Horn, Rio Janerio and docked at Mayport. Tour the Med 6 months Suez crisis.. A lot of memories.
good to see the Rosie wasn’t forgoten
Served between 1976-77, boatswains mate.
Looking for anyone that might have been on ship with My Dad He was a Marine assigned to FDR during Korea. I am looking for information and or photo’s you may have of his time on the ship
I was in VA- 176 and made 3 cruises on the FDR. I was on the 1970, 1971, and 1972. dond3064@yahoo.com
Any Rosie Radiomen alum that went from dry dock in 1968 to the med cruises of 70 and 71? I’d like to hear from you.
I was aboard 60-62 when sent down to montor the Cuban Missle Crisis. (Any Comments)
Aboard Rosie from 74 to 77, M division, #2 engineroom
E-Div Aboard 66-68. Made WestPac cruise and the following Med cruise. Worked in the Lighting Shop. email: mike.callahan1@comcast.net
I was a photographer’s mate aboard the USS FDR, (CVB-42) boarding
in about Feb 1946 after her Shake Down cruise to South America. I was
17! Used to sit in wire net off side of bow to shoot air operations or
atop conning tower.We went to the Mediterranian stopping at
Portugal,Algiers, Malta, Naples and Piraeus, Greece. Returning to
Norfolk, VA for repairs and unknown stay so boarded USS New Jersey as
the only photographer’s mate.Talk about “cool” duty! Then to England,
Scotland and Norway.
FDR was first carrier to have a jet take off from it’s deck. F-80 I believe. Also an attempt to land two engine planes. Broke an arresting cable with sad result for onlooker.
about 30 planes in the drink during 3 month training cruise. In those days a pilot had to rely on a destroyer coming to rescue him as no Helicopters on board.
CVB indicated “Battle” and sister ships were Coral Sea and Midway.
Obviously, I’m along in years. 82 to be exact.
Anybody still out there that was in the photo lab at that time?
WAS ABOARD ROSE FROM 61-65 WAS A CAT SPOTTER ON FLIGHT DECK IN V1 DIV , HAVE LOCATED A FEW GUYS WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU..TOM
Hello. I’m looking for info re. The Roosevelt’s original configuation. I read somewhere that the ship was originally built for the Soviet Navy to be used as a combination aircraft carrier/ battle cruiser and had a 16″ 50 cal. triple turret (no. 1 turret) and a shorter flight deck. Due to political considerations (from Churchill and Truman) the ship was retained by the US Navy, renamed The Coral Sea, then renamed The FDR after Roosevely died. Any info anyone has would be greatly appriciated. Thanks.
And a sincere thank you to all who served aboard her and all other US Naval vessels. You all served with great honor and distinction!
Jan. 65- to- dec. 66 SFM3rd MED Cruise and west pac Viet Nam. best bunch of guys to serve
with and if anyone knows SFM1 Robt. Bruce Archibald, I have a debt. to pay put us in touch
he helped me when I needed help I don’t forget and I want to repay him, He is a great man
looking for any one from v1 on board aug. 1960 aug 1963
I was a aboard Rosie for the 70 & 71 med cruises with VA-176. Had some good friends on that ship and in that squadron! Hi to all of you!
KEN McMURRIAN
Re your post August 4, 2010 at 11:48 am
I knew a Bill McMurrian in OE Div in that time frame.
I think he was an ET2
email me at rsiefker@indyblue.com
ET’s (OE Division) 1962-1964.
Any ET’s from that era, I’d love to hear from you.
I can aboard April 1962 a Seaman striker from ET”A” School Great Lakes.
(The Radar Division coordinator, Chief King had come from the FDR and many of my shipmates remembered him.)
Within a week after I came aboard, Lt(jg) Roy Howard asked if I wanted to take the ETR3 test in August, which I did. Shortly after that, they closed the books on that. Then, we got 20+ school grads to replenish the ranks. I made third that fall and “the hoard” made third in the spring (that was back when everyone put on their crows Nov 16 & May 16). We had a couple of guys who’d been third class for a while and they couldn’t send them on lower decks security patrols, so they created “senior thirds” i.e. those who’d been rated for at least six months! WooHoo! I was a senior third by the skin of my teeth! The next year, I made Second Class, again, staying ahead of the hoard! (Again, back then you could be advanced without having to ship over). I left the ship in April 1964 and headed for Purdue that fall to study engineering.
I stayed in the Navy Reserve and eventually made Chief before BUPERS slipped up and commissioned me “an officer and gentleman by act of congress!”
I retired from the Reserve a couple of decades ago as a CDR (not quite the complete Seaman to Admiral program – but close enough!)
I’d love to hear from any shipmates, especially from anyone who was in OE, or anywhere in the Ops Dept.
Bob Siefker email me at rsiefker@indyblue.com
I was in the power shop from 1959 to 1962 EM2. I still talk to R.(Mo) Rodgers EM2 from Alaska And Henry V. from Texas. Anyone else out there? My email is merel@sbcglobal.net