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
Served aboard the FDR from June 1952 to Jan 1954- – – 2 trips to Gitmo followed by 2 to the Med.The 52 cruise included the NATO Mainbrace exercise. Was Asst M-Div Officer. Had a great bunch of people – – 218 were in the division- – & we were proud to have the highest (Smoke Watch) & lowest (Shaft Alleys) watches on board. Our Captain in ’52 (Anderson) later as an Admiral jumped a bunch of senior officers to become Pres. Kennedy’s Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff — he was a real bulldog. I managed to get transferred to the Lake Champlain CVA-39 right before the FDR left to go round the Horn from Norfolk to Seattle to have a canted deck installed. We had just returned from 6mos in the Med & I had not seen my wife & baby girl so I wanted some stateside duty for awhile – – it would have been the trip of a lifetime, something I often regret.
My only imprint left on FDR history is being the creator of the FDR-&-sailor caricature shown above, originally drawn on posters for a ship’s party at NOB Norfolk.
I was aboard Roosevelt 1972-74. I was MM3 in #2 engine room. Nickname=Wooly. I would like to hear from anyone that was there during the period.
jfwool53@gmail.com
I was on the Roosevelt in 1959/1960 while serving as a radar tech. in Marine squadron VMF-114 consisting of F4B’s.
…was E-5 Aviation Structural Mechanic with squadron VF-84 Jolly Rogers (but attached to ship’s company aviation intermediate maintenance metal shop as an aircraft welder) during Rosie’s shake-down cruise in 1969 after being completely redone in Portsmouth Naval Yard, Virginia, and again for her med cruise January 1970 – July 1970; both times, we sailed from Mayport, FL. …my last cruise before being discharged and sent home to my wife and two sons (the second born 2 days before I go home). email: rjxsn@cox.net
Hello everyone, my brother was on this ship. I will have to ask him which years. I am using my email address because he doesn’t have a computer. Email is anisa_loyst@yahoo.com I will get the message to him. Thank everyone of you for your service. Take Care Anisa m Loyst
I served on the Rosie ’61-’63 one Med cruise but was on in ’61 when we would up in Dominican Republic between Nov. 19 & Dec. 5,1961. Can’t seem to find any info on that except Wikipedia. Does anyone know if this was considered a combat mission or something else? Appreciate any info on this.
CarQualed as a member if VMFA 314 in Aug-Sep 1975. Something I’ll never forget.
I managed to report to “Rusty Rosie” just before decommissioning, during Rosie’s final Med Cruise, 1976-78. I reported during the Xmas/New Yrs Stand-down (12/1976) while the ship was in port Catania, Sicily. Next port call for the New Year (1977) was Naples, It. . . where I was able to visit my brother, whose was in port on board the USS Nimitz. Nimitz sailors were able to observe FDR launch an AV-8 Harrier “Jump” Jet while @ anchor. During my first underway period (read not transiting Sicily to Italy), I experienced my first (but not last) collision at sea. . . when FDR T-Bone and Liberian Freighter it the Straights of Messina, which allowed another extended in port Naples,Italy for a repair period. Although Short lived, I enjoyed the home port of Mayport / Jacksonville, FL. In June, 77. Rosie changed Home ports, Temp to NOB, Norfolk, and then Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, where I transferred off on 07/01/1977. Walked one pier over to my follow-on command, USS Nimitz (CVN 68) for Brother Duty.
I was aboard the CVB42 when she was commissioned in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, then to Bayonne for final fitting. Most of our cruise was across the equator to the Brazil. I was a SKD1st class and worked in payroll under Lt. Bob Kerdasha. I still have a picture with the following crew members: John J.Skahill, Alfred V. Carlson, Edward J. McFadden, Ira B. Zimmerman, Richard A Holden, Henry J. Watts, Marty L. George, Charles E. Anderson, Jr., Eddie P. Bearse. If any body knows these guys, please let me know at Scholtes@ptd.net. I know there is not too many of us left and although a member of the FDR Reunion group I have never been able to attend. Still have fond memories and would love to hear from any of the group I proudly served with.
I served aboard the Rosie from October 1973 until May 1974. First cruise, first Med Cruise, some exciting times
I was aboard the FDR from 1965-1967. We made two Med. Cruise and one Viet-Nam cruise. I worked in 3 Bravo Boiler room! I am looking for Neil Bonner First Class petty officer when I got out in Naples Italy in 1967. If anybody knows what became of him I would like to know.
I was aboard CV42 for it’s shake down cruise in 1945. I served as a musician & was a litter bearer when necessary. We went to Gitmo and Rio DeJaniero for the inauguration of Brazil’s new president. I think his name was Dutras, but am a bit fuzzy on the name. As we crossed the equator we were initiated as Shell Backs. We had an easy time initiation I am told. USS FDR was over a 1000 feet long, and displaced 45,000 tons. Later, after I was discharged, it was retro-fitted for Jets and went to 65,000 tons as I remember.
On the shake down cruise to Gitmo we lost quite a few planes and too many pilots and gunners. We were not in a war zone for all this. It was a real wake up call for an 19 year old.
The FDR was the 2nd Midway to be commissioned. I was fortunate to be aboard. My children can’t imagine some of my true sea stories.
I served aboard the FDR from Feb ’61 to Oct ’63, E-Division, IC Gang. I worked in the Fwd IC room, then Telephone Exchange/Ships Entertainment. I was an IC2 when I left the Navy from the Brooklyn Navy Yards in ’63. If you haven’t seen the FDR group page on Face Book,it is worth your time to do so. A lot of interaction, sea stories, private pictures posted of the ship at different locations etc. Also the annual Reunion is a great way to renew old acquaintances and make new friends. See the link to the reunion on this FDR page. fredh41@hotmail.com
I was aboard in 1952 in the R Div. I went aboard as a FN and left her in 1954 as DC3.
Email – ronlarrivee@reagan.com
Served onboard May 1973- Sep. 1976, V-2 Arresting Gear. Rosie was my first East Coast Ship.
My father, Herman L. Blunk, served aboard the FDR, including during her “shakedown” cruise to Brazil (in 1946, I believe). Like many of his contemporaries, he fibbed about his age in order to join the service near the close of WWII. He passed away nearly 28 years ago. I believe he ran the ship’s newspaper. He was extremely proud of his service. I’d love to know if anyone knew of him, though I know that’s not likely.
Thank you all for your service and sacrifice.
Don Blunk
Made two Med cruises on the FDR in 70 and 71 assigned to “R” Division, working mainly in the Shipfitter Shop. Was also on W.O. Othmer’s Golden Fire Party. She was a good ship with an even better crew. Some of my fondest memories are of my old shipmates from the Rosie and the escapades we got ourselves into.
It is really pleasing to find this website. I was with VF-32 from Oct 65 to Sept 67. Would appreciate hearing from any of you. Thanks.
Served on the Roosevelt from 70-71 working in the shipfitter shop. Was on WO Othmer’s
Golden Fire Party. I have many fond memories of the two med cruises that I made on her and the many fine shipmates I sailed with
OE Division! I was in OE Div from 62-64. Over the past 4-5 years, I’ve compiled a list of nearly 200 ET’s who served on the FDR. If you have not previously contacted me and are not getting my “Fleet Broadcast” emails, contact me and we can compare notes!
Also, if you have any friends who were ET’s, please pass on my email.
contact me at rsiefker@indyblue.com
1970 came aboard MMFN left 1973 MM2. Two cruises in M Div. Always happy to hear from shipmates. Contact me at CrimDef1@aol.com.
I was on the rosie from oct 1960 to nov 29 1963 in gm div had a great time remember whitty ibel(not sure of the last name spelling)from upstate ny and the airport in Jacksonville fl when he got out of the navy, we drank a bottle of booze ,he went on the plane home and I went with the mps lol
1971-1974 1st Division.
I was on the FDR twice. I did the Med. cruise in 1957 after leaving the Lake Champlain with VF 81 finishing a Med. cruise. Had a great time on the FDR and enjoyed the 6 Months yard time in N. Y. That is where I met my wife of54 years. Retired 81 years old and still think about the great times in the Navy. Went to boot in Bainbridge, then ANP School in Norman OK, then PT. Mugu in California, then PR School in Lakehurst NJ. then VF -81 in Oceana VA. Did short trip on the FDR, then a Med Cruise on the Lake Champlain CVA 39, then transferred to the FDR for another Med Cruise. Got out in 1958 Live in Beverly Mass.
My brother Gene served on FDR from 1967-68 to about 1970-71. From what he told me, his job was on the Flt. deck and was a Petty Officer 2nd Class, was also member of SEAL Team 2. Best time I remember, me being a pip Squeek kid in kindergarten in 1969, was that I helped him build a model of the FDR!