U.S.S. FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT CVB/CVA/CV-42

OPERATIONAL HISTORY

Updated 16 Dec. 2016

420709 Authorized by Act of Congress

430121 Contract awarded to the New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, NY

430715 Reclassified from CV to CVB "Midway Class".

431201 KEEL LAID down, as "Coral Sea", in Drydock #5.

450429 LAUNCHED. Christened by Mrs. John Towers, wife of VADM Towers,

Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet, Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt made her first

public appearance since the death of F.D.R., also in attendance was Sec. of

Navy, James Forrestal, Fleet ADM. Ernest A.King, RADM F.A. Daubun,

General of the Army George C. Marshall.

450508 Officially renamed "U.S.S. FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT" (CVB-42).

450601 CVBG(CAG)-75 Commissioned Chincoteague, VA, Commander B.M. Stean, USN.

450920 Post Office Established

451027 COMMISSIONED President Harry S Truman & Eleanor Roosevelt in

attendance. 1st. Captain Apollo Soucek USN. Oct. 27, 1945 - Mar. 2, 1946.

451103 Completed

451116 Maiden Voyage

451130 Eleanor Roosevelt on board

451212 1st. landing by Cdr. R.E.C. Jones, Air Officer: in an F6F "Hellcat"

1st. catapulted takeoff by LtCdr. R.M. Elder, Air Ops Officer in a F4U

"CORSAIR".

Dec.12 & 13, 75 landings, 74 takeoffs & 1 Barrier crash.

460106 Air Wing CVG(CAG)-75 on board, 135 planes. F4U-4 Corsairs, SB2C

Helldivers & F6F-5P Hellcats

460114-460306 Shakedown Cruise to Caribbean Sea & Brazil, SA.

460128 FDR's first crossing of the Equator. Lat. 00,00,00 & Long. 42,45,00

4602?? 1000th.Landing, Ltjg. "Hoot" Burns & Air crewman Alfred Hack 2/c

460201-460211 RIO DE JANEIRO for inauguration of Brazilian President Eurico G. Dutra.

On board Former Mayor of NYC LaGuardia, Lana Turner, Adm. Cassady

ComCarDiv1.

460302 Change of Command, Guantanano Bay, Cuba, Capt. Herbert Regan USN,

Capt. Soucek promoted retroactive to 23 July 1940 to

RAdm. of Com-Car-Div-14.

460305 2000th. Landing, Lt. J.L. Chandler

460321 Arrived Brooklyn, NY for Post-Shakedown alterations.

460410 Arrived Norfolk, VA (1st. homeport)

April-June Flagship of ADM. Marc Mitscher.

460419-460526 Departed Norfolk for maneuvers with 8th. Fleet in Western Atlantic.

4604?? 3000th. Landing, LtJG. Edgar McNett

460422-460423 Presidential Cruise - On board President Truman, Adm. Mitscher,

FAdm Nimitz, FAdm. Leahy, SecNav. James Forrestal, for 6 month Inspection.

4605?? 4000th. Landing, Ltjg. Frank Such.

460519 At anchor off Culebra Island

460527-460606 New York, NY

460628 Pres. Truman visit

460714-460718 At Norfolk, loaded McDonnell XFD-1 "Phantom" for Trials.

460718-460720 Tested McDonnell XFD-1 "Phantom" off V Capes

460720-450723 Enroute to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

460721 FIRST JET AIRCRAFT landing & takeoff from US Carrier. "0650" First

Deck-run takeoff, a total of 5 takeoffs & arrested landings. Pilot LtCdr. James

J, Davidson. (Note: Great Britain First to use Jets on Carrier. HMS Ocean R68

on Dec. 3,1945 Aircraft 'De Haviland DH.100 Vampire)

460723-460730 Standardization Trials, Guantanamo, Cuba

460731-460802 Enroute to Norfolk to pick up supplies.

460802-460808 Loading supplies.

460806 RAdm. John Howard Cassady, ComCarDiv-l on board.

460808-461004 1st. Mediterranean Cruise, Twelfth Fleet with CVBG-75 Air wing on board.

Tail code FF

46067? 6000th. Landing, Ltjg. J.W. Porter

460518-460816 Enroute to Lisbon, Portugal

460816-460822 Lisbon, Portugal. President of Portugal General A.O.F. Carmona, on board

460822 Enroute Gibraltar

460823 Arrived Gibraltar

460824-460827 Enroute Naples

460827-460901 Naples, Italy

460901-460903 Enroute Athens

460903-460907 Athens, Greece

460907-460910 Enroute Malta

460910-460912 Malta

460912-460914 Enroute Algiers

460914-460916 Algiers

460816-460918 Enroute Tangiers

460919-460923 Tangiers

460923-460925 Enroute Casablanca

460925-460927 Casablanca

460927-461004 Enroute Norfolk

461004-461025 Norfolk, VA Repainting Ship

461025 Enroute New York City for “Navy Day”

461026-461029 New York City, First opportunity for the American Public to visit the FDR

461029 Enroute Norfolk

461029-461030 Norfolk, VA

461030-461108 Off VA Capes testing F7Fs & F7Fs

461108-461111 Norfolk

461111-461114 Off VA Capes Qualifying new Pilots

461112 Lockheed P-80A "Shooting Star" jet piloted by LtCol. Marion E. Carl USMC.

Off the Virginia Capes. First Jet Aircraft to be catapulted off FDR.

461114 Norfolk

461115 Change of Command, Capt. John P.W. Vest, USN

461116 CVG(CAG)-75 redesignated CVG(CAG)-3. Added F8F "Bearcat" & TBM "Avenger"

470203-470307 8th. Fleet Cruise to Caribbean Area

470211 First Helicopter to operate from Carrier at Sea.

470318-480714 Norfolk Shipyard, Portsmouth, VA. 16 month Overhaul for Nuclear weapons

handling capability.

471107 Change of Command, Capt. Thomas B. Williamson, USN.

471230-480601 New York Naval Shipyard (Brooklyn)

480615-480701 Ship Exercises off Virginia Capes.

480715-480901 Refresher training, Caribbean, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba & Port-Au-Prince, Haiti

480803 Change of Command, Capt. Harry D. Felt, USN.

480830 15000th. landing, Ltjg. B. Carroll

480913-490123 2nd. Med Cruise. Flagship of Rear Adm. Ballentine

480918 CVG(CAG) 4 on board. Added AD-1 "Skyraider". Tail Code F

480923 Gibraltar

481001 0612 - 0755 Malta & 1730 Augusta, Sicily

481005 Malta

481009 Tripoli, Libya

481015 Piraeus, Greece

481027 Sfax, Tunisia

481106 Golfe Juan, France (Nice & Cannes)

481120 Naples, Italy

481202 Malta

481204 Augusta, Sicily

481217 Naples, Italy

490107 Oran, Algeria

490112 Gibraltar

490113 Relieved by USS Philippine Sea CV-47

490123 Hampton Roads, Virginia

490221-490321 Second Fleet Cruise to Carribean

4903?? CVG(CAG)-6 on board

490307-490311 Port of Spain, Trinidad

490315-490316 Gitmo, Cuba

490321 Hampton Roads, VA

490411-490422 Reserve Cruise off Atlantic Coast.

490415 New York, Pier #90

490422 Norfolk, VA, Pier #7

490500-490600 Routine Cruises out of Norfolk

490502-490505 Task Force 89 Maneuvers off Virginia Capes wit Air War College Guests.

490507-490508 Congressional Guest Cruise.

490510 First Banshee Jet landing & first Panther Jet landing & takeoffs on board.

490514-490515 Congressional Guest Cruise.

490521-490522 Congressional Guest Cruise.

490620-490621 Secretary of the Navy Cruise off Virginia Capes.

490627-460708 Reserve Training Cruise off Atlantic Coast.

490702 New York, Pier #90

490708 Norfolk, VA

490711 Change of Command, Capt. Clarence E. Ekstrom, USN.

490725-460806 Reserve Training Cruise off Atlantic Coast.

490808-490820 CarQuals off Virginia Capes.

490830-490917 Portsmouth Shipyard

490926-490927 Carrier Operations Demonstration Cruise for SecDef, SecArmy, SecAir, Joint

Chiefs of Staff & National Defense Establishment Officers.

491010-491015 CarQuals & Tactical Exercises off Jacksonville, FL.

491027-491123 North Atlantic & Arctic Cruise CVG(CAG)-6 on board.

491112 Passed Across Arctic Circle at 1250 & into Baffin Bay

491122 Hampton Roads, VA

500109-500121 Naval Reserve Training Cruise

500114 Gitmo, Cuba

500121 Norfolk, VA

500207 Off Jax, FL, launch F2V-3C "Neptune" with JATO assist, on 5060 mile flight

500211 Norfolk, VA

500223-500312 PORTREX exercises off Puerto Rico as unit of Task Force 108.

500314 Gitmo, Cuba

500316-500318 Joint US Navy/Netherlands Royal Navy training exercises in Gitmo area.

500322 Norfolk, VA

500330-500825 Overhaul at Portsmouth, Navy Yard

500727 Change of Command, Capt. William V. Davis, Jr. USN

500825 Shakedown

500827 Portsmouth, VA

500922 Norfolk, VA

501002-501130 Refresher Training Cruise off Gitmo.

501005 Gitmo, Cuba

501103 Port-au-Prince, Haiti

501121 Hampton Roads, VA

501204 Portsmouth, VA

501229 Out for Speed Run then to Hampton Roads, VA

510110-510518 3rd. Med Cruise - CVG(CAG)-6 on board. Tail code WI

510121 Oran, Algeria

510129 Augusta, Italy

510203 Naples, Italy

510217 Piraeus, Greece

510224 Valletta (Marsaxlokk), Malta. In & Out till 510301

510303 Palermo, Sicily

510310 Valletta, Malta

510316 Golfe Juan, France - 0750 to 1520 then Cannes, France at 1640

510404 Livorno, Italy

510412 Taranto, Italy

510419 Naples, Italy

510424 Livorno, Italy

510425 Cannes, France

510505 Gibraltar

510517 Norfolk, VA

510728 Change of Command, Capt. Fitzhugh Lee, USN

510817 ADM. L.D. McCormick relieved ADM. W.M. Fechteler as CIC: Atlantic Fleet

on Board the "FDR”

510903-520204 4th. Med Cruise

510903 CVG(CAG)-17 on board added F2H-2 "Banshee". Tail code K

510922 Lisbon, Portugal relieved USS Coral Sea CVB-43

511001 Augusta, Sicily

511008 Naples, Italy

511012 La Spezia, Italy

511016 General Eisenhower on board for visit

511021 Genoa, Italy

511027 Cannes, France

511109 Athens, Greece

511115 Souda Bay, Crete

511117 Athens, Greece

511120 Istanbul, Turkey

511225 Naples, Italy for Christmas

520121 Gibraltar

520126 Departed Med - relieved by USS Midway CVB-41

520204 Norfolk, VA

520214-520600 Portsmouth VA for overhaul thru June 1952

520707 Departed for Gitmo

520726 Change of Command, Capt. George W. Andersen, USN. (Future CNO)

520802 Port Au Prince, Haiti

520808 Jacksonville, FL

520814 Norfolk, VA Pier #7

520826-521219 5th. Med Cruise, starting with NATO exercise in Norwegian Sea

CVG(CAG)-17 on board. Tail code R

520906 Glasgow, Scotland (Catapault repairs)

520916 Crossed Arctic circle (Blue Nose)

520920 UFO sighting - Scotland

520925 English Channel

520926 Weymouth, England

521001 Reclassified from CVB to CVA

521002 Lisbon, Portugal

521019 Palermo, Sicily

521029 Golfe Juan, France

521116 Taranto, Italy

521120 Athens, Greece

521126 Beirut, Lebanon

521205 Naples, Italy

521209 Gibraltar

521210 Relieved by USS Midway CV-41

521211 Departed Med.

521219 Norfolk VA (Pier 7)

530119 Departed Norfolk

530125 Mayport, FL

530129 Portsmouth Navy Yard for drive shaft problem

530306 Mayport, FL

530320 Norfolk VA

530417 Mayport, FL

530425 New York (Pier 86)

530509-530521 Norfolk VA - boiler repair

530522 Change of Command, Capt. John S. Thach USN (Thach Weave)

530611-531203 6th. Med Cruise, with USS Antietam CVA-36

530611 CVG(CAG)-1 on board, with HUP-2 "Retriever" Helicopters- Tail code T

530620 Gibraltar

530623 Arrived Mediterranean

530702 Golfe Juan, France

530711 Marseille, France

530722 Salonika, Greece

530727 Piraeus, Greece

530807 Taranto, Italy

530814 Aid to Greece Earthquake Victims

530600 Refueled 5 seaplanes for 3 days, which were in "Operation Earthquake”

530800 Recorded the 59000th. & 60000th. landings, Ltjg. B.W. Martin, VF-13 & Ens.

R.L. Mueller, VF-14.

530820 Naples, Italy

530825 Genoa, Italy

530905 Barcelona, Spain

530921 Cannes, France

530925 La Spezia, Italy

531008 Naples, Italy

531021 Beirut, Lebanon

531022 SCB-110 modernization ordered

531028 Athens, Greece

531031 Souda Bay Crete

531110 Leghorn, Italy

531126 Departed Med.

531203 Norfolk, VA

note: Average landings 1945-54 - 6000 per year

540107-540305 Enroute from Norfolk for Bremerton Washington via Cape Horn.

540113 Equator

540118 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

540124 Montevideo, Uruguay

540127 Mar del Plata, Argentina

540202 Cape Horn

540210 Lima, Peru

540217 Balboa, Canal Zone (Pacific side)

540226 NAS Alameda “Pier #3”

540305 Bremerton, WA.

540310 Arrived Puget Sound Navy Shipyard, Bremerton, WA

540423 DECOMMISSIONED Received SCB 110 Modernization. Angled Flight Deck,

Steam catapults, Hurricane Bow.

560406 RECOMMISSIONED Capt. John T. Hayward, USN, Commanding

Now Third Largest Warship (Forrestal-Saratoga bigger)

560406-560808 Return to East Coast via Cape Horn. New homeport Mayport, FL.

560406-560614 Puget Sound Area

560614 Depart Bremerton

560616-560620 Alameda NAS, CA (loading stores)

560621-560621 San Diego, CA

560627-560701 Balboa, Panama

560702 Equator crossing

560707 Valparaiso, Chile

560717 Cape Horn

560718 Lat-61, 43S – 63,51W (Smith Island) Furthest south any Carrier has been

560725-560728 Rio de Janeiro

560726 UFO sighting - Rio de Janeiro

560808-560827 Mayport, FL

560829-560914 Guantanamo, Cuba

560906 63000th. Landing – Lt. L.D. Hughes Attack Squadron 175 (AD-6 Skyraider)

560914-560916 Port Au Prince, Haiti

560916-561018 Guantanamo, Cuba

561001 Change of Command, Capt. Thomas W. Hopkins, USN.

561020-561025 Mayport, FL - CVG(CAG)-17 on board. FJ-3M "Fury"

561027 Norfolk, VA 72 hour notice status for deployment, (Suez crisis)

561107 Enroute to Portugal

561120 Lisbon, Portugal

561209 Norfolk, VA

570209 Mayport, FL

570218-570303 Gulf of Maine, cold weather tests (First Regulus Missile fired)

570321 Demonstrations for President Eisenhower who was aboard Guided Missile

CAG-2 Canberra" (off Bermuda)

570406 Test Squadron VX-3 fatal plane crash during recovery (off Key West).

570515 Broken propeller

570519-570607 Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, VA. Overhaul & Repairs

570608-560617 Mayport, FL

570619 Off Jax, FL an explosion in #1 pump room, Killing 2 men and Injuring 29.

570619 Mayport - Offload Air group

570620 Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, VA. to repair explosion damage.

570709 Departed Norfolk

570712-580305 7th. Med Cruise

570712 CVG(CAG)-17 on board with F4D-1 "Skyray" & A3D-1 "Skywarrior", Tail code AL

570720 Gibraltar BCC, relieved USS Lake Champlain CVA-39

570722 Exercise “MACEX”

570723 Gulf of Palmas, Sardinia COMCARDIV TWO Embarked

570725 Cannes, France

570805 National Exercise “HAYSTRIKE 2-57”

570809 Barcelona, Spain

570819 Exercise “MACEX”

570912 Athens, Greece

570919 Exercise “COUNTERPUNCH”

570924 NATO Exercise “DEEPWATER”

570930 Corfu, Greece

571002 Change of Command, Capt. Frederick L. Ashworth, USN.

571012 National Exercise “HAYSTRIKE 3-57”

571015 Tobruk, Libya

571018 Rhodes, Greece

571029 National Exercise “FLIP FLOP”

571029 NATO Exercise “RED EPOCH”

571107 Athens, Greece

571126 Thessalonica, Greece

571209 National Exercise “DAISY CHAIN II”

571216 Cannes, France

571225 Cannes, France

580105 Pollensa Bay, Mallorca

580111 Genoa, Italy

580122 National Exercise “SCENDEX”

580129 Palma, Mallorca

580213 Arrived Gibraltar BCC, Relieved by USS Saratoga CVA-60

580216 Departed Gibraltar BCC

5802?? Enroute CONUS – 7 day search for Navy WV-2 “Constellation” Radar Aircraft

(BUNo141310 (TL-1) call sign “One Grass Skirt”, 110 Mi. west of Corvo

Island, Azores. TL-1 departed NAS Argenta, Newfoundland @ 0853 hrs EST,

for a normal Barrier flight to the Azores and back with scheduled return of

1100 hrs EST on 02 Feb. 58. Last radio contact with the aircraft was @ 0259

hrs EST. Aircraft disappeared without a trace or clue; presumably crashed

approx. 110 mi. NW of Corvo Island, between North Atlantis Barrier

checkpoints “Mahogany” and “Pendulum”. Following a week of extensive

air/sea searching, aircraft is struck off USN Inventory by AEWRON Fifteen

(VW-15) and her 22- man crew declared “Presumed Dead”.

580226 Originally scheduled arrival at Mayport, FL

580305 Actual arrival Mayport

580418-580903 New York Naval Shipyard, Overhaul

580703 Change of Command, Capt. Ralph L. Shifley, USN

580816 Sea trials off coast of New Jersey

5809?? Mayport, FL

5809?? Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

581004 Port Au Prince, Haiti

581027 UFO sighting - Cuba

581028 Stand by for Rescue of Americans from Oriente Province, Cuba.

590107-590123 Participated in Atlantic Fleet exercise LANTFLEX 1-59

590213-590901 8th. Med Cruise

590213 CVG(CAG)-1 on board added F3H-2 "Demon", A4D-1 "Skyhawk”, F8U-1P

"Crusader” Tail code AB

590301 Pollensa Bay

590306 Naples, Italy

590328 Cannes, France

590404 Toulon, France

590423 Genoa, Italy

590508 Adm. Arleigh Burke, CNO, on board

590511 Piraeus, Greece (Athens)

590605 Leghorn, Italy (Livorno)

590612 Palermo, Sicily

590619 Asinara Bay – Embarked Midshipmen

590620 Naples, Italy

590710 Barcelona, Spain

590720 Golfe Juan, France - Disembark Midshipmen & Embark 2nd. group

590725 Golfo di Palmas

590727 Palma, Mallorca

590808 Cannes, France

590808 Change of Command, Capt. Theodore H. Winters, USN

590818 Golfo de Palmas - Disembark 2nd. group Midshipmen

590821 Gibraltar - Relieved by USS Saratoga (CVA-60)

590901-590929 Mayport, FL.

590929 Operation LANTFLEX 3-59

591004 Collided with Pawcatuck (AO-108), During Refueling off VA, slight damage

to both vessels. #3 elevator removed at Bayonne

591007 Mayport. FL.

591019-591029 Joint Air Force - Navy weapons systems evaluations off Eastern seaboard.

5911?? Bayonne, NJ – re-install #3 elevator.

600106 Air force instructor pilots observing, CVG(CAG)-1 doing simulated atomic strikes.

600128-600824 9th. Med Cruise

600128 CVG(CAG)-1 on board added F8U-1 "Crusader" & WF-2 "Tracer". Tail code AB

600209 Operations off coast of Spain for 3 days.

600212 Relieved USS Essex (CVA-9)

600219-600229 Genoa, Italy

600301 Simon H. Vissor, Minister of Defence, of the Netherlands on board

600305-600310 Rhodes, Greece

600314-600318 Thessalonika, Greece

600322 Helicoptered Greek civilian from island of Sifnos to village of Apollonia

600323 Athens, Greece

600402 Surprise training exercise

600419-600430 Naples, Italy

6005?? Nice, France

600513 Cannes, France

600528-6006?? Barcelona, Spain

600604-600609 Pollensa Bay, Majorca

600610 Palma Bay- Inspection & Change of Command, Capt. Edward W. Hessel, USN

600611-600615 Palermo, Sicily - in preparation for joint exercises

with USS Forrestal (CVA-59) & the British carrier HMS Ark Royal (R-09)

600620-600624 Livorno (Leghorn), Italy R&R

600625 Golfo di Palmas, Sardinia – Fleet Inspection

600702-600716 Naples, Italy

600725 97000th. landing, Ltjg. R.D. Richards, VA-46, in a A4D ''Skyhawk"

600730-600804 Piraeus (Athens), Greece

600808-600812 Cannes, France

600816 Relieved by USS Intrepid (CVA-11)

600824 Mayport, Fl,

600910 at sea for 2 days off Florida coast to avoid Hurricane "Donna" 65 mph winds.

600920-601216 New York Naval Shipyard, Brooklyn, NY, overhaul

601225 Mayport, FL

610107-610122 Refresher training out of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

610204 Departed Mayport – ORI 610207-610210

610215-610828 10th. Med Cruise - CVG(CAG)-1 on board. Tail code AB

610223 Rota-Relieved USS Independence (CVA-62

610222-610817 VF-11 staying at NAS Rota

610227 Villefranche, France – Admiral Anderson aboard.

610302-610307 Naples, Italy

610320 100,000th. landing Com. A.R. Hawkins, A4D "Skyhawk"

610321-610324 Tripoli, Libya

610328-610331 Cannes, France

610407-610414 Palermo, Sicily

610425-610429 Naples, Italy

610503-610506 Augusta Bay

610515-610522 Athens, Greece

610601-610609 Cannes, France

610616 Palermo, Sicily

610617 Augusta Bay, Sicily

610624 NATO's 10th. Anniversary, 24 ships of the 6th. Fleet & other Allied nations

review in the Bay of Naples, Italy

610626-610705 Naples, Italy

610710-610717 Genoa, Italy

610716 Change of Command, Capt. Edward L. Anderson, USN.

610720 105000th landing Lt. Jerry Patterson A3D “Skywarrior”

610729 Livorno (Leghorn), Italy

610818 Rota, Spain, Relieved by USS Intrepid & reemabarked VF-11

610828 Mayport, FL

611113-611118 Refresher training

611016-611022 STRIKEEX

611118 Alert issued for immediate deployment

611119 Depart Mayport

611121-611129 Off Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic for 7 days for show of Power during

political crisis. (NOTE: no jets could fly, all 3 catapults out of operation.

611130 Mayport, FL

611204-611214 Carrier trials for McDonnell F4H "Phantom II" from Flight test NATC

PAX RIV MD.

6201?? Carrier Trials for A3J "Vigilante"

620202 Departed Mayport

620204 Hampton Roads, VA unloading Ammo.

620209-620407 New York Naval Shipyard for overhaul

620420 Depart Mayport

620421-620518 Joint Chiefs of Staff and VIP cruise

620507 110,000th. landing. Com. Edward W. Loftin, Commanding Officer of VF-11,

F8U "Crusader"

620511-620514 Norfolk

620518 Arrive Mayport

620601 Change of Command, Capt. Walter E. Clarke, USN

620616 Depart Mayport

620617-620628 ORI

620628 Arrive Mayport

620720 Depart Mayport

620720-620804 Off Guantanamo

620728 112000th, landing

620729-629803 Guantanamo

620804 Mayport, FL

620829 113000th. landing

620905 Depart Mayport

620905-520910 ORI

620910 Arrive Mayport

620911-620913 In port Mayport

620914-630422 11th. Med cruise - CVG(CAG)-1 on board, tail code AB

620921 Azores

620924 Gibraltar

620928 Souda Bay, Crete, Relieved USS Enterprise (CVAN-65)

620929-621002 Rhodes, Greece

621005 114000th. landing. LtCdr. April 1963Smith VAH-11

621008 Istanbul, Turkey

621013 Athens, Greece

621023 Cannes, France

621026 Naples, Italy

621104 Naples, Italy

621108 Palermo, Sicily

6211? 116000th. landing

621124 Athens, Greece

621203 Cannes, France

621231-630104 Naples, Italy

630112-630121 Genoa, Italy

630126-630128 Golfo di Palmas

630205-630209 Barcelona, Spain

630214-630219 Cannes, France

630223-630304 Livorno, Italy

630311-630318 Taranto, Italy

630323-630401 Athens, Greece

630405 121000th. landing, Capt. John B. Bennett US Air Force Attached to VP-11

630406-630408 Naples, Italy

630410 Relieved by USS Saratoga (CVA-60) in the Golfo di Palmas, Sardinia.

630412 Gibraltar

630422 Mayport, FL

630520-620529 Off coast of Haiti during political unrest

630624 Depart Mayport

630627-631122 New York Naval Shipyard, Brooklyn, NY. (Removed 6 of the 5"54 caliber

gun mounts)

630720 Change of Command, Capt. Gerald E. Miller, USN

631122 Depart Brooklyn

631122 Arrive Bayonne

631125-631127 Sea trials & Training off East Coast. In & out of Norfolk, Mayport &Bayonne

631213 Depart Bayonne

631221 Arrive Mayport

640110 Departed Mayport for Gitmo Bay.

640308 Mayport, FL

640402 Dependents cruise

640428-641222 12th. Med Cruise CVW(CAG)-1 on board, with First squadron of F-4B "Phantom IIs" VF-14, also HU-2 Det. 42 with UH-2A "Seasprite". Tail code AB

640509 Entered Med

640512 Relieved USS Shangri-La (CVAR-38) Pollensa Bay

640513-640517 Western Med (Exercise Fairgame II)

640518-640521 Barcelona, Spain

640522 Operating

640523-640528 Palma

640529-640607 Operating

640608-640611 Naples, Italy

640612 Enroute Malta

640613-640618 Valletta, Malta

640619-640628 Operating (US/UK Bilateral Exercise)

640629-640705 Athens, Greece

640706-640707 Operating in Eastern Med

640708-640710 Athens, Greece

640711-640720 Operating

640721-640729 Cannes, France

640725 Change of Command, Capt. Malcolm W. Cagle, USN

640730-640731 Golfo di Palma (Fleet Conference)

640801-640802 Operating

640803 Naples, Italy

640804-640809 Operating Eastern Med

640810-640831 Stationed off coast of Cyprus to aid in possible evacuation of Americans,

if necessary, during civil unrest.

640901-640907 Taranto, Italy

640908-640910 Operating

640911-640915 Messina

640916-640917 Operating

640918-640922 Rhodes, Greece

640923-640928 Operating Eastern Med & Tyrrhenian Sea (Exercise Fallex 4-64)

640928 LOST blades off #1 propeller, while on NATO forces exercises.

640929-641003 Enroute Gibraltar

641004 Gibraltar, Relieved by USS Independence (CVA-62)

641005-641013 Enroute CONUS

641013-641022 Bayonne, NJ, where she dry docked and a new propeller was fitted.

641023-641101 Enroute Gibraltar

641101 Gibraltar, relieved USS Independence (CVA-62) and resumed scheduled duties.

641102-641108 Cannes, France

641108-641112 Operating

641113-641117 Cannes, France

641118-641127 Operating (Haystrike 4-64 – 27 Nov. Replenish at sea)

641128-641202 Palermo, Italy

641203-641204 Operating Enroute Valencia

641205-641210 Valencia, Spain

641211 Enroute Pollensa Bay

641212 Pollensa Bay, Relieved by USS Saratoga (CVA-60)

641213-641221 Enroute CONUS

641222 Mayport, FL

650121 Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico.

650213 Depart Mayport

650216-650218 LANTFLEX

650226 St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.

650305 Arrived Mayport

650413-650424 Norfolk Naval shipyard, Portsmouth, VA

650426 Mayport, FL

650429 Dependent’s Cruise out of Mayport

650510 Depart Mayport

650521 Arrive Mayport

650628-651217 13th. Med Cruise - CVW(CAG)-1 onboard. Tail code AB

650704 Gibraltar, Relieved USS Saratoga (CVA-60)

650709-650719 Naples, Italy

Fleet Operations

650723 Pollensa Bay, Majorca (Fleet Conference)

650726 Valencia, Spain

650802 Fleet Operations – Western Med.

650806-650810 Asinara Bay, Sardinia (Training Anchorage)

Operation PHIBLEX 2-66

650820-650830 Marseille, France

650827 Change of Command, Capt. Charles Lee Burbage, USN

Flight Ops

650904 Fire Aboard

650905 Istanbul, Turkey

650913-390928 Operations Dense Crop, Quick Draw & Deep Furrow with Turkish, Greek,

Italian & French Forces.

650929-651008 Taranto, Italy

651012 Collided with French merchantman "Charles Le Borge" off Southern France,

little damage to FDR, bow holes above water line on French ship.

651016-651019 Palma de, Mallorca

651020-651102 Naples, Italy

651112 Palma, Mallorca

651124-651207 Barcelona, Spain

651209 Relieved by USS America (CVA-66)

651217 Mayport, FL

660124-660218 Training out of Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico & Mayport FL

660502 Departed for 3 weeks training out of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

660510 150,000th. Landing

660522 Mayport, FL

660530-660606 Boston, Naval Shipyard, Boston, MA

6606?? Mayport, FL

660621-660630 CVW(CAG)-1 on board, Training exercises off Puerto Rico

660627 St. Thomas, Virgin Islands

660630-670221 Vietnam War Cruise CVW(CAG)-1 on board, Tail code AB with the following squadrons & Aircraft: VF-14 F-4B "Phantom II"

VF-32 F-4B "Phantom II"

VA-12 A-4E "Skyhawk"

VA-72 A-4E "Skyhawk"

VA-172 A-4C "Skyhawk"

VAH-10 Det 42 A-3B "Skywarrior"

VAW-12 Det 42 E-lB "Tracer"

VFP-62 Det 42 RF-8G "Crusader"

VQ-1 Det 42 EA-3B

VAW-13 Det 42 EA-1F

HC-2 Det 42 UH-2A&B "Seasprite"

660704 Crossed the Equator.

660708-660710 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

660726 Crossed the Equator. Lat. 000.0 - Long. 8602.5 E

660731 An A-4 "Skyhawk" was lost, operational, the pilot was recovered.

660801-660806 Subic Bay, Philippines.

660810-660912 Gulf of Tonkin, Yankee Station (34 days)

660821 A-4 "Skyhawk" shot down by AAA fire over N. Vietnam. Pilot recovered.

660822 A-4 "Skyhawk" lost over N. Vietnam, by own rockets. Pilot recovered.

660828 Change of Command, Capt. George C. Talley, Jr. USN.

660906 RF-8 "Crusader" lost, operational. Pilot was killed.

660910 EA-1 "Skyraider" lost, operational. All 4 crewmembers recovered.

660912 Departed coast of Vietnam

660916-660925 Yokosuka, Japan.

660900 Operations with Republic of China forces.

661002-661003 Gulf of Tonkin, Yankee Station (1day)

661003 Lost blade on #1 screw, sailed for Yokosuka, Japan.

661005 F-4 "Phantom II" lost, operational. Both crewmembers recovered.

661007-661015 Yokosuka, Japan.

661019-661113 Gulf of Tonkin, Yankee Station (26 days)

661020 A-4 "Skyhawk" shot down by AAA fire over N. Vietnam.

Ltjg. F. R. Purrington, VA-172 POW released 18 Feb. 1973

661027 Medical assistance to USS Oriskany (CVA-34), when a fire damaged her.

661101 A-4 "Skyhawk" shot down by AAA fire over N. Vietnam.

LT. A. R. Carpenter, VA-72 POW released 4 March 1973

661104 Flash fire, killed 8 & injured 4. Storage compartment with oil and hydraulic

fluid, #4 deck, fire extinguished in 15 minutes.

661112 Two A-4 "Skyhawks" lost, operational. Both pilots killed.

661113 Departed coast of Vietnam

661115-661121 Subic Bay, Philippines

661124-661227 Gulf of Tonkin, Yankee Station (34 days).

661202 TWO A-4 "Skyhawks" shot down by SAM missiles, while operating with

aircraft from the USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14).

Cdr. Bruce Nystrom, VA-172 declared dead 8 Aug. 1978.

Ens. P. L. Worrell, VA-172 declared dead 26 April 1978

661214 A-4 "Skyhawk" shot down by SAM missile over N. Vietnam, and a E-1

"Tracer" lost, operational. 3 killed, 2 recovered.

661227 Departed coast of Vietnam. NOTE: 95 days on line. Aircraft lost, 7 in action &

8 in operations. Flew over 7000 sorties.

661231 Subic Bay, Philippines.

670107 Change of Command, Capt. James D. Ramage, USN.

670108 Departed Subic Bay

670110 Hong Kong

670112 Change of Command, Capt. Martin G. O'Neill, USN.

670114 Departed Hong Kong

670117 Subic Bay, Phillipines

670119 Departed Subic Bay for the East Coast of the U.S.

670122 Crossed the Equator (second Shellback ceremony held)

670204-670206 Cape Town, S. Africa, No liberty due to racial unrest.

670221 Mayport, FL

670426 Depart Mayport

670429-670515 Norfolk Naval shipyard, Portsmouth, Va. Overhaul and rudder repairs.

670518 Mayport, FL

670600 Training off Gitmo, Cuba

670617 Mayport, FL

670529 Depart Mayport

670529-670617 Training off Guantanamo

670620 Change of Command, Capt. Gordon S. Hodgson, USN.

670824-680519 14th. Med Cruise. CVW(CAG)-1 on board. Tail code AB

670911 Pollensa, Mallorca. Relieved USS America (CVA-66).

670918 Naples, Italy

671007 Barcelona, Spain

671017 167000th. landing LtCdr. James A. Evans VF-32

671027 Augusta Bay, Sicily

671031 Taranto, Italy

671117 Malta

671204 Marseille, France

671217 Civitavecchia, Port of Rome, Italy

671223-680104 Cannes, France

680122-680128 Valletta, Malta

680205-680207 Souda Bay

680208-680215 Athens, Greece

680220-680229 Naples, Italy

680314-680322 Valencia, Spain (Valencial Falles Festival – Feast of St. Joseph?)

680328-680405 Genoa, Italy

680412-680424 Palma, Mallorca

680509 Pollensa, Mallorca. Relieved by USS Independence (CVA-62)

680519 Mayport, FL,

680601 Homeport changed to Norfolk, VA

680629 Arrive Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, VA. for Modernization.

Centerline elevator replaced by deck edge 35 ton capacity elevator. $84 million.

680821 Change of Command, Capt. J.O. Mayo, USN.

6907?? Departed Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, VA

690708-690711 CarQuals 176000th landing aboard USS FD Roosevelt

690801 Depart Mayport for Caribbean shakedown.

690904 Midair collision of 2 VA-15 aircraft near St. Thomas VI

177000th landing aboard USS F D Roosevelt

690909 Change of Command, Capt. Harry Seagrove Sellers, USN.

690928 Arrive Mayport

691103-691122 CarQuals/ORI VA-15 plane & pilot lost on Nov. 12

700102-700727 15th. Med. Cruise. CVW(CAG)-6 on board. Tail code AE

700112 Relieved Saratoga at sea

700122-700131 Barcelona, Spain

700206-700214 Valletta, Malta

700221-700225 Souda Bay, Crete

700303-700308 Taranto, Italy

Joint “Operation Chaperone” with British AF on Cyprus

700314-700319 Salonika, Greece

700328-700402 Athens, Greece

700410-700418 Palma de Majorca

700423-700503 Naples, Italy

700511-700516 Pollensa Bay

700521-700525 Cannes, France

700529-700602 Cannes, France

700607-700608 Lovo Santo, Sardinia

700610-700612 Exercise “Dawn Patrol”

700615-700616 Naples, Italy

700621-700623 Athens, Greece

700625-700705 Rhodes. Greece

700705-700707 Exercise “SHABAZ XVI”

700719 Polensa Bay Relieved by USS Independence CVA-62

700620-700629 Enroute CONUS

700726 At Norfolk for four hours to offload most of air group.

700727 Mayport, Fl

701003 Change of Command, Capt. John E. Hansen, USN.

701019-701119 Shakedown Cruise

710118-710122 Flight Ops off Florida Coast

710129 Leave Mayport for Roosevelt Roads training exercise.

710208-710210 ORI

710212-710729 16th, Med. Cruise. CVW(CAG)-6 on board. Tail code AE

710218 Rota, Spain

710226-710303 Palma, Majorca

710309-710318 Barcelona, Spain

710325-710331 Naples, Italy

710408-710414 Valletta, Malta

710423-710504 Athens, Greece

710513-710521 Rhodes, Greece

710601-710607 Trieste, Italy

710615-710620 Taranto, Italy

710629-710705 Athens, Greece

710712-710714 Palma, Majorca

710722 Norfolk, VA

710723 Mayport, Florida

710000 192,000th. landing

710810 42 arrested aboard ship for drug usage.

710910 Change of Command, Capt. Charles J. Youngblade, USN.

711029-711102 CarQuals

711107-711220 Training Operations

711218-711220 Operational Readiness Exercises

720117-720131 Operation Snowy Beach-Coast of Maine

7202?? Operation Springboard-Carribean

720215-721211 17th. Med. Cruise. Longest Med. Cruise (10 months)

CVW(CAG)-6 on board. Tail code AE

720219 1st. Aircraft Carrier to be refueled by civilian oiler. (SS Erna Elizabeth)

720301-720308 Bay of Biscay “Operation Magic Sword”

720310 Rota, Spain – Relieved USS Independence CVA-62

720310-720314 Operating in Western Med.

720315-720319 Palma, Majorca

720325-720403 Naples, Italy

720414-720410 Operating in Western Med.

720411-720416 Cannes, France

720417-720420 Operating in Western Med.

720421-720425 Barcelona, Spain

720501 Operating in Eastern Med.

720502-720507 Athens, Greece

720508-720515 “Dawn Patrol”

720516-720519 Corfu, Greece

720520-720524 Operating off the coast of Crete at NAMFI Missile Range.

720525 Souda Bay, Crete

720526-720530 Operation “PHIBLEX 12-72” in Eastern Med.

720601-720605 Rhodes, Greece

720606-720612 Operation SHABAZ 72

720613-720614 Souda Bay, Crete

720615-720621 Operating off the coast of Crete at NAMFI Missile Range.

720622-720705 Athens, Greece

720711-720714 Rhodes, Greece

720715-720720 Operation “National Week XIII”

720721-720723 Souda Bay, Crete

720724-720727 Operation “Good Friendship”

720728 Mersin, Turkey

720729-720730 Operating in Eastern Med.

720731-720803 Athens, Greece

720804-720807 “Operation Quick Draw”

720808-720813 Golfe Juan, France

720814-720818 Operating in Western Med.

720819-720824 Barcelona, Spain

720825-720829 Operating in Western Med.

720830-720907 Barcelona, Spain

720908-720911 Operating in Western and Eastern Med.

720912-720916 Athens, Greece

720917-720930 “Operation Deep Furrow”

721001-721005 Operating in Western Med. & Operation “PASSEX” with Forrestal CVA-59

721006-721021 Barcelona, Spain

721022-721027 Operating in Western Med.

721028 “Operation Quick Draw”

721030 Flight demo for Italian Military Academy.

721031-721105 Naples, Italy

721106 Operating in Western Med.

721107-721108 Operation “PHIBEX” off Monte Romano Bombing Range.

721109-721112 Augusta Bay

721113-721118 Operation “National Week XIV”

721121-721122 Operation “PASSEX” with Royal Dutch Ship Die Zeben Probincien.

721123-721127 Palma, Majorca

721128 Operating in Western Med.

721130 Rota, Spain Relieved by USS Intrepid (CVS-11)

721201-721206 return to CONUS.

721209 Norfolk

721211-730302Mayport-Restricted availability

730223 Fire on Hanger Deck while in Mayport. Minor damage.

730313 CarQuals

730412 Change of Command, Capt. James B. Morin, USN.

730417-730425 CarQuals

730501-730509 CarQuals

730518-730527 CarQuals

730529 Depart Mayport

730601-730606 Operation “LANTREDEX 3-73”

730608 Arrive Mayport

730711 Depart Mayport

730711-730725 Operation “LANTREDEX 1-74”

730722 2 days of racial fighting during Caribbean Sea Cruise

730726 Arrive Mayport

730906 Dependent’s Cruise

730914-740317 18th. Med. Cruise. CVW(CAG)-6 on board. Tail code AE

730925 Rota, Spain - Relieved by USS John F. Kennedy (CVA-67)

730926 UFO sighting – Spain ?? (not mentioned in ship’s Deck Log)

730929-731010 Barcelona, Spain

731019-731031 Operation “Nickle Grass” Deployed off Crete to supply Israel during war with

Arabs, delivered 36 A-4s to Israel with USS J.F.K. (CVA-67) &

USS Independence (CVA-62)

731115-731121 Athens, Greece

731203-731213 Athens, Greece

731219-740103 Barcelona, Spain

740104-740113 Operations Western Med.

740114-740123 Athens, Greece

740124-740128 Operations Eastern Med.

740129-740203 Thesalonika, Greece

740204-740210 Athens, Greece

740211-740214 Operations Eastern Med.

740215-740219 National Air Week Exercise

740220 Souda Bay

740221-740223 Operations Western Med.

740224-740303 Palma, Majorca

740304 Enroute Rota, Spain

740305-740306 Rota, Spain (Turnover)

740307 Depart for CONUS

740311-740315 Atlantic Storms

740317 Mayport

740506-7408?? Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for repair to cracked rudder

741031 Depart Mayport for type training 1
741108 Arrive Mayport

741112 Depart Mayport for type training 2

741121 Arrive Mayport

741202 Depart Mayport for type training 3

741209 Arrive Mayport

741220 Change of Command, Capt. Crawford A. Easterling, USN.

750103-750716 19th. Med. Cruise. CVW(CAG)-6 on board. Tail code AE

750112-750114 Rota, Spain

750115-750116 Transit Strait of Gibralter

750117-750126 Operations Western Med.

750127-750202 Kithira, Greece

750203-750207 Operations Eastern Med.

750208-750212 Brindisi, Italy

750213-750218 Operations Western and Eastern Med.

750219-750222 Kithira, Greece

750223-750225 Operations south of Crete

750226-750227 Kithira, Greece

750228-750305 Operations around Crete

750306-750313 Augusta Bay, Sicily

750314-750318 Operations in Tyrrhenian Sea

750319-750404 Palma de Majorca

750405-750409 Operations Western Med. Operation “Red Eye”

750410-750418 Barcelona, Spain

750419-750425 Operations Western Med. Exercise SARDINIA 75

750426-750505 Cannes, France

750506-750512 Operations south of Sardinia

750513-750524 Naples, Italy

750525 VA-15 A-7B piloted by LCDR John BALTUTIS involved in a midair

collision with a VA-176, KA-6D overhead the USS ROOSEVELT. The

A-7B was lost at sea, LCDR BALTUTIS was safely rescued. The KA-6D

bingoed to Naples, Italy.

750531-750608 Palma de Majorca

750609-750615 Flight Operations in the Tyrrhenian Sea south of Sardinia and Malta.

750616-750617 Malta

750618-750626 Exercise “DAWN PATROL”

750627-750704 Malaga, Spain

750630 Reclassified as Aircraft Carrier (CV-42)

750706 Departed Med. Operations in Atlantic Ocean.

750716 Norfolk, VA

750719 Mayport, FL

751000 Presented the 4th. ADM James H. Flatley Aviation Safety Award.

760619 Change of Command, Capt. Richard P. Bordone, USN.

760700 Carrier qualifications with VMF-231, flying Harrier AV-8A's.

761004-770421 20th. and Last Med. Cruise. CVW(CAG)-19 on board. Tail code NM

First major deployment by VMA-231 Harrier AV-8A

761014-761015 Rota, Spain and relieved USS America (CV-66).

761022-761102 Naples, Italy

761105-761107 Catania, Italy

761119-761203 Catania, Italy

761213-761226 Taranto, Italy

761229-770102 Catania, Italy

770103-770110 Naples, Italy

770111 Collision with Liberian ship "Oceanus" near Sicily Minor damage no injuries.

770112-770128 Naples, Italy

770212-770218 Genoa, Italy

770224-770228 Monaco

770228-770307 Cannes, France

770311-770315 Barcelona, Spain

770328-770406 Palma, Majorca

770412 Rota, Spain Relieved by USS Independence (CV-62)

770421 Mayport, FL

770608 Last time under way on her own power

770613 Change of Command, Capt. Everett F. Rollins, Jr., USN

770614 Arrived Norfolk, VA for decommissioning.

770626 Towed up the Elizabeth River to Norfolk Naval Ship Yard

770630 Last Day Postal Service

771001 DECOMMISSIONED at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, VA

780331 Sale No 16-8007 Sealed Bid Opening @ 2:00 PM

780411 Sold to Union Minerals & Alloys Corp., NYC, NY, for $2,111,013.37

780503 Enters "River Terminal Development Co. ", Kearny, NJ for scrapping.