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
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
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
531008 Naples, Italy
531021 Beirut, Lebanon
531022 SCB-110 modernization ordered
531028 Athens, Greece
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
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
570619 Off Jax, FL an explosion in #1 pump room, Killing 2 men and Injuring 29.
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
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"
620204 Hampton Roads, VA unloading Ammo.
620209-620407 New York Naval Shipyard for overhaul
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
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.
630422 Mayport, FL
630520-620529 Off coast of Haiti during political unrest
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 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
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.
650216-650218 LANTFLEX
650226 St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.
650305 Arrived Mayport
650413-650424 Norfolk Naval shipyard, Portsmouth, VA
650426 Mayport, FL
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.
670429-670515 Norfolk Naval shipyard, Portsmouth, Va. Overhaul and rudder repairs.
670518 Mayport, FL
670600 Training off Gitmo, Cuba
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
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
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”
730711 Depart Mayport
730711-730725 Operation “LANTREDEX 1-74”
730722 2 days of racial fighting during Caribbean Sea Cruise
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
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.