Carrier operations.....

[renrich]

Somehow I don't think any naval vessels will be names the Clinton.

 

[Lucky13]

That is what they said. This one will be called Bush that they're building now. The next class of aircraft carriers will not have presidents names. They're have been recieving names from the public like USS America and Enterprise. Saw a program on Discovery a couple of months back showing the carrier that they're currently building. Somehow I don't think that prresidents names have the same feeling (I don't know if that's the right word ) as Yorktown, Coral Sea, Midway, Lexington, Saratoga and so on. I'm terribly sorry if stepped on someones toes here.... I can't remember how many carriers it is supposed to be in the new class, but I think it was 5 or 7. What names would you like to see?

 

[renrich]

I agree about CV names. Rather than use president names I go for the traditional like Wasp, Enterprise, et al.

 

[Lucky13]

B***dy hell! I just saw on the Discovery Channel about USS Eisenhower a guy that was sucked up in the intake of a A-6 Intruder because he forgot to duck when passing....one second he was there and the next GONE!! Miracuously the poor sod survived with only minor injuries..made me feel sick.

 

[Lucky13]

Some more carrier deck pics lads....

USS Philippine Sea (CV-47)
A Grumman F9F-2 Panther of Fighter Squadron 111 (VF-111) being moved by a flight deck tractor, during operations off Korea, 19 October 1950.
Other planes parked near by are Vought F4U-4B Corsairs.

Vought F4U-4B Corsair, of Fighter Squadron 113 (VF-113)
Taxies forward on the flight deck of USS Philippine Sea (CV-47), just before taking off to attack North Korean targets, 19 October 1950.
Note small bombs on the plane's wings and flight deck crewman signalling to the pilot.

U.S. Marine Corps F4U-4B Corsair fighter-bomber receives final checks to its armament of bombs and 5-inch rockets, just prior to being catapulted from USS Sicily (CVE-118) for a strike on enemy forces in Korea. The original photograph is dated 16 November 1950, but was probably taken in August-October 1950. Note battered paint on this aircraft.

Vought F4U-4B Corsair, of Fighter Squadron 114 (VF-114) returns to USS Philippine Sea (CV-47) following a strike on North Korean targets, 19 October 1950.

USS Philippine Sea (CV-47) crewmen Gerald F. Quay (AMM3c) and Warren E. McKee (PH2c) check braces on a napalm tank, during a snowstorm off North Korea, 17 November 1950. The weapon is mounted on the port wing of a Douglas AD Skyraider parked on the carrier's flight deck.

USS Philippine Sea (CV-47) flight deck scene, looking aft from the island, as the carrier is enveloped in a snowstorm off the Korean coast, 15 November 1950. Planes on deck include Vought F4U-4B Corsair fighters and Douglas AD Skyraider attack planes. Note men on deck, apparently tossing snowballs, and what may be a toppled snowman just in front of the midships elevator.

USS Philippine Sea (CV-47) ordnancemen hauling bombs on the carrier's flight deck, preparing planes for attacks on enemy targets in Korea, 19 October 1950. A Douglas AD-4 Skyraider of Attack Squadron 115 (VA-115) is behind them, with small bombs on its wing racks.

USS Philippine Sea (CV-47) ordnancemen loading bombs on a Vought F4U-4B Corsair of Fighter Squadron 114 (VF-114), during operations off Korea, 19 October 1950. This aircraft is Bureau No. 63034. F4U-4 in the right background has tail code "PP", indicating that it belongs to squadron VC-61.

USS Philippine Sea (CV-47) ordnancemen attach rockets to the hardpoints on the wing of a Vought F4U-4B Corsair fighter, October 1950.

USS Philippine Sea (CV-47) Grumman F9F-2 Panther of Fighter Squadron 111 (VF-111) is fueled on the carrier's forward flight deck, during operations off Korean, 19 October 1950. At left are Vought F4U-4B Corsair fighter-bombers of Fighter Squadron 114 (VF-114).

USS Philippine Sea (CV-47) Douglas AD-4 Skyraider of Attack Squadron 115 (VA-115) spotted for launch with a wing load of bombs, during operations off Korea, 19 October 1950. This aircraft is Bureau No. 123830.

USS Philippine Sea (CV-47) a Vought F4U-4B Corsair of Fighter Squadron 113 (VF-113) gets the "Go" signal to take off, during operations off Korea, 19 October 1950.

USS Philippine Sea (CV-47) Douglas AD Skyraider of Attack Squadron 115 (VF-115) ready for launching on a strike mission against Korean targets, 19 October 1950.

USS Philippine Sea (CV-47) a Douglas AD-4W Skyraider prepares to take off for a night heckler mission over Korea, 19 October 1950. Vought F4U-4B Corsair fighters are parked in the right background. The ship's Sikorski HO3S-1 utility helicopter is overhead, in the upper left distance.

USS Philippine Sea (CV-47) Vought F4U-4B Corsair of Fighter Squadron 114 (VF-114) taking off for a mission over Korea, 19 October 1950. Other F4Us are following.

USS Philippine Sea (CV-47) Douglas AD-4 Skyraider of Attack Squadron 115 (VA-115) takes off on a mission to support UN forces in North Korea, 25 November 1950. Note the plane's load of two large and eight small bombs.
Also note details of the ship's island and very weathered "47" painted on her stack.

From NHC.

 

[syscom3]

Great Job Lucky!

As for names..... how about naming them after some bona fide war hero's or fighting admirals of the past.

I'd like to see a "USS Sullivans".

 

[renrich]

Wonder why they have never named in modern days a CV USS Congress. There was a frigate named Congress in the early 1800s. LOL Does my heart good to see those pictures mixed in with ADs and Panthers the good old F4U, the greatest recip fighter in history.

 

[Lucky13]

Cheers fellas! Does anyone of you know how many of the Essex class carriers that is still waiting for their destiny, or are they all scrapped by now?

USS Lexington (CV-16) a F6F-3 Hellcat of Fighting Squadron Sixteen (VF-16) gets the take-off flag from Lieutenant John M. Clark, during operations in the Gilberts and Marshalls, 23 November 1943. VF-16 pilots shot down seventeen Japanese aircraft on that day.

USS Wasp (CV-18) flight deck crews prepare to load a Mark XIII torpedo on a TBM aircraft, during strikes in the Luzon-Formosa area, 13 October 1944.
Note plywood shrouds on the torpedo's fins and nose. Plane at right is an F6F, others visible are TBMs.

USS Bennington (CV-20) Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat fighters prepare for takeoff, May 1945.

Gilberts Operation, November 1943 a Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat fighter makes condensation rings as it awaits the take-off flag aboard USS Yorktown (CV-10), 20 November 1943. The plane is from Fighting Squadron Five (VF-5).
Yorktown was then hitting targets in the Marshall Islands to cover the landings in the Gilberts.

USS Yorktown (CV-10) ordnancemen working on bombs amid F6F-3 Hellcat fighters parked on the carrier's hangar deck, circa October-December 1943. Other crewmen are watching a movie in the background. Bombs appear to include two 1000-pounders and one 500-pounder.

USS Yorktown (CV-10) SB2C-1 Helldiver bombers return to the carrier after a raid in early July 1944. The original caption for this photograph, released by Commander in Chief, Pacific, gives the date as 6 July 1944 and identifies the target as Chichi Jima, Bonin Islands, which was actually attacked on 4 June. Edward Steichen's "U.S. Navy War Photographs" identifies the target as Guam.

USS Randolph (CV-15) alongside a repair ship at Ulithi Atoll, Caroline Islands, 13 March 1945, showing damage to her after flight deck resulting from a Kamikaze hit on 11 March. Photographed from a USS Miami (CL-89) floatplane.

USS Randolph (CV-15) crewmen fighting fires on the ship's flight deck, after she was hit by a Kamikaze, 11 March 1945.

USS Randolph (CV-15) Grumman F6F "Hellcat" fighter parked on the port catapult, March 1945. Note the plane's tail markings, unique to this ship.

USS Hornet (CV-12) view looking aft from the ship's island as she steams with other carriers during a western Pacific gunnery practice session, June 1945. Next ship astern is USS Bon Homme Richard (CV-31), firing her 5"/38 battery to starboard. Two small aircraft carriers (CVL) are beyond her.
Note yellow flight deck markings on Hornet and TBM and SB2C aircraft parked aft.

Carrier Raids on Formosa, October 1944 crewmen on USS Hancock (CV-19) move rockets to planes, while preparing for strikes on Formosa, 12 October 1944.

Carrier Raids on the Philippines, November 1944 flight Deck Officer on USS Hancock (CV-19) waves the "take-off" flag at a SB2C Helldiver bomber, during strikes on Manila Bay, 25 November 1944.

USS Intrepid (CV-11) crewmen prepare to load a 2000-pound general-purpose bomb in the bomb bay of a TBM Avenger aircraft, 27 January 1944. The carrier was then en route to support the invasion of Roi and Namur Islands, Kwajalein Atoll. Note inscriptions on the bomb, from Torpedoman 3rd Class R.A. Franco, addressed to "Hon. Hirohito, Imperial Palace, Tokyo".
Also note flame reducer on the plane's exhaust port, and landing gear details.

Japanese Kamikaze suicide plane disintegrates in flames after hitting USS Intrepid (CV-11), during operations off the Philippines on 25 November 1944.

USS Ticonderoga (CV-14) Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters prepare to take off for strikes against targets in Manila Bay. The two leading planes are F6F-5N night fighters, with wing-mounted radar. Photograph is dated 9 January 1945, but may have been taken during the 5-6 November 1944 attacks.

 

[davparlr]

All the pictures I could open were great. I love that era where the prop planes were in there descent and the jets were just stretching their wings.

I was not happy when they started naming the carriers after people.

 

[syscom3]

"Ode to the CVE"

Verse 1:
Navy fliers fly off the big carriers
Army fliers aren't seen oe'r the sea
But we're in the lousy Marine Corps
So we get these dang CVE's!

Chorus:
Cuts and guts, cuts and guts.
The guys that make carriers are nuts. Are nuts!
Cuts and guts, cuts and guts.
The guys that make carriers are nuts.

Verse 2:
O Midway has thousand-foot runways
And Leyte, eight hundred and ten.
We'd still not have much of a carrier
With two of ours laid end to end.

Chorus:
Cuts and guts, cuts and guts.
The guys that make carriers are nuts. Are nuts!
Cuts and guts, cuts and guts.
The guys that make carriers are nuts.

Verse 3:
Our catapult shots are so hairy,
Our catapult gear is red hot
It never goes off when you're ready,
It always goes off when you're not!

Chorus:
Cuts and guts, cuts and guts.
The guys that make carriers are nuts. Are nuts!
Cuts and guts, cuts and guts.
The guys that make carriers are nuts.

Verse 4:
We envy the boys on the big ones.
And we'd trade in a minute or two,
'Cause we'd like to see those poor bastards
Try doing the things we do!

Chorus:
Cuts and guts, cuts and guts.
The guys that make carriers are nuts. Are nuts!
Cuts and guts, cuts and guts.
The guys that make carriers are nuts.

Verse 5:
Some day when this fracas is over
And back at El Toro we'll be,
We'll load up with rockets and napalm
And we'll sink every damned CVE!

Chorus:
Cuts and guts, cuts and guts.
The guys that make carriers are nuts. Are nuts!
Cuts and guts, cuts and guts.
The guys that make carriers are nuts.

 

[DOUGRD]

B***dy hell! I just saw on the Discovery Channel about USS Eisenhower a guy that was sucked up in the intake of a A-6 Intruder because he forgot to duck when passing....one second he was there and the next GONE!! Miracuously the poor sod survived with only minor injuries..made me feel sick.

If you're talking about the one I think you are "Miraculously" falls way short of the mark. That guy pulled off a "one in a million" life experience. I worked the flight deck onboard USS America, USS Eisenhower, USS Tripoli (LPH), USS Guadalcanal (LPH), USS John F Kennedy, and the helo pad on the USS Ponce (LPD) and I've seen things happen that would make your hair stand on end but this lad certainly takes the prize!!! PLEASE NOTE EVERYONE!!! When I listed the ships flight decks I was on during my career I DO NOT mean it to sound like I'm bragging or any B.S. like that--I'M NOT!! I know plenty of sailors who spent more time "HAZE GREY AND UNDERWAY" than me. (But God help me, I loved it!)

 

[DOUGRD]

What names would you like to see?

I like the traditional names too. But something else you must consider when naming ships...nick names! It's got to have a good nick name. The USS John F. Kennedy is called "Big John" The USS Eisenhower is called "Ike" the USS Enterprise is the "Big E" of course, the USS Saratoga was the "Sara" (or Sorry Sara to most sailors) So what are some good names that would also evolve into good nick names?

 

[syscom3]

I like the traditional names too. But something else you must consider when naming ships...nick names! It's got to have a good nick name. The USS John F. Kennedy is called "Big John" The USS Eisenhower is called "Ike" the USS Enterprise is the "Big E" of course, the USS Saratoga was the "Sara" (or Sorry Sara to most sailors) So what are some good names that would also evolve into good nick names?

Bon Homme Richard = Bonnie Dick.

 

[Lucky13]

I've always liked USS Yorktown for some odd reason. My dad had a relative that was in Korea on a carrier, don't know which one yet, still searching and later on USS Coral Sea. So you could say that I'm a bit of a USS Yorktown and USS Coral Sea fanatic....

 

[R Leonard]

Way back to the first three photos from USS Coral Sea.

This is during the a Med deployment and show aircraft belonging to Air Group 17. Most of those AD-4's you see there were from VA-175, commanded by Lt Cdr John E "Blackie" Kennedy. Kennedy's assigned plane you can just barely see at the far left of the photo, #501. The F4U-5 with the 407 side number belonged to VF-174. The AD-4Q near the top center with the double zeros ("00") is the CAG's plane, my father's at the time. He had been CO of VF-171 and moved up to CAG when his predecessor moved up from CAG to Ops Officer. The VF-171 F2H Banshees are way in the port aft of the flight deck in the second picture. These are from the 9 Sep 1950 to 1 Feb 1951 cruise.

Third picture is from a later Med cruise, around 1952, and shows aircraft from Air Group 4 ("F") with VMF-211 attached ("AF") and VC-33 detachment ("SS"). The F4Us with the 300 series side numbers are from VF-43.

Regards,

Rich

VF-171 squadron insignia

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Bon Homme Richard = Bonnie Dick.

Kittyhawk = Kitty litter

Lincoln = Stinking Lincoln

Stennis = Stinkin Stennis

 

[Lucky13]

Nicknames of the USS Coral Sea(any more???):

Ageless Warrior
Coral Maru
San Francisco's Own
The Natural
The Big Sea or The Big 'C'
The Operational Queen of the Seventh Fleet
Best In The West
Mustang (Call sign on Yankee Station)

..."other" nicknames that made the rounds:

Cruel Sea
Cruel Maru
Hotel 43
CarlC
Olongapo's Own
Coral Maroon
Three Screw Maru
Coral S***
USS Oral Sex
Coral Crunch

 

[R Leonard]

I've always liked USS Yorktown for some odd reason. My dad had a relative that was in Korea on a carrier, don't know which one yet, still searching and later on USS Coral Sea. So you could say that I'm a bit of a USS Yorktown and USS Coral Sea fanatic....

My father operated off the 'old' USS Yorktown (CV-5) from June 41 through the bitter end at Midway, in VF-42 and TAD to VF-3. Combat at Lae-Salamaua, Tulagi, Coral Sea, and Midway, not to mention hours of boring holes in the sky with nothing going on the off chance the Japanese might decide to show up.

Later as a squadron commander (VF-171) and CAG (CVG-17) he flew off USS Coral Sea. 171 was the Navy's first jet squadron to carrier qualify, this during his command tour.

He directed the team that came up with the specs for the A-6 bomber, oddly enough the type my brother flew in as an NFO in the greater southeast asian war games . . . in VA-35 . . . off USS Coral Sea.

I remember when my father was CO of USS Ranger in 61-62 and both Coral Sea and Ranger were docked at Alameda . . . you could stand on the flight deck of Ranger and look across the pier into the bridge of the Coral Sea.

Regards,

Rich

 

[Lucky13]

Thanks for telling Rich, much appreciated!

 

[FLYBOYJ]

I remember when my father was CO of USS Ranger in 61-62 and both Coral Sea and Ranger were docked at Alameda . . . you could stand on the flight deck of Ranger and look across the pier into the bridge of the Coral Sea.

Regards,

Rich

As usual, great stuff Rich! Here's one for you, took it at Pearl, 1998. I was told this was the first time two fleet carriers were together in Pearl Harbor since the attack!