Carrier operations.....

[DOUGRD]

Originally Posted by 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.

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]

Originally Posted by Lucky13

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]

Originally Posted by DOUGRD

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]

Originally Posted by syscom3

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]

Originally Posted by 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....

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]

Originally Posted by R Leonard

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!

[DOUGRD]

Originally Posted by FLYBOYJ

Kittyhawk = Kitty litter

Lincoln = Stinking Lincoln

Stennis = Stinkin Stennis

Actually the name I've always heard for the Kittyhawk was "shitty kitty" Some others I remember USS Forrestal was "forest Fire" Sorta cold considering the conflagration that took place onboard. USS Shangrila was "Shitty Shang" USS America was "Amer-ee-ca Maru" and of course my all time favorite USS Nimitz " That F*#king Show Boat" As viewed by those loyal and humble sons of King Neptune onboard the IKE!

[DOUGRD]

Originally Posted by R Leonard

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, 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

************************************************** ********
RICH!! YOU'VE GOT TO START A THREAD ON YOUR FAMILY HISTORY IF YOU HAVEN"T ALREADY. Being a newbee to this site I don't know if you did or not.

[Lucky13]

Or any carrier related stories from anybody.....

[Lucky13]

Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat fighter, of Fighting Squadron Six (VF-6) has its six .50 caliber machine guns tested on the flight deck of USS Enterprise (CV-6), 10 April 1942.


Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat fighter (nicknamed "Rosenblatt's Reply") on board USS Suwanee (ACV-27), circa late 1942 or early 1943. The plane bears traces of the yellow Operation "Torch" marking around its national insignia.


Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat fighter, of Fighting Squadron Three (VF-3) prepares to take off from USS Saratoga (CV-3), circa October 1941.


Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat fighters, of Fighting Squadron Three (VF-3) on board USS Saratoga in early October 1941.
Plane on the aircraft elevator is 3-F-15 (Bureau # 3982), piloted by Ensign Gayle Hermann.


USS Enterprise (CV-6) Aviation Metalsmiths assemble a Grumman F4F-3 fighter on the carrier's hangar deck, 28 October 1941. The plane bears the markings of Fighting Squadron Three (VF-3), including a "Felix the Cat" insignia under the cockpit windshield.
Note spare airplanes triced up in the hangar overhead, including TBD-1 torpedo planes (with markings of VT-3) and SBD scout bombers (with markings of VS-2).


Grumman F4F-3 fighter undergoes maintenance on the hangar deck of USS Enterprise (CV-6), 28 October 1941. The plane bears the markings of Fighting Squadron Three (VF-3), including a "Felix the Cat" insignia under the cockpit windshield.
The part held by the Chief Petty Officer in the foreground bears the number 3973, and is possibly the Bureau # of this plane (# 3973 was the Bu# of an F4F-3). Note aircraft propellers stowed in the hangar overhead.


Grumman F4F Wildcat fighter takes off from USS Enterprise (CV-6), while she was operating in the Coral Sea area, 18 May 1942.


USS Long Island (AVG-1) a Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat fighter on the catapult, ready for take-off, 17 June 1942. Several more F4F-4s are waiting their turn for launch. All planes are from squadron VGS-1. Note that Long Island's catapult runs diagonally across the flight deck, from starboard toward the port bow.


USS Long Island (AVG-1) crewmen spotting a Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat fighter on the ship's hangar deck, 17 June 1942. Several other F4F-4s are present, as are Curtiss SOC-3A "Seagull" scout-observation planes. All are from squadron VGS-1.


North Africa Operation, November 1942 testing machine guns of Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat fighters aboard USS Ranger (CV-4), while en route from the U.S. to North African waters, circa early November 1942.
Note the special markings used during this operation, with a yellow ring painted around the national insignia on aircraft fuselages.


North Africa Invasion, November 1942 a Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat fighter taking off from USS Ranger (CV-4) to attack targets ashore during the invasion of Morocco, circa 8 November 1942.
Note: Army observation planes in the left middle distance;
Loudspeakers and radar antenna on Ranger's mast.


USS Long Island (ACV-1) a Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat fighter, equipped with ferry tanks, on the carrier's catapult ready for launching, during flight operations on 6 March 1943.
Note that the catapult runs diagonally across the flight deck.
Planes parked in the background include more F4F-4s and Vought F4U-1s.


Battle off Samar, 25 October 1944 USS Kitkun Bay (CVE-71) prepares to launch FM-2 Wildcat fighters during the action. In the center distance, Japanese shells are splashing near USS White Plains (CVE-66).


FM-2 Wildcat fighter prepares to take off from USS Charger (CVE-30) during training operations in the Chesapeake Bay area, 8 May 1944. Another FM-2 is passing overhead with its tail hook down, apparently having received a "wave-off" due to the carrier's fouled flight deck.


FM-2 Wildcat fighter receives the "launch" signal on USS Makin Island (CVE-93), 1945.

[Lucky13]

USS Yorktown (CV-5) Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless scout bombers preparing to take off, during operations in the Coral Sea, 18 April 1942. The first plane is from Scouting Squadron Five (VS-5). Note that it has no insignia painted under its starboard wing, and that the insignia below its port wing is much smaller than that on the next SBD.


USS Yorktown (CV-5) two Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless scout bombers of Scouting Squadron Five (VS-5) fly past the ship, during operations in the Coral Sea, circa April 1942. Planes parked on the flight deck, in the foreground, are Grumman F4F-3 "Wildcat" fighters of Fighting Squadron 42 (VF-42).


Douglas SBD-2 Dauntless scout bombers of Scouting Squadron Six (VS-6) composite photograph of 9 planes in flight, with USS Enterprise (CV-6) and a plane guard destroyer below.
The original photo is dated 27 October 1941. Note differences in ocean surface wave patterns between the upper and lower images, skillfully blended to combine the two photographs.


USS Enterprise (CV-6) an SBD Dauntless scout-bomber and five TBD-1 "Devastator" torpedo planes prepare to take-off from the carrier during operations in the south Pacific area, 4 May 1942.
Note launching officer making arm signals in the lower left-center. Take-offs averaged one every thirty seconds.