U.S.S. Forrestal CV- 59

(CVA-59: dp. (1)56,000, 1. 1,046', b. 129'4", ew. 252' s. 33 k.;
cpl. 4,000+; a. 8 5" 54 eal.; cl. Forrestal)

Forrestal (CVA-59) was launched 11 December 1954 by
Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. Newport News,
Va.; sponsored by Mrs. James V Forrestal, widow of Secretary
Forrestal; and commissioned 1 October 1955, Captain R.L.
Johnson in command.

From her home port, Norfolk, Va., Forrestal spent the first year
of her commissioned service in intensive training operations off the
Virginia Capes and in the Caribbean. An important assignment
was training aviators in the use of her advanced facilities, a duty on
which she often operated out of Mayport, Fla. On 7 November
1956, she put to sea from Mayport to operate in the eastern
Atlantic during the Suez Crisis ready to enter the Mediterranean
should her great strength be necessary. She returned to Norfolk
12 December to prepare for her first deployment with the 6th
Fleet in the Mediterranean, for which she sailed 15 January 1957.

On this, as on her succeeding tours of duty in the Mediterranean,
Forrestal visited many ports to allow dignitaries and the general
public to come aboard and view the tremendous power for peace
she represented. For military observers, she staged underway
demonstrations to illustrate her capacity to bring airpower to and
from the sea in military operations on any scale. She returned to
Norfolk 22 July 1957 for exercises off the North Carolina coast
in preparation for her first NATO Operation, "Strikeback," in the
North Sea.  This deployment, between 3 September and 22
October, found her visiting Southampton England, as well as
drilling in the highly important task of coordinating United States
naval power with that of other NATO nations.

The next year found Forrestal participating in a series of major
fleet exercises, as well as taking part in experimental flight
operations. During the Lebanon Crisis of summer 1958, the great
carrier was again called upon to operate in the eastern Atlantic to
back up naval operations in the Mediterranean. She sailed from
Norfolk 11 July to embark an air group at Mayport 2 days later,
then patrolled the Atlantic until returning to Norfolk 17 July.

On her second tour of duty in the Mediterranean, from 2
September 1958to 12 March 1959, Forrestal again combined a
program of training, patrol, and participation in major exercises
with ceremonial hospitality and public visiting. Her guest list during
this cruise was headed by Secretary of Defense N. H McElroy.
Returning to Norfolk, she continued the never ending task of
training new aviators, constantly maintaining her readiness for
instant reaction to any demand for her services brought on by
international events.  Visitors during the year included King Hussein
of Jordan.

Forrestal again brought her imposing presence to the 6th Fleet
between28 January 1960 and 31 August visiting the ports usual to
a Mediterranean deployment as well as Split, Yugoslavia. Again
she was open for visitors at many ports, as well as taking part in
the patrol and training schedule of the 6th Fleet. Upon her return
to the United States, she resumed her schedule of east coast and
Caribbean operations for the remainder of the year.

The Forrestal was stricken from the Navy List 11 Sep 1993; At
the Naval Education and Training Center, Newport, R.I., 14
Sept. 1998 on hold as museum donation.

6 June 1967  - 15 September 1967 - CVW -17
 VF-ll (F-4B)         VF-74 (F-4B )        VA-46 (A-4E)         VA-65( A-6A)         VA-106( A-4E )       
RVAH-ll( RA-5C)         VAW-123( E-2A )        VAH-l0 Det 59( KA-3B)         HC-2 Det 59 (UH-2A)
 VAP-61 Det( RA-3B)


(By Alan Dry from Internet)