27 October 1948. Four months earlier, the Soviets began their blockade of Berlin in earnest. All surface transportation into the part of the city occupied by the Western Allies (US, UK and France) was cut off and all supplies, food, fuel and the like was prevented from entering the city. But the air approaches into…
20 October 1941: USS Hornet {CV 8} is put in commission at Norfolk, CAPT Marc Mitscher, USN commanding. Laid down 25 Sept 1939 and launched in 14 Dec 1940, the USS Hornet, seventh ship in the Navy to bear that name, was built by Newport News Shipbuilding at a cost of $32M. At her launching,…
Some things you learn by reading. Some thngs you learn by watching Somethings you learn by doing. But some knowledge is only gained from years (decades) of watching, doing, learning. Carrier ops is one such area – and if you think differently, read this…
Fifty-five hours and 18minutes. 11,236.6 nautical miles. No GPS, no inertial nav, no fly-by-wire, no computers save the biologic ones and the whizwheels. No movies, no SATCOM, no sleeper seats. No in-flight refueling – no stops. No digital weather radar. Four aircrew, one nine-month old baby ‘roo and 8,592 gallons of AVGAS. Non-stop, Austalia to…
(Navy News Service) YOKOSUKA, Japan (Sept. 25, 2008) Sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) form the phrase “Hajimemashite,” which means “Nice to meet you” in Japanese, as they arrive at Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan. George Washington and Carrier Air Wing 5 will be operating from Fleet Activities Yokosuka as the U.S….
The mid-1950’s were a fascinating time in aircraft development in the US. The famous “Century Series” was well underway with participation by almost all of America’s premiere aircraft manufacturers, a series of X-planes were pushing the boundaries at a remote desert lake-bed only recently renamed for one aviator who gave his life while testing a…
As a Student NFO back in the late 70’s (OK, 1978) in P-cola, we tended to spend a certain amount of our free time over at the (then) new-ish Naval Aviation Museum (the ‘National’ appellation still some several years off) and while our attention was drawn to some of the indoor exhibits, nicely finished and…
Lead ship of the next class of LHA’s: Navy Names New Amphibious Assault Ship America The Navy’s newest class of large-deck amphibious assault ship, LHA 6, will bear the name USS America, Secretary of the Navy Donald C. Winter announced while speaking at the USS America Carrier Veterans Association reunion in Jacksonville, Fla. This ship…
19 June 1944. Philippine Sea – TF 58 is conducting operations in preparation fo the invasion of Guam. Consisting of five major groups, TF-58 is one of the most formidable assemblies of naval power the world had seen. In front (to the west) was Vice Admiral Willis Lee’s Task Group 58.7 (TG-58.7), the “Battle Line”,…
“I can run wild for six months … after that, I have no expectation of success.“ – Fleet Admiral Isoruku Yamamoto In racing there is a saying – ‘luck is where preparation meets opportunity’ Perhaps there is no truer an example than the Battle of Midway. Popular literature seems to emphasize the American forces stumbling…
