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slides from a sailor on the CV 33 Kearsarge


R Michael
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Hello all I recently picked up a large slide grouping from the daughter of a sailor on the USS Kearsarge. He recently passed away and her knowing my interest passed these along to me. I thought I would share some Cold War navy Aircraft. These are from the 56-58 time frame.

 

Mike

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Oh, this is cool stuff, Mike.

 

These photos were taken during CVA-33's last cruise with a full air wing... it was a WESTPAC deployment that went from August 1957 to April 1958. The FJ-3 Fury in the first photo is from VF-53, and this deployment was the only time that unit was embarked on Kearsarge.

 

The aircraft to the right in the first shot is an AJ-2 Savage from either VAH-6(Det.J) or VAH-16(Det.J).

 

EDIT: The Savage is from VAH-6, as indicated by the tail code 'ZC'. (See the OOB I posted below.)

 

The second shot shows an F9F-6P Cougar photo-recce bird from VFP-61 (Det.J). Again, Kearsarge's 57-58 WESTPAC cruise was the only time this unit flew from her deck, and I believe it was the first and last time a dedicated photo-reconnaissance unit was deployed aboard the carrier.

 

After this last cruise with a full air wing, CVA-33 was re-designated CVS-33 and given a new role as an ASW carrier.

 

Thanks for posting these!

 

 

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Very informative Steve! I am glad you are enjoying these and I really appreciate the back ground information as it jibes with some of the content, I.E. Subic Bay photos. She even has the cruise book from that cruise, though it is a bit ratty.

Here are a couple more.

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Cool...

 

The first shot in your second batch shows F2H-3 Banshees of VF-194, with FJ-3Ms of VF-53 to the right, and some AJ-2s off to the left and in the background.

 

The second shot shows a VFP-61(Det.J) Cougar mid-trap, with some VF-194 Banshees in the foreground.

 

The third shot is of an AD-5W from VAW-11(Det.J), with an AJ-2 Savage off to the left. Not sure which unit the AJ is from. The emblem under the cockpit doesn't match those I've seen from VAH-6 or VAH-16... although with the way Navy squadrons used to get jumbled around back then, re-designations and so forth, it's possible there were multiple emblems for each unit designation. Or it could be an air wing emblem... or that of the carrier... or... I dunno, really! Although I'm very interested in post-war NAVAIR, my references are kinda meager.

 

Actually, I'm kinda thinking that the Savage is from VAH-16, based on the '25' modex, but that's only a guess at this point.

 

Anyhoo, here's the OOB for Air Task Group 3 during Kearsarge's 57-58 WESTPAC deployment.

 

This came from HERE. I toned it down a bit in case anyone's eyes are blitzed by the colors...

 

CVA-3357-58WESTPAC.jpg

 

 

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Found this bit of trivia HERE, and thought you might be interested...

 

During the period of 1962 to July 1963 while under the command of Captain E.P. Rankin, Kearsarge was involved in collisions with three different ships, a destroyer escort, an oiler, and a passenger liner. While none of these collisions were the fault of Captain Rankin, the ship became known jokingly as "Rammin Rankin's Krashbarge" and "The Mighty Kay-RUNCH".

 

 

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1936farmall

Nice slides. I remenber watching aircraft from vultures row on Nimitz. Like to find actual pictures from WW2 area USN aircraft on carriers.

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