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USS Independence (CV-62)
Encyclopedia
The fifth USS Independence (CV/CVA-62) is a of the United States Navy
. It was the fourth and final member of the Forrestal-class conventional-powered Supercarrier
. It entered service in 1959, with much of its early years spent in the Mediterranean Fleet.
Independence made a single tour off the coast of Vietnam
in 1965 during the Vietnam War
, and also carried out airstrikes against Syria
n forces during the Lebanese Civil War
and operations over Iraq during Operation Southern Watch
, the enforcement of the no-fly zone
over southern Iraq. Independence was decommissioned in 1998 after 39 years of active service.
"Supercarrier
s". Unlike the United States class, they were to operate in both the nuclear strike and conventional roles, and were therefore intended to carry a mixed fleet of fighters, light attack and heacy attack aircraft, all of which were to be jets. The carriers were designed around the large new Douglas A3D Skywarrior bomber, with four deck-edge aircraft elevators large enough to handle the new bomber. As jet aircraft needed much more fuel than piston-engined aircraft, the Forrestal-class had a much greater aviation fuel capacity than existing carriers, with 750000 gallons (2,839,059 l) of Avgas
and 789000 gallons (2,986,690.1 l) of jetfuel, more than double that carried in the Midway class aircraft carrier
s.
Independence was built with an angled flight deck with four C-7 steam catapults, two on the bow and two on the angled deck. It was fitted with AN/SPS-37 long-range search radar and AN/SPS-8B height finding radar. Defensive armament consisted of eight 5"/54 caliber Mark 42 guns mounted on sponsons jutting out from the sides of the ship so they did not interfere with the flight deck. The initial air wing of the Forrestal-class carriers was about 90 aircraft, although this varied with the composition of the airwing.
aircraft on 2 March 1959. She arrived at her new homeport of NS Norfolk
, Virginia
on 30 June 1959, and then carried out a ten-week training cruise in the Caribbean
. During these trails, while carrying out compatibility tests aboard the new carrier, a Douglas A3D Skywarrior was catapulted off Independence at a gross weight of 84,000 pounds (38,000 kg), the heaviest aircraft to take off from a carrier at the time.
for the next year on training maneuvers, and departed 4 August 1960 for her first cruise to the Mediterranean. There, she added her great strength to the peace-keeping power of the 6th Fleet in that troubled region, remaining in the eastern Mediterranean until her return to Norfolk 3 March 1961. On (4 Aug 1961) she departed again for the Mediterranean to join the US 6th fleet for another cruise and returned (19 Dec 1961)to Norfolk.
Independence sailed 19 April 1962 for Sixth Fleet duty in support of President John F. Kennedy
's firm stand on Berlin
during a recurrence of stress in a critical area. She returned to Norfolk 27 August and sailed 11 October for the Caribbean Sea
. Called on by President Kennedy on 24 October during the 1962 Cuban missile crisis
, Independence provided a strong, visible reminder of U.S. determination and resolve while it acted as a key participant in the U.S. naval blockade of Cuba
. She arrived off Puerto Rico
in response to the presence of Soviet
missiles in Cuba and took part in the quarantine operations which finally forced withdrawal of those missiles. She then returned to Norfolk 25 November for readiness exercises along the eastern seaboard, overhaul in the Norfolk Naval Shipyard
, and refresher training out of Guantanamo Bay
.
Independence departed Norfolk 6 August 1963 to take part in combined readiness exercises in the Bay of Biscay
with sea-air units of the United Kingdom
and France
then entered the Mediterranean 21 August for further duty with the Sixth Fleet. Cruising throughout the Mediterranean, she gained much valuable experience during combined NATO exercises, including close air support to Turkish
paratroops, reconnaissance, communications, and convoy strike support. President Makarios of Cyprus
paid her a visit 7 October 1963, after which she joined in bilateral U.S.-Italian
exercises in the Adriatic
with Italian patrol torpedo boat
s, and U.S.-French exercises which pitted her aircraft against French interceptors and a surface action with French cruiser
Colbert (C611). She returned to Norfolk 4 March 1964.
Following training exercises, ranging north to New York
and south to Mayport, Fla., Independence departed Norfolk 8 September 1964 for NATO Teamwork exercises in the Norwegian Sea
and off the coast of France, thence to Gibraltar
. She returned to Norfolk 5 November 1964 and entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for overhaul.
off the coast of Vietnam
, the first Atlantic Fleet carrier to do so. She also was the fifth U.S. carrier to operate off Vietnam
. Independence and her embarked Air Wing 7 received the Navy Unit Commendation
for exceptionally meritorious service from 5 June to 21 November 1965. The carrier's air group participated in the first major series of coordinated strikes against vital enemy supply lines north of the Hanoi
-Haiphong
complex, successfully evading the first massive surface-to-air missile
barrage in aviation history while attacking assigned targets, and executing, with daring and precision, the first successful attack on an enemy surface-to-air missile installation. The carrier launched more than 7,000 sorties, sustaining an exceptional pace of day and night strike operations against military and logistic supply facilities in North Vietnam
. "The superior team spirit, courage, professional competence, and devotion to duty displayed by the officers and men of Independence and embarked Attack Carrier Air Wing Seven reflect great credit upon themselves and the United States Naval Service."
Independence returned to her homeport, Norfolk, Va. arriving 13 December 1965. During the first half of 1966, she operated off Norfolk, replenishing and training air groups. On 4 May 1966, she participated in Operation Strikex. The carrier departed Norfolk 13 June for European operations with the Sixth Fleet. Independence was involved with unit and NATO exercises from July into December. She then continued her Sixth Fleet deployment returning to CONUS in early 1967. After a few months of local operations, she underwent an extensive overhaul at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth VA. The drydock portion of the overhaul was interrupted when Independence had to leave drydock early for the fire-damaged Forrestal
on 19 September 1967.
On 30 April 1968 the Independence steamed to the Mediterranean Sea for a 9 month deployment. She returned to Pier 12 NOB Norfolk, VA on 27 January 1969. On 3 September 1969 the Independence departed Norfolk to participate in NATO exercises in the North Atlantic, (NORLANT), returning home on 9 October 1969. The Independence was again deployed to the Mediterranean on 23 June 1970, returning to Pier 12 on 31 January 1971. It was during this cruise the Indy was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation in support of actions against the PLO during the Jordanian crisis.
On 25 September 1970, word was received that Gamal Abdel Nasser
, President of the United Arab Republic
had died; an event that might plunge the entire Middle East
into a crisis. Independence, along with John F. Kennedy
, Saratoga
, and seven other U.S. Navy ships were put on standby in case U.S. military protection was needed for the evacuation of U.S. citizens and as a counterbalance to the Soviet Union's Mediterranean fleet.
Pilots of VMA-142, -131, and -133 began qualification landings in A-4 Skyhawk
s aboard Independence on 3 August 1971. For the next three days, four active duty and 20 reserve pilots operated aboard the carrier —the first time that Marine Corps Air Reserve squadrons qualified in carrier duty. The Navy established VF101 Detachment 66 from NAS Oceanna as a one cruise only F4J Fighter Squadron. This was the first time that a Marine Corps F4J fighter squadron was stationed aboard an aircraft carrier for a Mediterranean cruise as a sister squadron to VF101 Detachment 66. VF101 Detachment 66 was decommissioned after one Mediterranean cruise.
Deploying from Norfolk in September 1971, on September 28, 1971 the crew earned the designation as ‘Blue Nose' sailors when the Independence crossed the Arctic Circle. During subsequent operations in the North Sea, Independence conducted cross operation with the British aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal
and transited the English Channel enroute to the Strait of Gibraltar and scheduled operations in the Mediterranean Sea.
In May 1973, President Richard M. Nixon delivered his annual Armed Forces Day
address from the decks of Independence. While based in Norfolk, the ship made deployments to the Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean
. From 8 October to 13 October 1973, Task Force 60.1 with Independence, Task Force 60.2 with Franklin D. Roosevelt
(CV-42), and Task Force 61/62 with Guadalcanal
(LPH-7) were alerted for possible evacuation contingencies in the Middle East as a result of the 1973 Yom Kippur War
between Arab states and Israel
. Independence operated off the island of Crete
.
In the summer of 1974, Independence departed Norfolk for yet another 'Med Cruise', operating with CTF 60.1 and CVW-7. Relieving FDR, Independence and Saratoga continued the tradition of steaming the Med while being shadowed by Soviet aircraft and ships. On 8 September 1974 sailors were introduced to the new concept of terrorism when a bomb exploded in the cargo compartment of TWA Flight 841
high above. Steaming to the crash site, Independence and other ships spent two long days retrieving what little remained of the ill-fated jetliner, her crew, and passengers.
On 20 June 1979, Lieutenant Donna L. Spruill became the first female Navy pilot to carrier qualify in a fixed-wing aircraft. Lieutenant Spruill piloted a C-1A Trader
to an arrested landing aboard Independence.
had transited southbound, making America the first United States Navy carrier (and, thus, Independence the second) to transit the Suez Canal since Intrepid
in 1967. Independence completed a deployment of 204 days, during which the crew saw liberty only three times—5 days in Mauritius
, a week in Perth, Australia
, and a short 1/2 day stop in Rota, Spain
before crossing the Atlantic to return to Norfolk on 10 June 1981.
In 1982, Independence provided critical support to the multinational peacekeeping force in Lebanon
. On 25 June, the greatest concentration of U.S. Navy air power in the Mediterranean Sea resulted when the battle groups of Forrestal and Independence joined forces with Dwight D. Eisenhower
and John F. Kennedy. After steaming together in the eastern Mediterranean Sea for several days, Forrestal and Independence relieved Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy, the latter sailing home to Norfolk, Va., after a long deployment.
On 25 October 1983, aircraft from Independence's embarked air wing flew missions in support of Operation Urgent Fury, the action to liberate the Caribbean nation of Grenada
. Returning to Lebanon that same year, the ship's air wing conducted air strikes against Syria
n positions.
In 1984, she won the Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award
for the Atlantic Fleet.
On 17 February 1985, Independence arrived at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
to undergo a modernization and overhaul program to extend her service life by 15 years. The flight deck was improved to allow the recovery of high-performance aircraft while the ship traveled at slower speeds, and the NATO Sea Sparrow launchers were upgraded. Other improvements improved the ship's fuel consumption. Independence completed the Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
in June 1988. Setting sail 15 August 1989 from Norfolk, the ship transited the tip of South America
and arrived at her new homeport of NAS North Island
, in San Diego, California
, 8 October.
The Paramount film Flight of the Intruder
(1991), starring Danny Glover
, Willem Dafoe
, and Brad Johnson
was filmed partly on the Independence. The aircraft carrier went out for two weeks of filming in November 1989, with the movie crew keeping the on-board fire party busy with numerous small electrical fires they started with their lighting equipment.
In August 1990, with Carrier Air Wing 14 embarked, Independence was sent to deter Iraq
i aggression during Operation Desert Shield. Arriving on station in the Gulf of Oman
on 5 August, Independence was the first carrier to enter the Persian Gulf
since 1974. The ship remained on station for more than 90 days and permanently reestablished a U.S. naval presence in the region. She returned to San Diego on 20 December 1990.
Independence changed homeports again on 11 September 1991—this time to Yokosuka, Japan
, embarking Carrier Air Wing 5 and becoming the Navy's only permanently forward-deployed aircraft carrier, and flagship for Commander, Carrier Group Five.
On 23 August 1992, Independence entered the Persian Gulf, under the Command of Captain Carter B. Refo prepared to enforce an Allied ban on Iraqi flights over south Iraq below the 32nd parallel north
. On 26 August President George H. W. Bush
announced that the United States and its allies had informed Iraq that in 24 hours Allied aircraft would fly surveillance missions in southern Iraq and were prepared to shoot down any Iraqi aircraft flying south of the 32nd parallel. The action was precipitated by Iraq's failure to comply with U.N. Resolution 688
which demanded that the Iraqi government stop the repression of its Shiite population in southern Iraq.
Persian Gulf allies began to enforce the ban on Iraqi planes from flying south of the 32nd parallel on 27 August in Operation Southern Watch
. Any Iraqi planes that violated the ban would be shot down. Twenty Navy aircraft from CVW-5 aboard Independence in the Persian Gulf were the first coalition aircraft on station over Iraq as Operation Southern Watch
began. Southern Watch was the enforcement of a ban on Iraqi warplanes and helicopters from flying south of the 32nd parallel.
Independence became the most battle experienced ship in the Navy's active fleet, and the first carrier in history to hold that distinction, on 30 June 1995. With this honor, Independence displayed the Revolution
-era First Navy Jack
, commonly called the "Don't Tread On Me" flag, from her bow until her decommissioning. The flag was presented to Independence commanding officer Capt. David P. Polatty III in a formal ceremony on 1 July. The flag was received from Mauna Kea
(AE-22) upon her decommissioning.
In November 1995, the Independence and Carrier Air Wing Five team returned to Japan after successfully completing their third deployment to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch.
to provide a stabilizing presence amid the Third Taiwan Strait Crisis
. She was joined in the area by the Nimitz as the People's Republic of China
lobbed missiles into Taiwanese territorial waters. Upon returning to Yokosuka in April 1996, the ship was visited by President Bill Clinton
as part of an official state visit to Japan.
In 1997, Independence made a four-month deployment, covering several major exercises and seven ports of call. Included in these ports of call were two historic port visits. The first was 28 February 1997 to the island territory of Guam
. Independence was the first aircraft carrier to pull into Guam in 36 years.
The second, two months later, was to Port Klang
, Malaysia. Independence became the first aircraft carrier in the world to make a port visit to Malaysia.
Before sailing back to Yokosuka, Japan, Independence made its last port call of the deployment in May 1997 to Hong Kong
. Independence's port visit was the last U.S. naval port visit to the territory before its handover to China on 1 July 1997.
Independence deployed to the Persian Gulf in January 1998 to support negotiations between the UN and Iraq and to again participate in Operation Southern Watch
.
Independence was decommissioned in ceremonies at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
in Bremerton, Washington
, on 30 September 1998. At the conclusion of this ceremony, in keeping with naval tradition, Independences last commanding officer, Captain (later Rear Admiral) Mark R. Milliken, USN, was the last person to depart the ship.
Independences commissioning pennant was hauled down 39 years, 9 months and 20 days after it was first hoisted, and the "Don't Tread on Me" First Navy Jack
was transferred to the Navy's next oldest active ship, the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk
(CV-63).
After decommissioning, Independence remained in mothballs for five and a half years before being struck on 8 March 2004. During her time in mothballs, ex-Independence was said to have been heavily stripped to support the active carrier fleet, especially the Kitty Hawk-class carriers
. Her port anchor and both anchor chains were used on the new Nimitz-class carrier
USS George H W Bush
. The recycling of parts and the poor material condition of the ship at the time she was withdrawn made a strong argument against retaining her as a potential museum ship. Her sisters Saratoga and Ranger were retained, and Ranger remains on donation hold as of 2010; Saratoga however was redesignated for scrapping in April 2010. In April, 2004, Navy officials identified Independence as one of 24 decommissioned ships available to be sunk as artificial reef
s. As of February, 2008 however, she was scheduled to be dismantled in the next five years along with USS Constellation
. She is still available for donation as a reef while awaiting a contract for her dismantling to be awarded.
Reunion groups:
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. It was the fourth and final member of the Forrestal-class conventional-powered Supercarrier
Supercarrier
Supercarrier is an unofficial descriptive term for the largest type of aircraft carrier, usually displacing over 70,000 long tons.Supercarrier is an unofficial descriptive term for the largest type of aircraft carrier, usually displacing over 70,000 long tons.Supercarrier is an unofficial...
. It entered service in 1959, with much of its early years spent in the Mediterranean Fleet.
Independence made a single tour off the coast of Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
in 1965 during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, and also carried out airstrikes against Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
n forces during the Lebanese Civil War
Lebanese Civil War
The Lebanese Civil War was a multifaceted civil war in Lebanon. The war lasted from 1975 to 1990 and resulted in an estimated 150,000 to 230,000 civilian fatalities. Another one million people were wounded, and today approximately 350,000 people remain displaced. There was also a mass exodus of...
and operations over Iraq during Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an operation conducted by Joint Task Force Southwest Asia with the mission of monitoring and controlling airspace south of the 32nd Parallel in Iraq, following the 1991 Gulf War until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Summary:Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992...
, the enforcement of the no-fly zone
Iraqi no-fly zones
The Iraqi no-fly zones were a set of two separate no-fly zones , and were proclaimed by the United States, United Kingdom and France after the Gulf War of 1991 to protect the Kurdish people in northern Iraq and Shiite Muslims in the south. Iraqi aircraft were forbidden from flying inside the zones...
over southern Iraq. Independence was decommissioned in 1998 after 39 years of active service.
Design
The Forrestal-class aircraft carriers were designed in the early 1950s as a smaller version of the cancelled United States classUSS United States (CVA-58)
USS United States , the third ship of the United States Navy named for the nation, but canceled during construction, was to be the lead ship of a new design of aircraft carrier. On 29 July 1948 President Harry Truman approved construction of five "supercarriers", for which funds had been provided...
"Supercarrier
Supercarrier
Supercarrier is an unofficial descriptive term for the largest type of aircraft carrier, usually displacing over 70,000 long tons.Supercarrier is an unofficial descriptive term for the largest type of aircraft carrier, usually displacing over 70,000 long tons.Supercarrier is an unofficial...
s". Unlike the United States class, they were to operate in both the nuclear strike and conventional roles, and were therefore intended to carry a mixed fleet of fighters, light attack and heacy attack aircraft, all of which were to be jets. The carriers were designed around the large new Douglas A3D Skywarrior bomber, with four deck-edge aircraft elevators large enough to handle the new bomber. As jet aircraft needed much more fuel than piston-engined aircraft, the Forrestal-class had a much greater aviation fuel capacity than existing carriers, with 750000 gallons (2,839,059 l) of Avgas
Avgas
Avgas is an aviation fuel used to power piston-engine aircraft. Avgas is distinguished from mogas , which is the everyday gasoline used in cars and some non-commercial light aircraft...
and 789000 gallons (2,986,690.1 l) of jetfuel, more than double that carried in the Midway class aircraft carrier
Midway class aircraft carrier
The Midway class aircraft carrier was one of the longest lived carrier designs in history. First commissioned in late 1945, the lead ship of the class, was not decommissioned until 1992, shortly after service in Operation Desert Storm in 1991.-History:...
s.
Independence was built with an angled flight deck with four C-7 steam catapults, two on the bow and two on the angled deck. It was fitted with AN/SPS-37 long-range search radar and AN/SPS-8B height finding radar. Defensive armament consisted of eight 5"/54 caliber Mark 42 guns mounted on sponsons jutting out from the sides of the ship so they did not interfere with the flight deck. The initial air wing of the Forrestal-class carriers was about 90 aircraft, although this varied with the composition of the airwing.
Construction
The contract to build Independence, the fourth Forrestal-class carrier was awarded to the New York Navy Yard on 2 July 1954, with the ship being laid down on 1 July 1955. She was launched on 6 June 1958 by the wife of Thomas S. Gates, the Secretary of the Navy, and commissioned on 10 January 1959.Testing and workup
Independence conducted shakedown training under her first captain, Captain R. Y. McElroy, with the first landing-on being carried out by a Grumman Trader carrier onboard deliveryCarrier onboard delivery
Carrier Onboard Delivery is a military term used to describe type of aircraft which are able to ferry personnel, mail, and high-priority cargo on and off a naval ship .-History:...
aircraft on 2 March 1959. She arrived at her new homeport of NS Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk, in Norfolk, Virginia, is a base of the United States Navy, supporting naval forces in the United States Fleet Forces Command, those operating in the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Indian Ocean...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
on 30 June 1959, and then carried out a ten-week training cruise in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
. During these trails, while carrying out compatibility tests aboard the new carrier, a Douglas A3D Skywarrior was catapulted off Independence at a gross weight of 84,000 pounds (38,000 kg), the heaviest aircraft to take off from a carrier at the time.
1960–1964
Independence operated off the Virginia CapesVirginia Capes
The Virginia Capes are the two capes, Cape Charles to the north and Cape Henry to the south, that define the entrance to Chesapeake Bay on the eastern coast of North America....
for the next year on training maneuvers, and departed 4 August 1960 for her first cruise to the Mediterranean. There, she added her great strength to the peace-keeping power of the 6th Fleet in that troubled region, remaining in the eastern Mediterranean until her return to Norfolk 3 March 1961. On (4 Aug 1961) she departed again for the Mediterranean to join the US 6th fleet for another cruise and returned (19 Dec 1961)to Norfolk.
Independence sailed 19 April 1962 for Sixth Fleet duty in support of President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
's firm stand on Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
during a recurrence of stress in a critical area. She returned to Norfolk 27 August and sailed 11 October for the Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
. Called on by President Kennedy on 24 October during the 1962 Cuban missile crisis
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation among the Soviet Union, Cuba and the United States in October 1962, during the Cold War...
, Independence provided a strong, visible reminder of U.S. determination and resolve while it acted as a key participant in the U.S. naval blockade of Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. She arrived off Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
in response to the presence of Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
missiles in Cuba and took part in the quarantine operations which finally forced withdrawal of those missiles. She then returned to Norfolk 25 November for readiness exercises along the eastern seaboard, overhaul in the Norfolk Naval Shipyard
Norfolk Naval Shipyard
The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard and abbreviated as NNSY, is a U.S. Navy facility in Portsmouth, Virginia, for building, remodeling, and repairing the Navy's ships. It's the oldest and largest industrial facility that belongs to the U.S. Navy as well as the most...
, and refresher training out of Guantanamo Bay
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base is located on of land and water at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba which the United States leased for use as a coaling station following the Cuban-American Treaty of 1903. The base is located on the shore of Guantánamo Bay at the southeastern end of Cuba. It is the oldest overseas...
.
Independence departed Norfolk 6 August 1963 to take part in combined readiness exercises in the Bay of Biscay
Bay of Biscay
The Bay of Biscay is a gulf of the northeast Atlantic Ocean located south of the Celtic Sea. It lies along the western coast of France from Brest south to the Spanish border, and the northern coast of Spain west to Cape Ortegal, and is named in English after the province of Biscay, in the Spanish...
with sea-air units of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
then entered the Mediterranean 21 August for further duty with the Sixth Fleet. Cruising throughout the Mediterranean, she gained much valuable experience during combined NATO exercises, including close air support to Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
paratroops, reconnaissance, communications, and convoy strike support. President Makarios of Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
paid her a visit 7 October 1963, after which she joined in bilateral U.S.-Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
exercises in the Adriatic
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
with Italian patrol torpedo boat
Torpedo boat
A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval vessel designed to carry torpedoes into battle. The first designs rammed enemy ships with explosive spar torpedoes, and later designs launched self-propelled Whitehead torpedoes. They were created to counter battleships and other large, slow and...
s, and U.S.-French exercises which pitted her aircraft against French interceptors and a surface action with French cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
Colbert (C611). She returned to Norfolk 4 March 1964.
Following training exercises, ranging north to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and south to Mayport, Fla., Independence departed Norfolk 8 September 1964 for NATO Teamwork exercises in the Norwegian Sea
Norwegian Sea
The Norwegian Sea is a marginal sea in the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of Norway. It is located between the North Sea and the Greenland Sea and adjoins the North Atlantic Ocean to the west and the Barents Sea to the northeast. In the southwest, it is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by a...
and off the coast of France, thence to Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
. She returned to Norfolk 5 November 1964 and entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for overhaul.
1965–1970
On 10 May 1965, Independence deployed for more than seven months, including 100 days in the South China SeaSouth China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
off the coast of Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, the first Atlantic Fleet carrier to do so. She also was the fifth U.S. carrier to operate off Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. Independence and her embarked Air Wing 7 received the Navy Unit Commendation
Navy Unit Commendation
The Navy Unit Commendation of the United States Navy is an award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944...
for exceptionally meritorious service from 5 June to 21 November 1965. The carrier's air group participated in the first major series of coordinated strikes against vital enemy supply lines north of the Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
-Haiphong
Haiphong
, also Haiphong, is the third most populous city in Vietnam. The name means, "coastal defence".-History:Hai Phong was originally founded by Lê Chân, the female general of a Vietnamese revolution against the Chinese led by the Trưng Sisters in the year 43 C.E.The area which is now known as Duong...
complex, successfully evading the first massive surface-to-air missile
Surface-to-air missile
A surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
barrage in aviation history while attacking assigned targets, and executing, with daring and precision, the first successful attack on an enemy surface-to-air missile installation. The carrier launched more than 7,000 sorties, sustaining an exceptional pace of day and night strike operations against military and logistic supply facilities in North Vietnam
North Vietnam
The Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout...
. "The superior team spirit, courage, professional competence, and devotion to duty displayed by the officers and men of Independence and embarked Attack Carrier Air Wing Seven reflect great credit upon themselves and the United States Naval Service."
Independence returned to her homeport, Norfolk, Va. arriving 13 December 1965. During the first half of 1966, she operated off Norfolk, replenishing and training air groups. On 4 May 1966, she participated in Operation Strikex. The carrier departed Norfolk 13 June for European operations with the Sixth Fleet. Independence was involved with unit and NATO exercises from July into December. She then continued her Sixth Fleet deployment returning to CONUS in early 1967. After a few months of local operations, she underwent an extensive overhaul at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth VA. The drydock portion of the overhaul was interrupted when Independence had to leave drydock early for the fire-damaged Forrestal
USS Forrestal (CVA-59)
The USS Forrestal , formerly AVT-59 and CVA-59, is a supercarrier that was named after former Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal and was the lead ship of her class of aircraft carriers. The other carriers of her class were the , and...
on 19 September 1967.
On 30 April 1968 the Independence steamed to the Mediterranean Sea for a 9 month deployment. She returned to Pier 12 NOB Norfolk, VA on 27 January 1969. On 3 September 1969 the Independence departed Norfolk to participate in NATO exercises in the North Atlantic, (NORLANT), returning home on 9 October 1969. The Independence was again deployed to the Mediterranean on 23 June 1970, returning to Pier 12 on 31 January 1971. It was during this cruise the Indy was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation in support of actions against the PLO during the Jordanian crisis.
1970–1979
Gamal Abdel Nasser
Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein was the second President of Egypt from 1956 until his death. A colonel in the Egyptian army, Nasser led the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 along with Muhammad Naguib, the first president, which overthrew the monarchy of Egypt and Sudan, and heralded a new period of...
, President of the United Arab Republic
United Arab Republic
The United Arab Republic , often abbreviated as the U.A.R., was a sovereign union between Egypt and Syria. The union began in 1958 and existed until 1961, when Syria seceded from the union. Egypt continued to be known officially as the "United Arab Republic" until 1971. The President was Gamal...
had died; an event that might plunge the entire Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
into a crisis. Independence, along with John F. Kennedy
USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67)
USS John F. Kennedy is a John F. Kennedy class aircraft carrier, the last conventionally powered carrier built for the United States Navy. The ship is named after the 35th President of the United States, John F...
, Saratoga
USS Saratoga (CV-60)
USS Saratoga , was one of four Forrestal- class supercarriers built for the US Navy in the 1950s. Saratoga was the sixth US Navy ship, and the second aircraft carrier, to be named for the Battle of Saratoga in the American Revolutionary War.Commissioned in 1956, she spent most of her career in...
, and seven other U.S. Navy ships were put on standby in case U.S. military protection was needed for the evacuation of U.S. citizens and as a counterbalance to the Soviet Union's Mediterranean fleet.
Pilots of VMA-142, -131, and -133 began qualification landings in A-4 Skyhawk
A-4 Skyhawk
The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a carrier-capable ground-attack aircraft designed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The delta winged, single-engined Skyhawk was designed and produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, and later McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated the A4D...
s aboard Independence on 3 August 1971. For the next three days, four active duty and 20 reserve pilots operated aboard the carrier —the first time that Marine Corps Air Reserve squadrons qualified in carrier duty. The Navy established VF101 Detachment 66 from NAS Oceanna as a one cruise only F4J Fighter Squadron. This was the first time that a Marine Corps F4J fighter squadron was stationed aboard an aircraft carrier for a Mediterranean cruise as a sister squadron to VF101 Detachment 66. VF101 Detachment 66 was decommissioned after one Mediterranean cruise.
Deploying from Norfolk in September 1971, on September 28, 1971 the crew earned the designation as ‘Blue Nose' sailors when the Independence crossed the Arctic Circle. During subsequent operations in the North Sea, Independence conducted cross operation with the British aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal
HMS Ark Royal (R09)
HMS Ark Royal was an Audacious-class aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy and, when she was decommissioned in 1978, was the Royal Navy's last remaining conventional catapult and arrested-landing aircraft carrier...
and transited the English Channel enroute to the Strait of Gibraltar and scheduled operations in the Mediterranean Sea.
In May 1973, President Richard M. Nixon delivered his annual Armed Forces Day
Armed Forces Day
Several nations of the world hold an annual Armed Forces Day in honor of their military forces. - Armenia :Բանակի օր is celebrated on 28 January to commemorate the formation of the armed forces of the newly independent Republic of Armenia in 1992....
address from the decks of Independence. While based in Norfolk, the ship made deployments to the Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
. From 8 October to 13 October 1973, Task Force 60.1 with Independence, Task Force 60.2 with Franklin D. Roosevelt
USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CV-42)
USS Franklin D. Roosevelt was the second of three Midway class aircraft carriers. To her crew, she was known as the "Swanky Franky," "Foo-De-Roo," or "Rosie," with the last nickname probably the most popular. Roosevelt spent most of her active deployed career operating in the Mediterranean Sea as...
(CV-42), and Task Force 61/62 with Guadalcanal
USS Guadalcanal (LPH-7)
USS Guadalcanal , the third Iwo Jima-class amphibious assault ship , was launched by the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard 16 March 1963, sponsored by Mrs. David Shoup, wife of General Shoup, the former Commandant of the Marine Corps; and commissioned 20 July 1963, Captain Dale K. Peterson in command...
(LPH-7) were alerted for possible evacuation contingencies in the Middle East as a result of the 1973 Yom Kippur War
Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...
between Arab states and Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. Independence operated off the island of Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
.
In the summer of 1974, Independence departed Norfolk for yet another 'Med Cruise', operating with CTF 60.1 and CVW-7. Relieving FDR, Independence and Saratoga continued the tradition of steaming the Med while being shadowed by Soviet aircraft and ships. On 8 September 1974 sailors were introduced to the new concept of terrorism when a bomb exploded in the cargo compartment of TWA Flight 841
TWA Flight 841 (1974)
On September 8, 1974, a Boeing 707-331B operating as TWA Flight 841 took off from Ben Gurion International Airport, Tel Aviv en route to JFK International Airport, New York City. It was scheduled to land in Athens, followed by Rome, and then proceed to New York. After stopping for 68 minutes in...
high above. Steaming to the crash site, Independence and other ships spent two long days retrieving what little remained of the ill-fated jetliner, her crew, and passengers.
On 20 June 1979, Lieutenant Donna L. Spruill became the first female Navy pilot to carrier qualify in a fixed-wing aircraft. Lieutenant Spruill piloted a C-1A Trader
C-1 Trader
|-See also:-External links:...
to an arrested landing aboard Independence.
1980–1989
On 19 November 1980, Independence deployed to the Indian Ocean and was on watch on "Gonzo Station" as President Reagan took office and the Iranian Hostages were freed. Subsequently completing an Indian Ocean cruise, Independence transited the Suez Canal northbound, shortly after AmericaUSS America (CV-66)
The USS America was one of four Kitty Hawk-class super carriers built for the United States Navy in the 1960s. Commissioned in 1965, she spent most of her career in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, but did make three Pacific deployments serving in the Vietnam War. She also served in operations...
had transited southbound, making America the first United States Navy carrier (and, thus, Independence the second) to transit the Suez Canal since Intrepid
USS Intrepid (CV-11)
USS Intrepid , also known as The Fighting "I", is one of 24 s built during World War II for the United States Navy. She is the fourth US Navy ship to bear the name. Commissioned in August 1943, Intrepid participated in several campaigns in the Pacific Theater of Operations, most notably the Battle...
in 1967. Independence completed a deployment of 204 days, during which the crew saw liberty only three times—5 days in Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
, a week in Perth, Australia
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, and a short 1/2 day stop in Rota, Spain
Rota, Spain
-External references:*, official website * On-line since 1999! News, premiere information, pictures, weather, etc. Into Spanish, English... ****- External links :...
before crossing the Atlantic to return to Norfolk on 10 June 1981.
In 1982, Independence provided critical support to the multinational peacekeeping force in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. On 25 June, the greatest concentration of U.S. Navy air power in the Mediterranean Sea resulted when the battle groups of Forrestal and Independence joined forces with Dwight D. Eisenhower
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69)
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower is an aircraft carrier currently in service with the United States Navy. Commissioned in 1977, the ship is the second of the ten Nimitz-class supercarriers currently in service, and is the first ship named after the thirty-fourth President of the United States, Dwight D....
and John F. Kennedy. After steaming together in the eastern Mediterranean Sea for several days, Forrestal and Independence relieved Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy, the latter sailing home to Norfolk, Va., after a long deployment.
On 25 October 1983, aircraft from Independence's embarked air wing flew missions in support of Operation Urgent Fury, the action to liberate the Caribbean nation of Grenada
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
. Returning to Lebanon that same year, the ship's air wing conducted air strikes against Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
n positions.
In 1984, she won the Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award
Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award
The Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award is presented annually by the U.S. Navy's Chief of Naval Operations to one ship in the U.S. Atlantic Fleet and one in the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
for the Atlantic Fleet.
On 17 February 1985, Independence arrived at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
The Philadelphia Naval Business Center, formerly known as the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and Philadelphia Navy Yard, was the first naval shipyard of the United States. The U.S. Navy reduced its activities there in the 1990s, and ended most of them on September 30, 1995...
to undergo a modernization and overhaul program to extend her service life by 15 years. The flight deck was improved to allow the recovery of high-performance aircraft while the ship traveled at slower speeds, and the NATO Sea Sparrow launchers were upgraded. Other improvements improved the ship's fuel consumption. Independence completed the Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
The Philadelphia Naval Business Center, formerly known as the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and Philadelphia Navy Yard, was the first naval shipyard of the United States. The U.S. Navy reduced its activities there in the 1990s, and ended most of them on September 30, 1995...
in June 1988. Setting sail 15 August 1989 from Norfolk, the ship transited the tip of South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
and arrived at her new homeport of NAS North Island
Naval Air Station North Island
Naval Air Station North Island or NAS North Island is located at the north end of the Coronado peninsula on San Diego Bay and is the home port of several aircraft carriers of the United States Navy...
, in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, 8 October.
The Paramount film Flight of the Intruder
Flight of the Intruder
Flight of the Intruder is a 1991 film directed by John Milius, which is based on the novel of the same name by A-6 Intruder pilot Stephen Coonts...
(1991), starring Danny Glover
Danny Glover
Danny Lebern Glover is an American actor, film director, and political activist. Glover is perhaps best known for his role as Detective Roger Murtaugh in the Lethal Weapon film franchise.-Early life:...
, Willem Dafoe
Willem Dafoe
Willem Dafoe is an American film, stage, and voice actor, and a founding member of the experimental theatre company The Wooster Group...
, and Brad Johnson
Brad Johnson (actor)
Brad Johnson is an American actor and former Marlboro Man.Johnson's first acting credit was in the low-budget biker film The Nam Angels , and shortly after he had his first co-starring role in a major film when he played the role of Ted Baker in the 1989 film Always, directed by Steven Spielberg...
was filmed partly on the Independence. The aircraft carrier went out for two weeks of filming in November 1989, with the movie crew keeping the on-board fire party busy with numerous small electrical fires they started with their lighting equipment.
1990–1995
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
i aggression during Operation Desert Shield. Arriving on station in the Gulf of Oman
Gulf of Oman
The Gulf of Oman or Sea of Oman is a strait that connects the Arabian Sea with the Strait of Hormuz, which then runs to the Persian Gulf. It is generally included as a branch of the Persian Gulf, not as an arm of the Arabian Sea. On the north coast is Pakistan and Iran...
on 5 August, Independence was the first carrier to enter the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
since 1974. The ship remained on station for more than 90 days and permanently reestablished a U.S. naval presence in the region. She returned to San Diego on 20 December 1990.
Independence changed homeports again on 11 September 1991—this time to Yokosuka, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, embarking Carrier Air Wing 5 and becoming the Navy's only permanently forward-deployed aircraft carrier, and flagship for Commander, Carrier Group Five.
On 23 August 1992, Independence entered the Persian Gulf, under the Command of Captain Carter B. Refo prepared to enforce an Allied ban on Iraqi flights over south Iraq below the 32nd parallel north
32nd parallel north
The 32nd parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 32 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Africa, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America and the Atlantic Ocean....
. On 26 August President George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
announced that the United States and its allies had informed Iraq that in 24 hours Allied aircraft would fly surveillance missions in southern Iraq and were prepared to shoot down any Iraqi aircraft flying south of the 32nd parallel. The action was precipitated by Iraq's failure to comply with U.N. Resolution 688
United Nations Security Council Resolution 688
United Nations Security Council Resolution 688, adopted on April 5, 1991, after receiving letters from the representatives of France, Iran and Turkey and expressing its concern over repression of the Iraqi people, including those in Iraqi Kurdistan, the Council condemned the repression and...
which demanded that the Iraqi government stop the repression of its Shiite population in southern Iraq.
Persian Gulf allies began to enforce the ban on Iraqi planes from flying south of the 32nd parallel on 27 August in Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an operation conducted by Joint Task Force Southwest Asia with the mission of monitoring and controlling airspace south of the 32nd Parallel in Iraq, following the 1991 Gulf War until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Summary:Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992...
. Any Iraqi planes that violated the ban would be shot down. Twenty Navy aircraft from CVW-5 aboard Independence in the Persian Gulf were the first coalition aircraft on station over Iraq as Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an operation conducted by Joint Task Force Southwest Asia with the mission of monitoring and controlling airspace south of the 32nd Parallel in Iraq, following the 1991 Gulf War until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Summary:Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992...
began. Southern Watch was the enforcement of a ban on Iraqi warplanes and helicopters from flying south of the 32nd parallel.
Independence became the most battle experienced ship in the Navy's active fleet, and the first carrier in history to hold that distinction, on 30 June 1995. With this honor, Independence displayed the Revolution
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
-era First Navy Jack
First Navy Jack
The First Navy Jack is the current U.S. jack authorized by the United States Navy. The design is traditionally regarded as that of first U.S. naval jack flown in the earliest years of the republic.-History:...
, commonly called the "Don't Tread On Me" flag, from her bow until her decommissioning. The flag was presented to Independence commanding officer Capt. David P. Polatty III in a formal ceremony on 1 July. The flag was received from Mauna Kea
USS Mauna Kea (AE-22)
USS Mauna Kea was a of the United States Navy that was laid down at the Bethlehem-Sparrows Point Shipyard Inc., Sparrows Point, Maryland on 6 May 1955; launched on 3 May 1956; sponsored by Mrs. Charles R. Brown; and commissioned on 30 March 1957, Captain Kenneth Loveland in command. The ship was...
(AE-22) upon her decommissioning.
In November 1995, the Independence and Carrier Air Wing Five team returned to Japan after successfully completing their third deployment to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch.
1996–1998
In March 1996, Independence was deployed to the waters east of TaiwanTaiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
to provide a stabilizing presence amid the Third Taiwan Strait Crisis
Third Taiwan Strait Crisis
The Third Taiwan Strait Crisis, also called the 1995–1996 Taiwan Strait Crisis or the 1996 Taiwan Strait Crisis, was the effect of a series of missile tests conducted by the People's Republic of China in the waters surrounding Taiwan including the Taiwan Strait from July 21, 1995 to March 23, 1996...
. She was joined in the area by the Nimitz as the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
lobbed missiles into Taiwanese territorial waters. Upon returning to Yokosuka in April 1996, the ship was visited by President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
as part of an official state visit to Japan.
In 1997, Independence made a four-month deployment, covering several major exercises and seven ports of call. Included in these ports of call were two historic port visits. The first was 28 February 1997 to the island territory of Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
. Independence was the first aircraft carrier to pull into Guam in 36 years.
The second, two months later, was to Port Klang
Port Klang
Port Klang is a town and the main gateway by sea into Malaysia. Colonially known as Port Swettenham, it is also the location of the largest and busiest port in the country. As such, its economic progress has been greatly influenced by the port activities in its area...
, Malaysia. Independence became the first aircraft carrier in the world to make a port visit to Malaysia.
Before sailing back to Yokosuka, Japan, Independence made its last port call of the deployment in May 1997 to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. Independence's port visit was the last U.S. naval port visit to the territory before its handover to China on 1 July 1997.
Independence deployed to the Persian Gulf in January 1998 to support negotiations between the UN and Iraq and to again participate in Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an operation conducted by Joint Task Force Southwest Asia with the mission of monitoring and controlling airspace south of the 32nd Parallel in Iraq, following the 1991 Gulf War until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Summary:Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992...
.
Independence was decommissioned in ceremonies at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility is a United States Navy shipyard covering 179 acres on Puget Sound at Bremerton, Washington...
in Bremerton, Washington
Bremerton, Washington
Bremerton is a city in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. The population was 38,790 at the 2011 State Estimate, making it the largest city on the Olympic Peninsula. Bremerton is home to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and the Bremerton Annex of Naval Base Kitsap...
, on 30 September 1998. At the conclusion of this ceremony, in keeping with naval tradition, Independences last commanding officer, Captain (later Rear Admiral) Mark R. Milliken, USN, was the last person to depart the ship.
Independences commissioning pennant was hauled down 39 years, 9 months and 20 days after it was first hoisted, and the "Don't Tread on Me" First Navy Jack
First Navy Jack
The First Navy Jack is the current U.S. jack authorized by the United States Navy. The design is traditionally regarded as that of first U.S. naval jack flown in the earliest years of the republic.-History:...
was transferred to the Navy's next oldest active ship, the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk
USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63)
The supercarrier USS Kitty Hawk , formerly CVA-63, was the second naval ship named after Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the site of the Wright brothers' first powered airplane flight...
(CV-63).
Decommissioning and fate
Kitty Hawk class aircraft carrier
The Kitty Hawk-class supercarriers of the United States Navy were an incremental improvement on the Forrestal-class vessels. Four were built, all in the 1960s, , , and...
. Her port anchor and both anchor chains were used on the new Nimitz-class carrier
Nimitz class aircraft carrier
The Nimitz-class supercarriers are a class of ten nuclear-powered aircraft carriers in service with the United States Navy. With an overall length of and full-load displacements of over 100,000 long tons, they are the largest capital ships in the world...
USS George H W Bush
USS George H. W. Bush (CVN-77)
USS George H.W. Bush is the tenth and final Nimitz-class supercarrier of the United States Navy. She is named for the 41st President of the United States George H. W. Bush, who was a naval aviator during World War II. Bush callsign is Avenger, after the TBM Avenger aircraft flown by...
. The recycling of parts and the poor material condition of the ship at the time she was withdrawn made a strong argument against retaining her as a potential museum ship. Her sisters Saratoga and Ranger were retained, and Ranger remains on donation hold as of 2010; Saratoga however was redesignated for scrapping in April 2010. In April, 2004, Navy officials identified Independence as one of 24 decommissioned ships available to be sunk as artificial reef
Artificial reef
An artificial reef is a human-made underwater structure, typically built to promote marine life in areas with a generally featureless bottom, control erosion, block ship passage, or improve surfing....
s. As of February, 2008 however, she was scheduled to be dismantled in the next five years along with USS Constellation
USS Constellation (CV-64)
USS Constellation , a Kitty Hawk-class supercarrier, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named in honor of the "new constellation of stars" on the flag of the United States and the only naval vessel ever authorized to display red, white, and blue designation numbers...
. She is still available for donation as a reef while awaiting a contract for her dismantling to be awarded.
See also
External links
Reunion groups: