USS CONSTELLATION 1973

OLDNAVYMCPO · Jun 3, 2017

I went aboard the USS Constellation (CV-64), called affectionately, the Connie, by it's crew, in January 1973 for a West Pac cruise. It was to be a wartime cruise in the Tonkin Gulf. The Paris Peace Accords took place a short time later and bombing of the North ceased. We did continue bombing in Laos until the end of Feb. My squadron still had a major combat role since we flew recon missions multiple times, day and night. Mostly we flew recon missions keeping track of NVA activity on the Ho Chi Mihn Trail. The Ho Chi Mihn Trail was not a single route but many constantly changing paths, roads and bridges. Much of the trail was ingeniously camouflaged with overhead, interwoven branches and bamboo.

The first photo is me as a brand new CPO, lots of responsibility.

The next photo shows it wasn't all work.

The Connie's island.

One of my birds launching off the waist cat.

My crew getting a bird ready for a mission.

Tradewind36 · Jun 3, 2017

Great pics, what squadron were you in? That looks like an A-5. I was stationed at Key West NAS early 70's, lots of RA-5s there.

OLDNAVYMCPO · Jun 3, 2017

My squadron, RVAH-12 Speartips, flew the RA5C Vigilante aircraft. Originally designed as a nuclear bomber, the A/C had a hollow fuselage with a strange looking cap in the end of the tube. Looked like the rear end of a grasshopper. Originally, it was intended to carry a nuclear bomb in this hollow compartment. In bombing, the A/C would make a maneuver in an upper loop and loft the bomb out it's rear. The ASB-12 system for which I was responsible, included a radar system and an inertial navigation system as well as the bombing computer. The RAN, or back seat operated the system as well as many other tasks associated with the recon mission.

Reconfigured as a recon A/C, the hollow fuselage provided ample space for cameras, electronic eavesdropping equipment, jamming gear, side-looking radar and other recon gathering gear.

1. Escort destroyer in distance while one of my birds is being readied for a mission.

2. F-4 Phantom getting ready to launch.

3. Another F-4 launch.

4. Maint on the hangar bay.

5. E-2C Hawkeye and the Angel at Cubi Point, PI.

Tradewind36 · Jun 3, 2017

More great pics, I got the opportunity to crawl around an RA-5, had a friend who was a Vigi pilot in KW. I joined the Navy to fly the F-4, though I never got to. I flew H-3s out of KW, I remember flying 2 SAR missions for downed A-5s, not a pleasant memory.

OLDNAVYMCPO · Jun 3, 2017

On April 21, 1973 as a RA5C was catapulted off a bow cat, the onboard fuel tanks inside the fuselage, came flying out onto the flight deck. The now airborne A/C caught on fire. LCDR Fowler, the pilot gave the command to eject and initiated the process. As designed, the RAN, or backseat, is the first to go. LtJg Dipadova, the RAN, was ejected just as the A/C became inverted. He was fired into the ocean from a very low altitude. The force of the ejection ripped off his oxygen mask and turned his helmet sideways on his head. He plunged into the sea before his chute even had a chance to deploy. Underwater, he fought to get his life vest inflated.

LCDR Fowler was ejected after the A/C rolled to a more upright position. He experienced a more normal ejection. They were both rescued by the Angel crew essentially unharmed except for the Jg who suffered some bruising about the face.

1. My birds parked in corral behind the island.

2. A3D, used as tanker.

3. Angel lifting off before launches.

4. Rescue in progress after ejection.

5. Storm clouds gathering.

Jebus35745 · Jun 3, 2017

Just posted on your thread about the USS America. We were in the Gulf of Tonkin at the same time. I was on the USS America as a weather man. Larry

Murphy's Law · Jun 3, 2017

I was on the USS Oriskany 1964-1967 and made three deployments to the Tonkin Gulf. Experienced the ordnance explosion in 65 where we lost many of our A3/A4 & A7 pilots along with many black shoes (ships company). Back then it was the Coral Sea, Connie, Roosevelt, Bony Dick, Enterprise, Hancock, Midway and the Forrestal. We all took our turns on 6-7 month deployments. Again in 73 got resigned to the Big "O" and rode her back from Philippines to San Fran for decommission. Now she's a coral reef up in the pan handle of FL. Think also, she was the last of the "Essex" class carriers. I ended up retiring as a Senior Chief in 85. Looking back, we were all still very young doing what our country expected of us. We may have not been the greatest generation, but we were a close second with respect to the Viet Nam war. God Bless America !

OLDNAVYMCPO · Jun 3, 2017

Murphy's Law said:
I was on the USS Oriskany 1964-1967 and made three deployments to the Tonkin Gulf. Experienced the ordnance explosion in 65 where we lost many of our A3/A4 & A7 pilots along with many black shoes (ships company). Back then it was the Coral Sea, Connie, Roosevelt, Bony Dick, Enterprise, Hancock, Midway and the Forrestal. We all took our turns on 6-7 month deployments. Again in 73 got resigned to the Big "O" and rode her back from Philippines to San Fran for decommission. Now she's a coral reef up in the pan handle of FL. Think also, she was the last of the "Essex" class carriers. I ended up retiring as a Senior Chief in 85. Looking back, we were all still very young doing what our country expected of us. We may have not been the greatest generation, but we were a close second with respect to the Viet Nam war. God Bless America !

I'm really glad you responded. I'd give you 10 likes if I could. It was a different time back then and the men were different as well. I'll just leave it at that.

BUFF · Jun 3, 2017

Thanks for posting the photos, and thanks to all for your service.

From my reading, the Vigilante was a really fast aircraft and often outran it's escorting Phantoms when painted. Good looking airplane.

A brother-in-law was a radar tech on the Ranger in the late 1980's/early 1990's. I went out on a family day cruise with him in about 1990. Got to watch the air show from way up on the island because that's where his antennae were. Amazing what our military folks do every day.

fordson · Jun 3, 2017

My first cruise was on the Forrestal, flying H-3s. Before that, I was flying H-1s with the Marines - yes, a "Swabbe" with our Shipmates in Green! Never served aboard the Connie. My last "cruise" was aboard the America during the 1st Gulf War. While I was aboard her, they held burial services for a A-7 too badly damaged to repair (A-7 platform was also in its sunset at that time).

Master Chief - you look like a kid in those photos. But we all were then.

caduceus · Jun 3, 2017

Hello shipmate

Murphy's Law said:
I was on the USS Oriskany 1964-1967 and made three deployments to the Tonkin Gulf. Experienced the ordnance explosion in 65 where we lost many of our A3/A4 & A7 pilots along with many black shoes (ships company). Back then it was the Coral Sea, Connie, Roosevelt, Bony Dick, Enterprise, Hancock, Midway and the Forrestal. We all took our turns on 6-7 month deployments. Again in 73 got resigned to the Big "O" and rode her back from Philippines to San Fran for decommission. Now she's a coral reef up in the pan handle of FL. Think also, she was the last of the "Essex" class carriers. I ended up retiring as a Senior Chief in 85. Looking back, we were all still very young doing what our country expected of us. We may have not been the greatest generation, but we were a close second with respect to the Viet Nam war. God Bless America !

72-73, USS Oriskany H-Div, flight deck etc. We walked the same decks. Came back together.
Ret,CWO4.

Muley Gil · Jun 3, 2017

The summer of '73 I was a 3/c Marine option midshipman aboard the USS Semmes DDG18, stationed in Charleston SC. Learned more about ships than I wanted.

jcelect · Jun 3, 2017

Pictures

I would love to have a few pictures of my ship but photo ops at 350ft below the surface is rather difficult! I would love to say where I have been but we left Holy Loch, Scotland and submerged and went north to where the water was really, really cold! I would like to say "thank you" to all you squids for serving during a time period from hell!
jcelect EM2 SS/FBM 1961-1969

USS CONSTELLATION 1973

OLDNAVYMCPO

US Veteran, Absent Comrade

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Tradewind36

US Veteran

OLDNAVYMCPO

US Veteran, Absent Comrade

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Tradewind36

US Veteran

OLDNAVYMCPO

US Veteran, Absent Comrade

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Jebus35745

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Murphy's Law

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OLDNAVYMCPO

US Veteran, Absent Comrade

BUFF

SWCA Member, Absent Comrade

fordson

US Veteran

caduceus

US Veteran

Muley Gil

US Veteran

jcelect

US Veteran

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