Tailhook Daily Briefing

Fifty!

A half a century ago, back when Naval Aviation was a wee 49 years old, a ship was born that would be the example and the benchmark for many years to come.

Today the USS Enterprise, CVN-65 turns 50!

She, with her iconic conning tower and now irrelevant catapult horns, has stood the test of time for 50 years serving the American People in their defense and in their support.

The eighth ‘Enterprise’ CVN-65 has chalked up a number of firsts in her illustrious career.  The most obvious being the first nuclear powered carrier.  But the list of achievements by this ship and her crew does not end there.

• On December 19, 1962, an E-2A piloted by Lt. Cmdr. Lee M. Ramsey was catapulted off the Enterprise in the first shipboard test of nose-tow gear designed to replace the catapult bridle and reduce launching intervals.
• On 13 May 1964, the world's first nuclear-powered task force was formed when USS Long Beach (CGN 9) and USS Bainbridge (DLGN-25) (CGN 7) joined Enterprise. On July 31, 1964, the ships were designated Task Force One and, leaving Gibraltar, sailed on Operation Sea Orbit, an historic 65-day, 30,216-mile voyage around the world, accomplished without a single refueling or replenishment.
• Enterprise became the first nuclear-powered ship to engage in combat when it launched bomb-laden aircraft in a projection of power against the Viet Cong near Bien Hoa on December 2, 1965. USS Enterprise launched 125 sorties on the first day, unleashing 167 tons of bombs and rockets on the enemy's supply lines. The next day it set a record of 165 strike sorties in a single day.
• The first operational F-14A Tomcat made its maiden landings and take-offs from the "Big E" on March 18, 1974, and when USS Enterprise made its seventh western Pacific deployment in September 1974, it became the first carrier to deploy with the new fighter plane (VF-1 Wolfpack and VF-2 Bounty Hunters).

• When USS Enterprise deployed in 1986, it became the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to transit the Suez Canal.

She is expected to make it to 53 years in service before finally winning her much deserved rest.  She has served us well.

Happy Birthday Big E!

Photos From the Tailhook 2010 Front Lines

Your Humble Scribe cannot be at this year’s Tailhook Symposium and reunion in Reno, but not to fear!  I have recruited a couple of stalwarts in the Tailhook Community to help me out, Hans and Kathy Schmoldt!

I just received a couple of “Images from the Front Lines” that I am glad to pass on to our faithful readers. (Fair warning many of these images and comments are being transmitted direct from Han’s iPhone thus the details surrounding them are limited at best.)

Below is the award presented to NFO of the Year LCDR David Rueter (and I assume Hizzoner himself).  Lemme guess, call sign “Roto”?

 

Hans then pinged me with another quick brief regarding the awarding of the most “Straight Deck” landings (440) to Diz Laird pictured here with Hans. Diz Laird has the singular distinction of having shot down not only Japanese but German aircraft in WW II.

Additionally Hans forwarded a few of our resident Colorado Ready Room Members Bad Bart, and Spook!

Also included on the recon dump are images  of Bartlesville's Silver Star recipient Bru and his two employees.

Thank you Hans and Kathy!!!

Keep those images and stories coming in!  And if you too wish to contribute please forward your tales and images directly to me at carmichaelj@comcast.net