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During World War II, Truk Lagoon served as the forward anchorage for the Japanese Imperial Fleet. The place was considered the most formidable of all Japanese strongholds in the Pacific. At anchor in the lagoon were the Imperial Japanese Navy’s giant battleships, aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers, tankers, cargo ships, tugboats, gunboats, minesweepers, landing craft, and submarines. Once the American forces captured the Marshall Islands, they used it as a base from which they launched an early morning attack on February 17, 1944 against Truk Lagoon. The Japanese withdrew most of their heavy units. Operation Hailstone lasted for three days, with an American bombardment of the Japanese wiping out almost anything of value - 60 ships and 275 airplanes were sent to the bottom of the lagoon. The superior force of United States ships and planes made the Truk lagoon the biggest graveyard of ships in the world. - FCM Robert Rice Posted September 11, 2011
I was the PN3 in charge of the personal office when VF-33 when abroad the USS Intrepid in July '57. Our home base was NAS Oceania. I believe we were the first air group on the carrier after she came out of re-fitting with the angle deck from the Philadelphia Navy Yard. This was the shake down cruise. In early August VF-33 TAD to Gitmo for gunnery and other exercises. The carrier returned to Norfolk for minor repairs and provisioning for a round the world tour. I left the ship at the end of August for release active duty. I do not remember the CAG number. I do remember some of the pilots' names - Mr. Flowers, Mr. Welcome, Mr. Seibert. We had an Air Force pilot assigned to VF-33 during this time. I also have some film (8mm) of the Intrepid refueling a DD at sea. I would like to hear from any former VF-33 sailor or officers to reply?
FCM Tom R. Tirney, Email: trt100@aol.com Posted September 11, 2011
While serving on the Intrepid as a radarman under Captain Blackburn, an excellent guitarist buddy from our OI Division, Harry A. McClure, encouraged me to buy a guitar and join him on the 07 level to learn how to play it. Since I had always been a singer, that was pretty easy...and then we pulled into the Brooklyn Naval yards for some repair. Being a non-drinker I went with Harry to the Catholic USO Club and heard Buddy Holly's record of "That'll Be The Day". New York seems light years from Clovis, New Mexico, but in a little over a year I was in Clovis, singing over the same microphone as Buddy, cutting my first record. At 75 I'm still recording, "Don't Stop Buy The Creek, Son" currently on the independent charts at this writing, more release's scheduled soon. I'm still not sure if Captain Blackburn would have approved of us going to the 07 level to play guitars, but...it started quite a journey that has affected lots of people and goes on to this day. P.S.: During a tour of the med, a photographer caught my mesdmerized gaze on twin belly dancers and put it in the Navy Magazine (56 or 57). Would love to find it , if it still exists.
I served with VF-33 aboard the Intrepid from '60 to '62. I still remember my first day on the flight deck. I was caught by a jet exhaust blast and sent tumbling toward the prop driven planes near the fantail...(I guess I didn't listen to the Instructors at AP School!)...It felt like very green shirt on deck jumped on me to keep me from going into the spinning props. I spent a few hours in sick-bay so they could check me for any injuries. Luckily, only a few bumps and bruises. I also remember a storm in the Med where we were taking waves over the flight deck. That was one hell of a ride. And who can forget Captain Outlaw's famous..."Men of Intrepid...it is my solemn duty to tell you that your country is at war with the Soviet Union". Of course some would call this a cold war." You could have heard a pin drop anywhere on the ship. A lot of butt holes puckered at the time. Note: As this editor recalls...It was Capt J.L. Abbot, Jr. who made that memorably announcement and it went like this..."Men of Intrepid, it is my solemn duty to inform you that your country is at war"...after a long pause..."yes!...a cold war"...etc., etc.
John (editor)...All I can say is 'Thank you'. I read all the news letters on the "Fighting I". Too bad there isn't one for Gitmo, my previous duty station during the "Missile Crisis". I've viewed it from Google Earth, and most of where I worked and lived are now gone. I was at the flightline on both landing strips. Leeward and Windward Points. During the blockade, while acting as duty driver hauling flight crews to the barracks. I had just let a crew out and was returning to the terminal, when a MATS Boeing 707 loaded with ammo crashed between the landing strip and the taxiway directly in front of me about quarter to half a mile away. No survivors, more to the story if you want to hear it. The short strip at the main base side is now used to store containers, and the barracks and chow hall have been torn down. Possibly the administration building as well. Nothing stays the same! - FCM Bill Morrow - Email: sunupranch@frontiernet.net Posted August 14, 2011
Hello John - Great to see the website coming alive. I served onboard from July '69-April '71 as Ltjg Education and Training Officer and will never forget my time onboard while homeported in Quonset Pt, RI, berthed next to the Wasp. I was assigned to the Intrepid after I returned from a short WestPac tour aboard another ship and was extremely fortunate to get a carrier. I obtained my commission through the AOC Program in Pensacola in '68 (class of '07). What an experience that was...and I married my Pensacola sweetheart while onboard the Intrepid! Even though my time onboard was short it will forever be indelibly etched in my mind forever. I was reunited with the Intrepid when it was brought to NYC to be the Aviation Museum that it so proudly is to this day. I was with a major international airline for 30 years (now retired) so when I was based at JFK I made certain that I was a part of the memories of the Fighting I. Over the years I have tried to contact some of my fellow shipmates and have succeeded in finding a very few. I also would like to have my name on the roster list so in the event anyone may try to find me...there I will be. I live in Ft Lauderdale, FL and this is where I plan on taking my boots off when that time finally arrives...! I look forward to hearing from a FCM in the near future. FCM S. Jason Troncale, Ltjg, XO-Division, July '69-April '71. Posted August 11, 2011
Hi there John, I'm Jim Muse, and I'm trying to track down info on a crash from the Intrepid in the summer of 1955. LTjg William Chadwick Scott was killed flying an AD Skyraider with VA-45, and the family says he was killed during a flight off of Malta. He was my Dad's first cousin, so I think that would have made him my great-uncle or thereabouts... I was wondering if you or any of the veterans from that time might have a cruise book or know someone from the squadron at that time who might be able to provide some more info - even the date would be helpful. I'm active duty myself and can get over to the Navy Yard to do some research, but think having a little more info would be helpful. Thanks much & hope all is well! I can be reached by email at muses44@gmail.com . Take care, Jim Muse Posted August 11, 2011
"Hello...My husband, former USS Intrepid crewmember Peter Stoiber served aboard the Intrepid from May to December, 1966 as a photographer. Pete passed away in June of 2000. I am applying for veterans benefits and need evidence that he put two boots on the ground in vietnam. He said he was aboard when a light plane or helicopter went down and he was the third crew member photographing from these types of aircraft. In addition he told me he took pictures of crew members with snakes while on shore leave in Vietnam. If anyone can corroborate this or has any photos of Peter that he took in Vietnam, please contact me. In addition if any Navy Photographers know where and how photos can be traced, such as a photo archive I would appreciate that information as well. - Thank you. - Mrs Ruth Stoiber, Phone : 925.672.0528, Email: ruthstoiber@aol.com "
While I was in Florida this March/April ('11), I went to the "Sun 'N Fun airshow in Lakeland - sort of a mini - Oshkosh event. The flight line was unusually loaded with T-28's (my all time favorite a/c while in flight training). I was pointing out the difference between the "B" model and the "C" model to my buddies & showed them a "C" model (which only difference was the tail hook), when I checked my logbook and discovered that I was standing next to the very same aircraft I made my 8 carrier qualification landings aboard the USS Antietam in the Gulf of Mexico on 12/15/'59. That made my day! - Ltjg George Konow, HS-3, Dec of '63.
I served aboard the Intrepid from Feb '71-June '72...I had turned 18 in Dec of '70. I was an Electricians Mate Fireman the entire time. I made 3rd class in transit to my new duty stattion aboard the USS Prairie (AD-15) in San Diego and subsequently made EM2 in '73 at age of 20. I crossed the Atlantic four times on the Intrepid, making two Med deployments. First one was kind of a goodwill cruise, we hit a bunch of ports during the 6 month deployment. Spent relatively long stays in ports, namely Portugal, England, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Scotland and Italy. When back home in Quonset Point, RI, our homeport, we steamed a lot...not in port to often. On my 2nd deployment we only hit Spain and Portugal. Became a Bluenose when we crossed the arctic circle, and was proud to serve on the 1st US carrier to be in the Baltic Sea since WWII. All in all, I enjoyed my time aboard the Intrepid, but was homesick for California, and was lucky to get duty on the USS Prairie, subsequently making a cool 7 month WESTPAC deployment. But thats another story! On Intrepid, I worked in the Lighting Shop but mostly in the A&O Shop. It was good duty; the shop was responsible for all bomb and plane Elevators, as well as the Escalator, Aircraft DC, 400Hz Starting Cables, Catapults, Arresting Gear, and Flight Deck Lighting. Before I left Intrepid, my Chief tried to entice me to stay, saying he would send me to Catapult school in Lakehurst, NJ. And, if I stayed onboard it would give me permanent flight deck pay. It was tempting, but the sunshine state and San Diego beckoned. I dont regret a thing, and I remember with fondness my time onboard the "Fighting I". FCM Daniel Mitchell Posted May 21, '11
I have a short story about a FCM of the USS Bunker Hill (CG-52). Last January, he came to visit a friend here in Georgia, and being from Montana, he should have known not to try to walk on 'black ice'. He got into his truck and started out on his trip. When he got really close to his friends house - while talking on his cell phone - he dropped it out the window. He stopped...got out to get it and slipped breaking his hip. He managed to get back to his truck without the phone, and proceeded to use his vehicle's horn tapping out SOS code repeatedly until his friend heard it and came to his rescue. His friend was a former torpedo man on a TBM and was once blown off the ship by a Kamikaze. He was picked up by a plane guard 'Tin Can' and returned to his ship. We are in the same DAV group at the VA hospital in Decatur, GA. - FCM Jack Norton Posted May 26, 2011
"Hello, I'm Daniel Mitchell, I served aboard the Intrepid from Feb '71 - June '72. I had turned 18 in Dec of '70. I was an Electricians Mate Fireman the entire time. I made third class in transit to my new duty station aboard the USS Prairie (AD-15) in San Diego and subsequently made EM2 in '73 at age 20. I crossed the Atlantic four times on the Intrepid, making two Med deployments. First one was kind of a goodwill cruise, we hit a bunch of ports during the 6 month deployment. Spent relatively long stays in ports, namely Portugal, England, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Scotland and Italy. When back home in Quonset Point, RI, our homeport, we steamed a lot...not in port to often. On my 2nd deployment we only hit Spain and Portugal. Became a Bluenose when we crossed the arctic circle, and was proud to serve on the 1st US carrier to be in the Baltic Sea since WWII. All in all, I enjoyed my time aboard the Intrepid, but was homesick for California, and was lucky to get duty on the USS Prairie, subsequently making a cool 7 month WESTPAC deployment. But thats another story! On Intrepid, I worked in the Lighting Shop but mostly in the A&O Shop. It was good duty; the shop was responsible for all bomb and plane Elevators, as well as the Escalator, Aircraft DC, 400Hz Starting Cables, Catapults, Arresting Gear, and Flight Deck Lighting. Before I left Intrepid, my Chief tried to entice me to stay, saying he would send me to Catapult school in Lakehurst, NJ. And, if I stayed onboard it would give me permanent flight deck pay. It was tempting, but the sunshine state and San Diego beckoned. I dont regret a thing, and I remember with fondness my time onboard the "Fighting I" .
While I was in Florida this March/April ('11), I went to the "Sun 'N Fun airshow in Lakeland - sort of a mini - Oshkosh event. The flight line was unusually loaded with T-28's (my all time favorite a/c while in flight training). I was pointing out the difference between the "B" model and the "C" model to my buddies & showed them a "C" model (which only difference was the tail hook), when I checked my logbook and discovered that I was standing next to the very same aircraft I made my 8 carrier qualification landings aboard the USS Antietam in the Gulf of Mexico on 12/15/'59. That made my day! - Ltjg George Konow, HS-3, Dec of '63.
I served onboard the Intrepid from Feb '71 until June '72. I had turned 18 in Dec of '70. I was an Electricians Mate Fireman the entire time. I made third class in transit to my new duty station aboard the USS Prairie (AD-15) in San Diego and subsequently made EM2 in '73 at age 20.
I crossed the Atlantic four times on the Intrepid, making two Med deployments. First one was kind of a goodwill cruise, we hit a bunch of ports during the 6 month deployment. Spent relatively long stays in ports, namely Portugal, England, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Scotland and Italy. When back home in Quonset Point, RI, our homeport, we steamed a lot...not in port to often. On my 2nd deployment we only hit Spain and Portugal. Became a Bluenose when we crossed the arctic circle, and was proud to serve on the 1st US carrier to be in the Baltic Sea since WWII. All in all, I enjoyed my time aboard the Intrepid, but was homesick for California, and was lucky to get duty on the USS Prairie, subsequently making a cool 7 month WESTPAC deployment. But thats another story! On Intrepid, I worked in the Lighting Shop but mostly in the A&O Shop. It was good duty; the shop was responsible for all bomb and plane Elevators, as well as the Escalator, Aircraft DC, 400Hz Starting Cables, Catapults, Arresting Gear, and Flight Deck Lighting. Before I left Intrepid, my Chief tried to entice me to stay, saying he would send me to Catapult school in Lakehurst, NJ. And, if I stayed onboard it would give me permanent flight deck pay. It was tempting, but the sunshine state and San Diego beckoned. I dont regret a thing, and I remember with fondness my time onboard the "Fighting I". FCM Daniel Mitchell - Email kernht2003@yahoo.com " Posted May 21, '11
My brother Bill and I served aboard the Intrepid together from '68-'69, and we both went to Boot Camp at Great Lakes, IL before being transferred to different 'A' Schools. Bill went to Bainbridge, MD to Radioman School and I went to Lakehurst, NJ for Aviation Boatswains Mate School. I originally reported aboard in Oct of '67 and Bill was sent to the Panama Canal Zone. Intrepid, to my suprise was about to embark on its 2nd deployment to Nam...so, I was on my way to Nam and Bill was sipping cocktails under a Palm Tree. Nine months later, Bill heard that the Intrepid was going to make a 3rd trip to Nam and requested 'brother duty'. I was able to welcome him aboard Intrepid and get him 'checked-in'. During our time together on Intrepid, we were able to enjoy liberty in ports such as the Phillipine Islands (Olongapo, Whoo Hoo!!); Japan; Hong Kong; Singpore; Australia; New Zealand and Rio De Janeiro. This was a tremendous experience for two 18 & 19 yr olds, since Bill was only 18 when he enlisted...he was considered a 'Kiddy Cruiser'...Three Years and Out! When his enlistment expired I was able to escort him off the ship. Bill returned to our home in Riviera Beach, MD and I stayed with the Intrepid for another year until the end of my enlistment. Much of that time was spent in the Philadelphia Navy Yard or Sea Trials or Carrier Quals. Bill has made his home in LA, CA...I still live in Riviera Beach, MD. Both of us are in touch with some of our FCMs but would like to be in contact with more. Hopfully, this great Website (http://ussintrepidfcmassociation.org/default.aspx) will enable more contact with those with whom we shared the most interesting times of our lives.
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