USS RANDOLPH

Chronological History

(Source: Carriers Study Group - 2001)

430510 A1 CV-15, USS RANDOLPH, Essex class, Essex modernization

430510 AA Built at Newport News SB & DD Co., Date keel laid

440628 AB Launched by Mrs. Guy M Gillette. Wife, Senator from Iowa

440628 AB Named: Payton Randolph, President, 1st Continental Congress, 2nd ship

440628 DA Drawing of namesake frigate in Proceedings 10/75, P 19

441000 AG Flight Deck line drawings. Rave. ESSEX CLASS CARRIERS

441009 AC Commissioned at Norfolk NSY, Portsmouth

441009 BR NWBD, Ship signal flag and radio call sign issued by Navy

441009 CO New CO: Baker, Felix L. 1st CO. NA ’20. Aviator No. 1924

441009 DN Nickname: RANDO CANDO

441106 BK Begins test runs off Chesapeake Bay

441127 BO Arrives in Gulf of Paria, Trinidad on shakedown cruise

441127 GR CVG 87 embarked on shakedown cruise

441217 HA 441231: Port au Spain, Trinidad, Panama Canal, San Francisco

441221 SP Panama Canal transit, Atlantic to Pacific, enroute San Francisco

450120 BF 450126: Leaves San Francisco for Pearl Harbor

450129 GH Geometric ship’s aircraft ID, 4 horizonal stripes

450129 YA 450911: Leaves Pearl Harbor for Ulithi forward area. Arr Ulithi Feb 7

450210 BF Sorties Ulithi for Japan raids to support Iwo Jima ops

450210 GB CVG-12 attached to Apr 45

450210 GG CVG-12 CAG Cdr Charles L. Crommelin, KIA 3/28/45. Bro. Quentin / John

450225 WS Iwo Jima Operations

450311 BH Kamikaze bomber crashes ship at Ulithi moorage, 25 killed, 106 wounded

450405 BF Sorties Ulithi for Okinawa invasion support

450408 CG CVG-12 CAG Cdr Ralph A. Embree. KIA 5/12/45

450408 WT Okinawa Gunto Operations

450512 GG CVG-12 CAG Cdr. Edward J. Pawka, after Embree’s death

450531 DO Port: Apra, Guan, Vadm Mitshcer transfers flag aboard. Lv Jun 2

450607 GA Army P-38 crashes onto deck killing 11 at Leyte mooring

450701 GC CVG-16 Attached to Aug 45

450701 GG CVG-16 CAG Cdr Ray Davis

450710 WU Japan Operations, 3rd Fleet

450715 BF San Pedro Bay, Leyte, PI anchorage for rest & relaxation

450726 CO New CO: Tate, Jackson R. Off coast of Japan. Com 1917. Nav Av 1922

450727 GB Carrier aircraft ship assignment Code, L

450815 BA 3 battle stars for Pacific service in WWII

450915 EO Navy Occupation Service Medal in Asiatic waters

451001 HB 451021: Pearl Harbor, Panama Canal, Norfolk

451016 SP Panama Canal transit, Pacific to Atlantic, Norfolk, then Baltimore

451024 ME Arrives at Baltimore, MD for homecoming from Pacific war

451027 CF Baltimore, MD for Navy Day. Largest ship ever in city

451114 MC1 451201: Magic Carpet trip Norfolk, VA to Naples, return NYC, 1667 men

451130 EO Navy Occupation Service Medal for duty in Italian waters

451206 MC2 451225: Magic Carpet trip, to Naples, return NYC

451229 PO Homeport: Norfolk

460900 CO New CO: Harrigan, Daniel W.

461022 FM 461221 : 1st Med cruise. Italy, Turkey, Lebanon, Greece

461022 GG CVG-14 CAG William A. Dean, Jr. NA ’34 CO of ?, ACE 11

461023 GC Air Gp 82 aboard,Wing ID, 82-F-20; as CVAG-17 11/15/46. Olson

461107 GB Carrier aircraft ship assignment code, R

461126 BF Piraeus, Greece. Photo HOOK, 4/77 shows Pinwheel and ID

470706 CS 4700815 : Midshipmen cruise. UK< Norway, Sweden, Denmark, CVAG-17

470706 MF 1st deployment of HS-3 helicopter

470707 BF Battleships NEW HERSEY, BB-62 & WISCONSIN, BB-64 in group

470800 DD British Prime Minister Winston Churchill visits ship

480225 AF 530701 : Decommissioned at Philadelphia NSY. Reserve

510622 AJ 530701 : 1st modernization. SCB-27A at Newport News Yard

521001 AH Designated CVA-15, attack carrier

530701 AE Recommissioned at Newport News

530701 CO New CO: Quackenbush, Robert S.

530701 PP Final homeport : Norfolk

540203 FM 540806 : 2nd Med cruise. Greece, France, Algeria visits

540203 GC CVG-14 embarked, tail code A.

540203 GG CVG-14 Cdr Walter J. Frazier

540205 GA United Cougar F9F-6 of VF-142 goes overside. Improperly tied down

540508 CO New CO Lee James R. NA ’28

541130 FM 550618 : 3rd Med cruise

541130 GC ATG-181 embarked, tail code B.

541130 GG ATG-181 CAG Cdr Michael J. Hanley

550301 AJ 560212 : 2nd modernization. SCB-125 at Norfolk NSY

550510 CO New CO: Renard, Jack C. NA ’28

550610 EO Navy Occupation Service Medal in European waters

550930 DI Awarded Lant Fleet “E” for CVS carrier for FY 1955

560100 BO Shakedown cruise to Caribbean

560100 GZ ATG-202 embarked, tail code X.

560526 CO New CO: O’Neill, Edward J.

560714 FM 570219 : 4th Med cruise. Egypt-Israel crisis support role

560714 GC ATG-202 embarked, tail code X.

560714 MF 1st guided missile, Regulus, test fired from ship

560816 CO New CO: Smith, Daniel F. Jr. “Dog” NA ’32, ACE 6

540910 CG Hurricane Edna in Atlantic damages flight deck & 5” mount, to 9/11

560930 DI Awarded Lant Fleet “E” for CVS carrier for FY 1956

561000 NG 591200 : Evacuates American citizens from Alexandria, Egypt

570511 DA Editors. RETURN OF THE RANDOLPH, NEW YORKER, 11 May 57

570701 FM 580224 : 5th Med cruise. Patrols Syrian uprising crisis

570701 GC CVG-4 embarked, tail code AD.

570813 CO New CO: Kirn Louis, J. NA ’32

570930 DI Awarded Lant Fleet “E” for attack carrier for FY 1957

580620 CO New CO: Strean, Bernard M. NA ’33

580902 FM 590312 : 6th Med cruise. Malta, Rhodes visits

580902 GC CVG-7 embarked, tail code AG.

580902 GG CVG-7 CAG Cdr Armistead B. Smith, Jr.

580930 DE Awarded Lant Fleet “E” for CVS carrier for FY 1958

581000 DD Winston Churchill of Britain visits ship

590314 CO New CO: Tibbetts, Joseph B. NA ’34

590331 AM Designated CVS-15, anti-submarine warfare carrier

590900 BF Flagship of Task Force Alfa antisubmarine warfare

590930 DI Navy Battle “E” CVS category for FY 1959

600128 CO New CO: Harmer, Richard E.

600317 CF New York City, St. Patricks Day. 15,000 visitors

600930 DI Navy Battle “E” for Atlantic CVS category for FY 1960

601212 CO New CO: Cook, Harry E. Jr.

610420 EB 610615 : Cuba Navy Expeditionary Service, Bay of Pigs patrol

610420 NB 610615 : Cuba crisis coast patrol dates

610601 NC Deploys to Dominican Republic upon president’s murder

610721 NH Mercury 5, Liberty Bell 7 recovers Grissom in Caribbean

611117 CO New CO : Berns, Max A. Jr. NA ’39

620220 NH Mercury 6, Friendship 7 recovers John Glenn in Caribbean

620607 FM 620831 : 7th Med cruise

620607 GC CVSG-58 embarked, tail code AV.

620607 GG CVSG-58 CAG. Horace N. Moore. CO Intrepid

621004 CO New CO: Harty, Harry L. Jr. NA ’39

621024 NB 621130 : Cuba patrol during missile crisis with Soviets

621130 EB Cuba Armed Forces Expeditionary Service, Soviet missile crisis

630700 BK 630800 : Midshipmen training cruise to Caribbean, 4 ports

630930 DI Awarded Lant Fleet Battle “E” for CVS carrier for FY 1963

631003 CO New CO: Davis, Richard J.

640200 CS Task Group Alfa. Atlantic anti-submarine operations

640401 CG No. 3 elevator tears loose dumping 5 men (2 die) in sea

640827 AJ 650129 : Overhaul at Portsmouth Navy Yard

640827 CO New CO: Refo, John F. NA ’40

650412 CS 651012 : Task Group Alfa. Atlantic Ocean ASW operation

650611 FM 650902 : 8th Med cruise. 6th Fleet exercises

650611 GC CVSG-58 embarked, tail code AV.

650611 GG CVSG-58 CAG Cdr. Robert S. Stone

650902 DO Bergen, Rot’rdanm Hamburg, Cpnhagen, Pt’mouth, Edinb’gh, Belfast

650918 CO New CO: Morton, William B.

660516 CS 660902 : No. Atlantic cruise. Norway, Germany, Denmark visits

661001 CO New CO: Moran, William J.

661007 AK 661114 : Minor overhaul at Boston Navy Yard

661129 BK 661216 : Training ops to Puerto Rico. CVSG-54 embarked

670116 BK 670127 : Operational Readiness Inspection and ASW ops

670707 CO New CO: Whidden Wynn V. Last CO

670927 FM 671217 : 9th Med cruise. ASW exercises with 6th Fleet

670927 GC CVSG-58 embarked, tail code AV.

680807 DO Rio de Janierso as ship’s deactivation is announced

690213 IB Final decommissioning at Boston Navy Yard, to Philadelphia

730615 AL Stricken from Naval Register

750515 BF Sold for scrap, $1,560,000 to Union Minerals & Alloys, NYC

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