CVB-42 Franklin D. Roosevelt

Untitled Document

(CVB-42: dp. 45,000; 1. 968'; b. 113'; ew. 136'; dr. 35'; s. 33 k.; cpl. 4,104; a. 18 5"; cl. Midway)

Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVB 42) was launched 29 April 1945 by New York Naval Shipyard as Coral Sea (CVB-42 sponsored by Mrs. John H. Towers, wife of the Deputy Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet; renamed Franklin D. Roosevelt 8 May 1945; and commissioned 27 October 1945 Captain A. Soueek in command. She was reclassified CVA-42 on 1 October 1952.

During her shakedown cruise, Franklin 17. Roosevelt called at Rio de Janeiro 1 to l1 February 1946 to represent the United States at the inauguration of the Brazilian president, Eurico G. Dutra, who came aboard for a short cruise. Fleet maneuvers and other training operations in the Caribbean preceded her first deployment to the Mediterranean, from 8 August to 4 October during which she was a part of a U.S. Navy force which visited Athens to bolster the government of Greeee during its sueeessful fight against the Communist. She received thousands of visitors during her ealls to many Mediterranean ports, giving Europeans an opportunity to view this impressive addition to America's seapower for peace. The first opportunity for general visiting by the American public came at New York City during Navy Day celebrations of late October.

Franklin D. Roosevelt operated off the east coast until July 1947 when she entered Norfolk Naval Ship Yard for a prolonged overhaul, during which she received improvements to her equipment and facilities. On 13 September 1948 the carrier sailed from Norfolk for a second tour of duty with the Mediterranean forces, from which she returned 23 January 1949. During the next 5 years, Franklin 1). Roosevelt took part in intensive operations off the Virginia Capes, along the east coast, and in the Caribbean, and made four tours of duty in the Mediterranean: Assigned to extensive conversion at Puget Sound Naval Ship Yard, the earrier sailed from Norfolk 7 January 1954. Too large to pass lhrough the Panama Canal, she rounded Cape Horn, and arrived at the shipyard 5 March. She was decommissioned there 23 April 1954.

Fitted with an angled flight deck, steam catapults and a hurricane bow, Franklin D. Roosevelt was recommissioned 6 April 1956, and on 16 June arrived at San Francisco to load stores for her voyage around the Horn to Mayport, Fla., arriving at her new home port 8 August. She sailed the Caribbean training pilots in the use of the morror landing system and general earrier operations until her emergency deployment to the eastern Atlantic between 7 November and 9 December at the time of the Suez Crisis.

In February 1957, Franklin D. Roosevelt sailed to the Gulf of Maine for cold weather tests of catapults aircraft, and other earrier equipment, including the "Regulus" guided missile. In July she sailed for the first of three postconversion cruises to the Mediterranean completed through 1960. Her assignments in the Mediterranean added NATO exercises to her normal schedule of major fleet operations, and found her each year entertaining a distinguished list of guests. A constant emphasis on her stateside operations was development of advanced taeties and procedures.