USS Roosevelt

[piperdbh]

Did any of you who were in the US Navy happen to serve on the carrier the USS Roosevelt? My father served aboard that ship and I'd like to learn a few tings about the ship, her crew, etc. for a birthday surprise for him. If you didn't serve on that vessel, where should I look to find out "stuff"? Thanks for your help.

[MacMillans son]

Dbh,

Connie's son is currently serving as an officer on a Destroyer, I'll see if he can be of any help.

However, with this crowd, you may get a response before I finish typing this!

Cheers,
Brooke

[piperdbh]

Thanks, Brooke. As soon I posted this thread, I Googled "USS Roosevelt" and found a whole lot of info. I'm hoping to get some personal stories to add to the "official" infromation listed on ussfranklindroosevelt.com

[Drac]

piperdbh,

While I didn't serve on the Rosie() my ship the USS Detroit trained her on UNREPs. Have a story from one of her first times.

Also check out http://navy.togetherweserved.com/

By searching under units - USS Roosevelt, you can find people who are now (most likely) serving on the USS Roosevelt.

Jim

[The Wizard of BC]

My Father served on the Roosevelt way back in the '58-'59-'60. He was a Marine with the aviation unit aboard for the Med cruise just after the ship was converted over to the cant deck configuration.
As it wasn't me personally but my father that served everything I heard would be second hand.
I do remember that as kids we built a plastic model of the ship and used it as a centerpiece on the table the entire time he was gone.

I remember a story (please understand that I have no proof of this story) that a Russian sub had been tailing the Roosevelt's task force.
This was in the early years of the cold war and both military's were still feeling each other out.

Well, it seems that the sub had been shadowing the carrier for days, it stayed less than one ships length away and the periscope would be clearly visible by looking over the edge of the flight deck every time the carrier carried out flight ops. Late one night the carrier made a sharp port turn. Everyone was thrown from their bunks as a loud metal on metal scraping noise raked down the entire length of the keel.
After a few moments an announcement came over the 1MC. "Now hear this, now hear this. We have just struck a whale."

The next morning as the helo's took off for the flight recon prior to flight ops they could see the sub, still shadowing the carrier, but now from over 3 miles away.

[Drac]

Good point here, which USS Roosevelt do you mean? The one I'm talking about was CVN-71 but thinking about it you probably mean CV-42.

Oops.

Jim

[piperdbh]

Jim, it was the Franklin D. Roosevelt, which I believe was decommissioned in 1978. There's currently a Theodore Roosevelt, which I think is a destroyer, but I might be wrong about that.

[The Wizard of BC]

Your right Drac, I was speaking of CV-47.
The Med Cruise in '59. My dad was with VMF(AW)-114.
This is the Marine Squadron that flew the delta wing A4D.

For those with a historical bend this is the Squadron that Maj. John Glen flew with. Maj, Glen first became famous for flying from MCAS Cherry Point, NC westward to MCAS El Toro, CA fast enough that he landed before he took off. This is the flight that got him his famous stint on the game show that made him a household name and as was seen in the movie "The Right Stuff".

Thank you for the link to the CV 47 home page. I just found my dad on the crew roster.

[tkdog]

Jim, it was the Franklin D. Roosevelt, which I believe was decommissioned in 1978. There's currently a Theodore Roosevelt, which I think is a destroyer, but I might be wrong about that.

The USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) is a NIMITZ-class carrier commissioned in 1986.

FLY NAVY!

[James Hood]

The USS FDR CV-42 was the 2nd of the Midway Class, the "least-modified" of the 3-ship class. Several others were cancelled at the end of WW II.

You should be able to find gobs of links to the class and CV-42's history. There may also be some cruise books out there. Try Steelnavy, a ship modelers' forum, for links and info.

Best of fortune.