Constellation returned to San Diego in December after her seven-month combat cruise, having lost 16 aircrewmen and 15 aircraft. Fowler from Fighter Squadron (VF) 161 shot down a Mikoyan-Gurevich (MiG) 17 Fresco on 13 July, marking the ship’s first MiG kill of the war. McGunigan and radar intercept officer Lt. During 111 days on station, Constellation’s aircraft pounded roads, bridges and other targets, attempting to impede the flow of men and war materials south. The carrier, with CVW-15 on board, was underway for operations off Vietnam in May 1966. Constellation and CVW-14 were awarded a Navy Unit Commendation (NUC) for the early August operations.Ĭonstellation’s first shipyard period followed, lasting eight months then workups commenced for her first full-blown war cruise. ![]() Operations returned to a more normal cycle for the remainder of the deployment, and Constellation returned to San Diego on 1 February 1965, ending a nearly nine-month cruise. These clashes led to the Joint Congressional Resolution of 7 August 1964, known as the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, approving the U.S. Enemy antiaircraft fire shot down two CVW-14 aircraft over Hon Gai, killing one pilot, and their troops captured the other. The attacks sank or damaged an estimated 25 vessels and destroyed petroleum stores and storage facilities. Constellation and Ticonderogalaunched 64 attack sorties against vessels and facilities at five locations along the North Vietnamese coast at Bai Chay, Cua Hoi, Gianh River, and Lach Truong, and petroleum-oil-lubricants storage areas at Vinh. On 5 August both carriers took part in Operation Pierce Arrow-retaliatory carrier strikes ordered by President Lyndon B. That day, Constellation launched McDonnell Douglas F-4B Phantom IIs to join aircraft from attack aircraft carrier Ticonderoga (CVA-14) in providing air cover over the destroyers. Further word was received of a second attack on Maddox and and Turner Joy (DD-951) on 4 August. Following an upkeep period at Subic Bay in the Philippines, Constellation reached Hong Kong for a port visit on 27 July, but within a few days was called back into action.įollowing an attack by three North Vietnamese torpedo boats on destroyer Maddox (DD-731) on 2 August, Constellation got underway to return to the Gulf of Tonkin. She relieved Kitty Hawk (CVA-63) on station in the Gulf of Tonkin off Vietnam on 8 June, embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 14 (air groups had been redesignated air wings on 20 December 1963), and launched armed photoreconnaissance missions over Laos until 13 July. In November Constellation, with CVG-14 on board, began workup exercises for her upcoming maiden deployment to the western Pacific as a component of the Seventh Fleet (February–September 1963).Ĭonstellation’s second deployment began on. For the two-month trip around Cape Horn to her new home port of San Diego, Calif., Constellation embarked elements of CVG-5 and departed Mayport, Fla., on 25 July. In summer 1962, Constellation was transferred to the Pacific Fleet and CVG-13 was disestablished. ![]() After a month of operating locally, Constellation conducted a two-month shakedown cruise in the Caribbean. Watkins, Commander Carrier Air Group (CVG) 13, at the controls of a Douglas A4D-2 (A-4B) Skyhawk of Attack Squadron (VA) 34. She conducted her first catapult launch and arrested landing the same day with Cmdr. Following fitting out and acceptance trials, Constellation departed her home port of Norfolk, Va., on 7 February 1962, for initial air operations off the Virginia capes.
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