CREW'S STORIES
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CHRONOLOGY OF HIGHLIGHTS FOR YEAR 1967
CHRONOLOGY OF HIGHLIGHTS FOR YEAR 1967
January 1 - 25
Yankee Team operations and enroute Subic Bay, P.I. BENNINGTON conducted oceanographic surveys during all transits while deployed and up until arrival Pearl Harbor in May.
January 9th
An SH-3A helicopter crashed on take-off.
January 12th
An SH-3A helicopter crashed into the water and sank during night operations. Two crewmembers were lost and declared dead.
January 25 - 31
In-port Subic Bay
February 3 -8
In-port Hong Kong, B.C.C.
February 10 -28
Enroute Tonkin Gulf. Yankee Team operations.
March 1 - 12
Yankee Team operations. Enroute Sasebo, Japan.
March 12 - 26
In-port Sasebo, Japan. Enroute Tonkin Gulf.
March 26 - 31
Yankee Team operations
April 1 - 17
Yankee Team operations. Enroute Subic Bay, P.I.
April 15th
Relieved of Yankee Station duties
April 17 - 21
In-port Subic Bay, P.I.
April 19th
Seaman Ronald R. Johnson was injured and subsequently died on 28 April.
April 21 - 30
Enroute Sydney, Australia
April 23rd
Crossed the Equator - Visited by "King Neptune and his Royal Court". All Pollywogs were initiated.
April 30
In-port Sydney, Australia
May 8 - 18
Enroute Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
May 18
In-port Pearl for refueling
May 18 - 23
Enroute San Diego, California
May 23
Off-loaded Air Group in San Diego, California. AIR GROUP CVSG-59 was made up of squadrons from VS-33, VS-38, HS-8 and Detachment 20 of VAW-111. Enroute Long Beach, California.
May 23 - 25
In-port Long Beach
May 25
Anchored at Seal Beach, California, in order to off-load ammunition.
May 29
Commenced an eight-week restricted availability period (RAV) in Long Beach Naval Shipyard.
July 21
Conducted dock trials using boilers 3, 4, 7, 8
July 25
Underway for sea trials using boilers 1-8 for approximately eight hours.
August 2
Moored portside to pier at Seal Beach for ammunition on-load.
August 3 - 7
After taking on aviation gasoline while at anchor outside Long Beach Harbor, BENNINGTON conducted Independent Steaming Evolution in off shore operating areas.
August 12 - 26
Conducted in-port inspection, indoctrination and underway training with Fleet Training Group San Diego.
August 29
Underway with approximately 1,700 guests for a dependents day cruise.
September 11 - 15
Carrier qualification landings were conducted in local operating areas. During this period BENNINGTON's 100,000th landing was made.
September 15
Anchored at Seal Beach for ammunition on-load.
October 3 - 9
After embarking the Air Group in San Diego, BENNINGTON operated in the Southern California waters except for weekends at which time the ship moored at North Island.
October 10 - 15
Enroute Pearl Harbor, Hawaii for Middle Pacific operations in preparation for duty as primary recovery ship for the Apollo 4/ Saturn 5 mission.
October 24
Conducted trial pickups of a mock-up spacecraft in area G-2 off Oahu for VIP's. Enroute to operating area, Airman R.L. Walter was killed on the flight deck.
October 26
Conducted trial pickups of mock-up spacecraft.
October 31
Conducted trial pickups of mock-up spacecraft.
November 8 - 9
Arriving at her recovery station at 082400Z with NASA scientists and technicians on-board, BENNINGTON sighted the descending spacecraft at 092037Z, 11 miles ahead. Upon retrieval the ship steamed back to Pearl Harbor.
November 11
Offloaded spacecraft in Pearl and refueled. Enroute San Diego, California.
November 16
Enroute San Diego, BENNINGTON was diverted to Alameda Naval Station, San Francisco, to off load a damaged A-3 aircraft.
November 20
Captain Daniel J. Murphy as Commanding Officer relieved Captain Richard Graffy.
November 27 - 1 December
Conducted CARQUALS in local operating area
December 1 - 11
In-port Long Beach
December 11 - 16
Conducted CARQUALS in local operating area
December 16 - 31
In-port Long Beach
A special "thank you" goes out to Allen Rypka (former LT and pilot with VS-38). He was able to locate the Command History Above through the Naval Historical Center, Ships History Branch, Dictionary of American Fighting Ships.
Re-typed and submitted by:
"former" SK3 Joseph L. Pires (USS BENNINGTON HISTORIAN)
SPECIAL NOTE:
On September 18th of 1968, BENNINGTON's last day on Yankee Station,
Lt. Allen Rypka of VS-38 piloted his aircraft onto the deck of BENNINGTON, making the 110,000th landing.
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