CREW'S STORIES
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CHRONOLOGY OF HIGHLIGHTS FOR YEAR 1968
CHRONOLOGY OF HIGHLIGHTS FOR YEAR 1968
January 1st - 8th
Inport Long Beach Naval Shipyard
January 7th
BENNINGTON retrieved her 103,000th fixed wing aircraft which was flown by LCDR J.R. Juliano of VA-76.
January 8th - 11th
Operation Beadstringer in the Southern California Operating Area (SOCAL-OPAREA)
January 11th - 15th
Inport Long Beach Naval Shipyard
January 15th - 19th
SOCAL-OPAREA
January 17th
BENNINGTON's 103,000th landing made by LCDR J.R. Juliane Of VA-76
January 19th - 22nd
Inport Long Beach Naval Shipyard
January 22nd - 25th
Secretary of the Navy Guest aboard for SOCAL-OPAREA Carrier Qualifications (CARQUALS)
January 24th
BENNINGTON's 104,000th landing made by LCDR W.C. Rook of VA-125. On Rook's next attempt that evening, his A4D jet struck The round-down, exploded and skidded off the port-side. His Body was not recovered.
January 25th - 30th
Administrative & Materials Inspection
January 25th - February 5th
Inport Long Beach Naval Shipyard
February 5th - 9th
SOCAL-OPAREA for CARQUALS
February 7th
BENNINGTON's 105,000th landing made by LCDR R.E. Wolf of VS-35
February 8th
An E-2A experimental aircraft snapped number four arresting cable and plunged over the port-side. Crew of the craft was saved. The fixed-winged plane floated for 14 hours and was finally sunk in deep water after unsuccessful salvage operations.
February 9th - 19th
Inport Long Beach Naval Shipyard
February 17th
One Hundred ten dependent children received oral examinations and stannous fluoride treatments.
February 19th
Commander Anti-Submarine Warfare Group Three embarked.
February 19th - 26th
SOCAL-OPAREA for HUKASWEX 1-68
February 26th - March 4th
Inport Long Beach Naval Shipyard
March 4th - 8th
SOCAL-OPAREA for CARQUALS
March 5th
BENNINGTON's 106,000th landing was made by LTJG R. W. Martin of VS-41
March 8th - 11th
Inport Long Beach Naval Shipyard
March 11th - 15th
HUKASWEX 2-68
March 12th
BENNINGTON's 107,000th landing was made by LT B.W. Ray of VAW-111 Detachment 20
March 15th - 18th
Operational Readiness Inspection (ORI)
March 18th - 19th
Inport Long Beach Naval Shipyard
March 19th
Seal Beach for AMMO on-load
March 19th - 26th
Inport Long Beach Naval Shipyard
March 26th - April 1st
HUKASWEX 3-68
April 1st - 24th
Inport Long Beach Naval Shipyard
April 24th
Dependents Day Cruise
April 24th - 30th
Inport Long Beach Naval Shipyard
April 30th
Underway for WESTPAC Deployment with a stop in San Diego to load the Air Group, CVSG-59
May 1st - 6th
Enroute from CONUS to Pearl Harbor
May 6th - 7th
Inport Pearl Harbor
May 7th - 15th
Operational Readiness Exercise (ORE) with the HMNZS OTAGO (F-111)
May 15th - 20th
Inport Pearl Harbor
May 20th - 29th
Enroute Yokosuka, Japan
May 22nd
Chopped Seventh Fleet
May 23rd
Crossed the International Dateline
May 29th - 30th
Inport Yokosuka, Japan
May 31st - June 2nd
Enroute to Sasebo, Japan
June 2nd
Transited the Tsugara Straits
June 2nd - 9th
Conducted operation "POWER PACK" in the Sea of Japan. Experienced Soviet "Bear" over-flights and were in contact with Soviet naval vessels.
During the anti-submarine exercise approximately 100 Japanese Maritime Defense Officers were aboard to observe.
June 5th
BENNINGTON's 108,000th landing made by LT J.W. Fitzgerald of VS-38
June 9th - 10th
Enroute Sasebo, Japan
June 10th - 21st
Inport Sasebo, Japan
June 21st - 25th
Enroute Yankee Station
June 25th - July 18th
On Yankee Station. Transferred torpedoes by helicopter.
Another first set by BENNINGTON, this sped up the exchange of torpedos and enhanced the strategic training in torpedo warfare.
July 18th - 22nd
Enroute Singapore
July 21st
Crossed the Equator. Visit by King Neptune and his Court
July 22nd - 28th
Inport Singapore
July 28th - August 7th
Transit to Sasebo, Japan
July 29th
BENNINGTON received the Admiral Flatley Memorial Award
August 1st
BENNINGTON's 109,000th landing made by LT J.C. McDonald of VS-38
August 1st - 4th
HUKASWEX 4-68 (OPERATION SWIFT MOVE)
August 7th - 18th
Inport Sasebo, Japan
August 8th - 18th
INSURV Inspection
August 19th - 24th
Enroute Yankee Station
August 23rd
Typhoon Shirley delayed our arrival on Yankee Station by one day.
August 24th - September 18th
On Yankee Station. HC-7 Detachment 20 exchanged pilots with Air Force to enhance better teamwork in Search & Rescue Operations.
This was set in motion by BENNINGTON's Operational Commander, Rear Admiral William J. Moran, Commander Anti-Submarine Warfare Group Three.
September 18th
BENNINGTON's 110,000th landing was made by LT A.E. Rypka Of VS-38.
September 18th - 22nd
Enroute to Hong Kong
September 22nd - 26th
Inport Hong Kong
September 27th - 28th
Enroute Subic Bay, Philippines
September 28th
At anchor in Subic Bay because a typhoon was raging through the Philippines when BENNINGTON arrived.
September 29th - October 5th
Inport Subic Bay
September 30th
Pre-overhaul conference
October 2nd
Project HANDCLASP. Equipment presented to the Boys Town of Olongapo
October 5th - 7th
Enroute Yankee Station
October 7th - 20th
On Yankee Station
BENNINGTON maintained the logistic support of approximately 50 other ships while on-station.
October 20th - 25th
Enroute Yokosuka, Japan
BENNINGTON and her escort destroyers were slowed by another typhoon.
October 25th - 27th
Inport Yokosuka, Japan
October 28th - 9 November
Enroute CONUS - - Air Group debarked in San Diego
November 1st
Crossed the International Dateline
November 2nd
Chopped First Fleet
November 9th - 11th
Inport Long Beach
November 12th - 14th
Seal Beach for AMMO off-load
November 14th - December 31st
Inport Long Beach Naval Shipyard
December 16th
Scheduled dry-docking was delayed due to emergency repairs needed by the BON HOMME RICHARD CVS-31.
December 20th
Captain W. B. Barrow, USN, relieved Captain D.J. Murphy, USN, as Commanding Officer
December 31st
At the end of the year, 110,617 fixed wing aircraft and 26,154 helicopters had landed on BENNINGTON's flight deck.
The information above has been provided
by Joseph Pires.
Former SK3 (1965-1969)
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