| NAVAL IMAGERY ARCHIVES |
| Aircraft Carriers The backbone of the American Navy Page 3 |
| USS HARRY S. TRUMAN CVN 75 -Nimitz Class- |
| USS Harry S. Truman, in port, Naval Station Norfolk, VA.3 Jul 2002 |
| USS NIMITZ CVN 68 -Lead ship of the Nimitz Class- |
USS Nimitz (CVN 68) pulled into Apra Harbor, Guam, for a five-day port visit in June of 2005. This was the
Nimitz's first-ever visit to Guam, and the second nuclear-powered carrier to call to the island (USS Carl Vinson
was the first in early 2003, making two more visits in 2004 and 2005).
For Guam this carrier has a bit more significance. Her namesake, Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, moved his
HQ to Guam after the island was secured in late 1944. As Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet, and
Commander in Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas, he wanted to be closer to the front as the war moved farther from
the United States and closer to Japan. He lived and maintained his command on a hill near the naval base, a
hill today named "Nimitz Hill" and often swam at a beach south of the village of Agat...a beach still called
"Nimitz Beach".
Nimitz's first-ever visit to Guam, and the second nuclear-powered carrier to call to the island (USS Carl Vinson
was the first in early 2003, making two more visits in 2004 and 2005).
For Guam this carrier has a bit more significance. Her namesake, Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, moved his
HQ to Guam after the island was secured in late 1944. As Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet, and
Commander in Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas, he wanted to be closer to the front as the war moved farther from
the United States and closer to Japan. He lived and maintained his command on a hill near the naval base, a
hill today named "Nimitz Hill" and often swam at a beach south of the village of Agat...a beach still called
"Nimitz Beach".
USS Nimitz entering Apra Harbor, Guam and tying up at Naval Base Guam. 18 June 2005.
Wide-aspect Nimitz poster. Click the button to
dowload it. Larger versions can be obtained by
contacting me--see the Contact page of this
website.
dowload it. Larger versions can be obtained by
contacting me--see the Contact page of this
website.
| USS LEXINGTON CV 16 -Essex Class- |
USS Lexington (CV-16) was the last Essex-class carrier and the last World War II-era carrier in the fleet. In
1969 the "Lady Lex", or "Blue Ghost" took over as the Navy's training carrier. Sailing out of NAS Pensacola,
FL, she qualified generations of naval aviators in carrier operations. As such, she was also the last American
carrier to have a wooden flight deck. The aft end of the deck remained teak since the wood would give a little
cushion to the rough landings of novice aviators. During this last, long phase of her life, she was redesignated
from CV-16 to AVT-16.
In 1991, my dad was an active-duty Chief Master Sergeant stationed at Eglin AFB, Florida. He got me two
invitations to attend the Lexington's decommissioning. I went with a buddy, and we witnessed the historic
decommissioning. This was nearly six years before I joined the Navy, and nearly ten years before I would
become a professional naval photographer. But this was the first "big shoot" I ever did. I borrowed my dad's
Yashica, and became a dedicated shutter bug. These photos are from 1991, and show the severe lack of
training and equipment I had (they even show the scratch across the film that old Yashica caused when you
rewound the film). But they document a unique moment in history.
1969 the "Lady Lex", or "Blue Ghost" took over as the Navy's training carrier. Sailing out of NAS Pensacola,
FL, she qualified generations of naval aviators in carrier operations. As such, she was also the last American
carrier to have a wooden flight deck. The aft end of the deck remained teak since the wood would give a little
cushion to the rough landings of novice aviators. During this last, long phase of her life, she was redesignated
from CV-16 to AVT-16.
In 1991, my dad was an active-duty Chief Master Sergeant stationed at Eglin AFB, Florida. He got me two
invitations to attend the Lexington's decommissioning. I went with a buddy, and we witnessed the historic
decommissioning. This was nearly six years before I joined the Navy, and nearly ten years before I would
become a professional naval photographer. But this was the first "big shoot" I ever did. I borrowed my dad's
Yashica, and became a dedicated shutter bug. These photos are from 1991, and show the severe lack of
training and equipment I had (they even show the scratch across the film that old Yashica caused when you
rewound the film). But they document a unique moment in history.
Retirement of USS Lexington, NAS Pensacola, Florida. 8 November 1991.
Various WWII and early jet-era aircraft performed
fly-by's of the ship as the crew ceremonial departed
before the captain hauled down the commissioning
pennant.
fly-by's of the ship as the crew ceremonial departed
before the captain hauled down the commissioning
pennant.
| The "big moment:" the ship's commissioning pennant is hauled down. The long, thin, narrow pennant is flown by all U.S. warships every hour of every day that they are in commissioned service. Hauling down the pennant signifies a ship's retirement. |
Last man: the Lexington's final
skipper, Captain William Kennedy, is
the last man to leave the vessel. He
carries with him the commissioning
pennant and the ship's logbook.
skipper, Captain William Kennedy, is
the last man to leave the vessel. He
carries with him the commissioning
pennant and the ship's logbook.
A lone, pre-WWII SNJ trainer makes a very low pass over the ship's flight deck,
and then is followed by a higher pass made by a another SNJ and an old
Grumman F3F Wildcat.
and then is followed by a higher pass made by a another SNJ and an old
Grumman F3F Wildcat.
Many hours later, the ceremonies are over and the crowds have dispersed. Late in the cold wind of November 8,
1991, the Lexington sits at Allegheny Pier, NAS Pensacola. A massive effort will be mounted by both Pensacola,
FL, and Corpus Christi, TX, to have the ship as a museum, with Corpus Christi eventually winning. The Blue Ghost
can still be visited today in Texas, and contains a growing collection of aircraft to add to the exhibits already on
board.
1991, the Lexington sits at Allegheny Pier, NAS Pensacola. A massive effort will be mounted by both Pensacola,
FL, and Corpus Christi, TX, to have the ship as a museum, with Corpus Christi eventually winning. The Blue Ghost
can still be visited today in Texas, and contains a growing collection of aircraft to add to the exhibits already on
board.
Two-image wide-angle composite of the ship at Allegheny
Pier following the decommissioning ceremony.
Pier following the decommissioning ceremony.
