Cruise of the Randolph (1954) 

My Uncle did eight years aboard the USS Valley Forge (CV-45) working down in the engine rooms as a machinist mate. All total, he served 24 years in the Navy a long time ago in a different Navy than what it is today.

My story has many connections to the USS Randolph. My father, Capt. Robert (Bob) S. Downes Ret. USNR was on the 1954 cruise and I was born April 14, 1954 while he was probably in Cannes, or Naples. At the time of the film he was a LT. Commander and the Communications Officer. The crew presented him with a engraved Silver cup with my initials and the USS Randolph. I was able to give the cup to my son who as a Lieutenant on the USS Mount Whitney (flag ship of the sixth fleet) had a son born in Gaeta Italy, while he was off the coast of Turkey .I would show my son the USS Randolph year book which began his love of the US Navy that carries until this day.Another connection to the USS Randolph was my oldest sister married the son of one of my fathers oldest and closest friends, William Amen a pilot on the USS Randolph.

I served on the USS Randolph CVS-15 from 1966-1969 when we pulled into Boston to start the process of decommissioning for the last time.. I was a RM2

I have information on the Randolph duirng this period. My Dad was on the ship and I now have movies he filmed plus a cruise book.

Awsome

Was the Randolph or valley forge that was hit by title wave

I was on a Med Cruise in 1967 aboard the USS Hammerberg DE1015 same time the Randolph was there. I believe we refueled off the Randolph during that time. I was a Machinist Mate 3rd class so I was down in the hole and not on deck pulling line so not sure. But, when I was just a Fireman I was on deck pulling line and on a small DE that is a rough, wet experience! My ship was scraped in1973.

My father, Denny Phillips was aboard the Randolph from 59-63...was in V-2 Division. The stories he told me will live in my memory forever. The Cuban Missile Crisis was one of those stories and another was when the Randolph was being filmed for a Connie Francis film, remember he said it was so hot and they had to stand at attention for hours while they tried to get the correct shot. He told of shoe polish melting. I miss my father and want to say thank you to all the men who served aboard the Randolph!!

My Father Milton Malo Sears was aboard her 52 - 54 Korean conflict .. Bless them all...

My step dad's cousin was stationed on the Randolf as a parachute rigger, and sometimes he crewed on helicoptors doing ASW. He was on her when John Glenn did his space trip. Randolf was the ship used for pick up. Not sure what year Randolf docked in NYC harbor, but because my dad's cousin was on board, we got a tour. So damn long ago.

Trapping jets on those straight-deck carriers...man...what a pucker that must have been. Get a hook skip and you're into the barrier. I think those AD's were launching in support of Brubaker and Forney's rescue. Didn't go well. Bless them all.

I was on the Randolph from 1958 to 1959. V1 Division.

They called her "Can-do Rando," and I was serving in the MARDET aboard LAKE CHAMPLAIN, CV39, when we relieved RANDOLPH in the Med in January 1957 for our six-month cruise.

My Dad, Roger H Howard served as a Dental Officer aboard the Randolph for several years including the shakedown at Guantanamo Bay, installation of one of the first angled decks, and again later when Gus Grissom was recovered. All in all my dad served on 7 ships from before ‘41 through ‘62, finally serving out 36.6 years. Thanks for the movie a wonderful job, I wish I had come across it so that my dad could have watched it!

Made 2 cruises on Randolph, once to Bermuda, the othe to northern Europe. Both in 1966. I was in HS-9 great time was had

I have watched countless hours of military videos. I especially like naval videos. I have a excellent memory but the dead mans plate and the twin prop jet under the tail has gone under my radar until today

My Dad was a Petty Officer First Class, Electricians Mate aboard the Randolph. From around 55 to 58.

during refuling that destroyer was bouncing around all over the place but the carrier seemed to sail a whole lot smoother. this is a great documentery on life aboard an essex class carrier

I Was An ABH3 Aboard The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69), In Air Dept/V-1 Div, From 1980 - 1984. Although Flight Ops Are More Advanced Now, The Basics Will Always Be The Same! ⚓

I was on the USS Randolph with a VFP62 detachment in October 1956 during the Suez Crisis. Because of Nato rules the ship was not allowed into the Mediterranian. We spent our time doing OPs on the Atlantic. Before returning to Norfolk the Captain arranged a week of liberty in Lisbon. A couple months later we were deployed on the USS Lake Champlain where we completed a 6 month cruise in the Med.

My Dad, Don Malkerson, was aboard the Randolph with VF 144. He also served on the Boxer.

That's quite a dose of fresh air for those pilots taking off with open canopies.

These Essex-class carriers were more dangerous to operate jets off of than the Midway class and supercarrier classes. The decks were much shorter and the island was located in the middle/right of the flight deck. Experience showed that locating the island further aft made collisions far less likely and had a positive psychological effect on pilots. Shifting the island closer to the stern made one less visual distraction for the aircrew during landing. During the Cold War, the safety record of the Essex-class carriers was inferior to the larger Midway and supercarrier classes. The supercarrier with the worst island configuration was the Enterprise (CVN-65). The cube shape of the island worked against aviators. It was thicker than the more rectangular configuration of other supercarrier island designs and pilots remarked they worried about hitting the Big E's island during landing approaches! The reason for the Enterprise's unique island configuration had to do with the radar warning system she originally deployed with. That system along with the 3-story conical structure atop the island was removed and replaced with Nimitz-class electronic gear and radar during the Enterprise's refit of 1979-1981. The island retained its cube shape despite losing its conical top! In the Ford class, the island was moved further aft than in the Nimitz class. The Ford-class island retains a general rectangular configuration but has a more trapezoidal shape as part of the radar cross section reduction.

I had a great LPO - never had to mess crank a single second. Aboard USS St. Louis LKA 116.

Great window on the U.S. Navy in the mid-1950s. Thanks for uploading this.

It’s mind blowing to see how close the target sled was to the Midway during training. Rockets, gunfire and bombs, all so close to 4000 or so members of the ships company. Wow!!

I was on the USS Adirondack in 1952 off Naples, Italy, and brings back many memories ,and thank you for the memories !

Did he say ‘embryo signalmen’ @2:07 ? I’m pretty sure that’s what the narrator said.

Is everything served in the navy today frozen food?

My dad was on the USS Randolph in the All-Weather Attack Squadron 33, detachment 36. :)

Really enjoyed watching this very cool Navy flick! Made 2 years before I was born. Loved seeing those beautiful Des Moines-class all-gun HEAVY CRUISERS too - we should STILL have those babies in our fleet. Yes, once upon a time I was a proud "Whitehat!" This film showed sailors wearing the ol' "Donald-Duck" flat-hat; VERY cool hat that also should still be in service! Spent time on USS America (CV-66) many, MANY years ago; back in the day when it was just F-14 Tomcats, A-6s, A-7s, et al. Once saw a Greyhound-COD (Carrier-Onboard-Delivery) bird make a "deck-takeoff" just like the ADs were doing in this film.

Hi, Very good. Is the narrator Will Rodgers Jr.? Peace

My father was on the Randolph an valley forge Don Edwards

plane guard on the Bailey DDR713 in the Med. Great movie. Worth McMains from Apex NC

I've been looking for a crew list for what looks like the oa division on this exact boat...... i'm looking because all i know about my grandfather is that he served on this boat...... i never got to know him, and for some reason i feel like i would feel better if i find a crew list with him on it..... if its not to much to ask, please help me..... pms me and ill give you his name..... thank you very much !!!

Great Movie Thanks