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NavSource Online: Aircraft Carrier Photo Archive

USS ESSEX   (CVA-9)

Cruise Book, 1954

1 December 1953 - 12 July 1954, WestPac

Contributed by Richard J. Havener, AT3, VF-143, 1954.

Richard Havener
NS02-cv9-h01
Inport maintenance. Richard Havener looking down into the cockpit of an F9F-6 Cougar.
(257Kb)
Richard Havener - Korean War Medals
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Richard's Korean medals.
Ribbons (top to bottom, left to right):
Top Row: Combat Action Ribbon
2nd Row: Good Conduct Medal — National Defense Service Medal — Korean Service Medal
3rd Row: Korea Defense Service Medal — United Nations Korean Medal — Republic of Korea War Service Medal
(27Kb)

The Ship

NS020924
Off Korea, 1954.
(155Kb)

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"Essex Returns From Orient To Cheers Of 3,500 Here."
(257Kb)
Air Task Group Two (ATG-2)

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Air Task Group Two officers
(151Kb)

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Flight deck staging
(117Kb)

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Fixed wing aircraft: F2H-3 Banshees, F9F-6 Cougars, F9F-2 Panthers, and several variants of AD Skyraiders.
(148Kb)

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Landing Signal Officer (LSO) brings in 17,000 pounds of high-speed fury.
(158Kb)

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Fighter Squadron 23, "The Flashers." CO & XO.
(101Kb)

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VF-23 pilots & "paddles."
(147Kb)

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VF-23 (#109) Banshee flight deck crash.
(102Kb)

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VF-23 (#110) Banshee flight deck crash.
(198Kb)

NS020927
Fighter Squadron 143. CO & XO.
(157Kb)

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VF-143. Pilots.
(176Kb)

NS020926
The F9F-6 VF-143 Cougar that is in the nylon barrier broke his tail hook and took out most of the steel cable barriers before he got stopped.
(37Kb)

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VF-143 Cougar crash.
(321Kb)

NS02-cv9-h12
VF-143 Cougar flight deck crash.
(199Kb)

NS020933
Five-photo sequence of a Cougar F9F-6 that made a hard landing and broke his port landing gear. He ended up in the drink, but the pilot got out safely.
(12Kb)

NS020934
#2
(15Kb)

NS020935
#3
(17Kb)

NS020936
#4
(11Kb)

NS020937
#5
(12Kb)

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Fighter Squadron 123. CO & XO. Safety awards
(161Kb)

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VF-123. Pilots. Safety awards.
(190Kb)

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Attack Squadron 55 "Skyraiders." CO & XO.
(140Kb)

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VA-55. Pilots.
(110Kb)

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AD-4 Skyraider flight deck crash.
(173Kb)

"The pictures of flight deck crashes [on this page] are presented for their interest value, not to imply that such accidents are either frequent or normal."

"Considering the hazards of landing a fast-moving aircraft on a pitching and rolling deck and arresting its motion within 200 feet, such accidents are rare indeed. They are part of the price we must pay for airbases that are able to cruise around the world at 30 knots."

"It is a tribute to the skill of our pilots and flight deck crews that none of the accidents pictured resulted in a critical injury."


NS020925
The burning VA-55 AD Skyraider was a mishap between it and mull tractor gas tank on the flight deck. The pilot escaped from the plane, but left the engine running. An airman (ATAN) jumped into the cockpit and turned the engine off. He suffered second degree burns.
(Additional photos of this accident can be found below.)
(157Kb)

NS020932
Same aircraft, after the fire.
(17Kb)

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VC-3 pilots and crew.
(145Kb)

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VC-3 flight deck crash.
(145Kb)

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VC-35 Detachment Item. Crew.
(149Kb)

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VC-35 Detachment Item. Maintenance.
(167Kb)

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VC-11 Team Item.
(127Kb)

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VC-11 Team Item. Pilots.
(132Kb)

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HO3S-1 of HU-1 Det. I ready for rescue.
(83Kb)

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Radio-controlled target drone. "Born for Suicide."
(113Kb)

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Underway air (o)ops.
(133Kb)

NS02-cv9-h28
Hello Hawaii!
(361Kb)

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The "Mule," a tractor used to move planes.
(31Kb)

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Another "Mule" at work.
(29Kb)

Additional photos of the 17 March 1954 accident
Contributed by Russel Schatzinger, son of AD1 F.H. Schatzinger.
The photos were taken by a member of AD1 Schatzinger's crew.
(See above)
CVA-9 Essex

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(139Kb)

CVA-9 Essex

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(136Kb)

CVA-9 Essex

NS020925c
(134Kb)

CVA-9 Essex

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(132Kb)

CVA-9 Essex

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(165Kb)

CVA-9 Essex

NS020925f
(136Kb)

CVA-9 Essex

NS020925g
(130Kb)

 

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Last update: 4 October 2011