Leaving Brooklyn Navy Yard, February 1959.

From the collection of Edmund H. Cokely, CWO2, USN (Retired) who was Electrical Ship Superintendent for USS Independence.

USS Independence (CVA-62) photographed in April 1959, during her shakedown cruise. Planes on deck include the following types: Douglas A3D Skywarrior (including Bu # 135420, an A3D-1); Douglas A4D-2 Skyhawk (including Bu #s 142708 and 142712); McDonnell F3H-2 Demon (including Bu #s 143434, 143447, 143448 and 143474); Vought F8U-1 Crusader (including Bu #s 145386 and 145429). Note paint pattern on the carrier's landing path.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph (# USN 1041841).

USS Independence (CVA 62) with Carrier Air Group 7 (CVG-7) aboard, headed for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Official USN photograph, USN 1023567, dated April 1959. Released. From US Naval Photographic Center, US Naval Station, Washington DC.

USS Hawkins (DDR-873) alongside the newly-completed USS Independence (CVA-62) during replenishment exercises, May 1959.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center (# NH 99066).

USS Independence (CVA-62), USS Saratoga (CVA-60), and USS Intrepid (CVA-11) (listed from bottom to top) underway in 1961, with crewmen paraded on deck in a spellout commemorating the 50th birthday of Naval Aviation.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. (# NH 97716).

Naples, late May 1962.

Crewmembers man the rail as the ship is visited by Prince Rainer and Princess Grace of Monaco, while anchored off Cannes, France, 5 July 1962. USS Compton (DD-705) is in the background.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph (# USN 1061608).

USS Independence (CVA-62) is welcomed to New York Harbor by a fire tug, 3 July 1964. The carrier, whose rails are manned in this photo, was en route to a 4th of July visit to the World's Fair. Photographed by PH1 R.C. Lister.

Note that Independence has three types of attack aircraft embarked: A-1, A-4 and A-6, as well as F-4 and F-8 fighters and E-1 early warning planes.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. (# NH 97713).

USS Independence (CVA-62) (foreground) and USS Enterprise (CVAN-65) rendezvous in the Indian Ocean on 21 November 1965. Independence was en route to Norfolk, Virginia, after six months "on the line" off Vietnam. Enterprise was headed for combat duty in Vietnamese waters. Photographed by PH3 E.R. Pomponio.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. (# NH 97717).

USS Independence (CV-62) photographed circa the 1970s.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. (# NH 97714-KN).

Underway in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, 1 October 1974.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph (# KN-22669).

Catapult crewmen check the tension on the launch cable while preparing to catapult a F-4 Phantom II fighter, during flight operations in the Atlantic Ocean, October 1974. Photographed by JOCS R.P. Benjamin.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. (# NH 97718).

Lieutenant Michael F. Jordan (center), Landing Signal Officer of Attack Carrier Air Wing Seven (CVW-7), and two other landing signal personnel, man their stations during aircraft recovery on board Independence. The carrier was operating in the Mediterranean Sea. Photographed by PH1 Donald Grantham. This image was received by the Naval Photographic Center in October 1974.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. (# NH 97719).

Underway, circa the early 1980s.

Captain Jerry Breast (CO, left) and crewmen paint a green C, for communications efficiency, on USS Independence (CV-62), while underway in the Caribbean Sea, February 20, 1982. U.S. Navy photo by PH2 M. Doran (DVIC id: DN-SN-82-10630).

USS Independence (CV-62) underway, 1988-1989 (note F/A-18 Hornet on port catapult and corresponding bridle catcher still in place).

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. (# NH 97715).

(Thanks to William F. Baca, who helped date this photo).

USS Independence (CV-62) underway.

Indy relieved on station by USS Midway (CV-41), November 1990.

San Diego Homecoming, December 20, 1990.

USNS Tippecanoe (T-AO 199) transferring fuel to Independence (CV-62) in March 1996 off Taiwan, during the Taiwan Crisis. US Navy photo.

The forward-deployed aircraft carriers USS Nimitz (CVN-68), left, and USS Independence (CV-62), center, perform an underway turn-over Sept. 25, 1997, while steaming off the coast of Japan. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Chris Ware. [970925-N-4778W-117].

Yokosuka, Japan, January 21, 1998 — Secretary of Defense William Cohen arrives aboard the aircraft carrier USS Independence (CV-62) via a U.S. Army Helicopter during his tour of Asia. Independence Battle Group, at its Forward Deployed homeport of Yokosuka, Japan, would soon deploy to replace the USS Nimitz Battle Group in the Persian Gulf as announced by the Secretary during his visit. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Daniel A. Taylor (# 980121-N-0000T-001).

USS Independence (CVA-62) was commissioned January 10, 1959, CAPT R. Y. McElroy, commanding. Here she makes a tight turn while patroling the Persian Gulf during Operation Southern Watch, February 11, 1998. Indy had Carrier Air Wing Five (CVW-5) embarked. U.S. Navy photo by PH2 Felix Garza (# 980211-N-4142G-014).

The aircraft carrier USS Independence (CV-62) pulls into Pearl Harbor, Hawaii passing the USS Arizona Memorial (right background) with the aid of tugboats, for the last time (July 17, 1998) as she was decommissioned in September 1998.

USN photo (# 980717-N-5961C-001) by PH1(NAC) Spike Call, available from the Defense Visual Information Center, id.: DN-SD-00-01116.

Naval Station Pearl Harbor, July 17, 1998 — The aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) (left) docks alongside the aircraft carrier USS Independence (CV-62). Following a turnover with the Independence, Kitty Hawk would take her place in Yokusuka, Japan, as the nation's only forward deployed carrier. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Photographer's Mate Mahlon K. Miller (# 980717-N-0226M-005).

EA-6B Prowler landing aboard USS Independence.