CREW'S STORIES
RETURN TO:
CHRONOLOGY OF HIGHLIGHTS FOR YEAR 1969
CHRONOLOGY OF HIGHLIGHTS FOR YEAR 1969
January 1st - April 22nd
Inport Long Beach Naval Shipyard for
regular overhaul
January 7th
Entered Dry-dock Number One
March 19th
Left Dry-dock Number One
April 4th
Meritorious Unit Commendation
awarded to USS BENNINGTON
April 22nd
First day at sea since entering yard
overhaul period
April 22nd - 30th
Back into Long Beach to continue
overhaul
April 30th - May 2nd
At sea in Southern California Operating
Area (SOCAL-OPAREA)
May 2nd - 13th
Inport Long Beach to continue overhaul
May 13th
At sea in SOCAL-OPAREA for sea
trials
May 13th - 19th
Inport Long Beach (on May 16th - the
yard period officially ended)
May 19th - 20th
At sea (also, anchored at Seal Beach
for ammunition onload
May 20th - 21st
Inport San Diego
May 21st - 24th
At sea in SOCAL-OPAREA for
training
May 24th - 28th
Inport San Diego
May 28th - 29th
At sea in SOCAL-OPAREA for further
training and transit to Long Beach
May 29th - June 2nd
Inport Long Beach for Memorial Day
weekend
June 6th
BENNINGTON's 111,000th arrested
landing was made by Commander
W. M. Callaghan, Jr., Executive
Officer
June 6th - 9th
Inport San Diego
June 9th - 13th
At sea in the SOCAL-OPAREA for
refresher training
June 13th - 23rd
Inport Long Beach (on the 16th
Anti-Submarine Warfare Group
Three broke his FLAG aboard
BENNINGTON
June 23rd - 28th
At sea in SOCAL-OPAREA for
Carrier Qualifications (CARQUALS)
and Secretary of the Navy guest
cruise
June 25th
Lieutenant (Junior Grade)
Victor A. Demick (VA-125) was lost
at sea in an A-4 Skyhawk during
night-time CARQUALS
June 25th
BENNINGTON's 112,000th arrested
Landing was made by Commander
Lowe of VA-125
June 26th - 27th
TA-4F CARQUALS were made
aboard BENNINGTON
June 28th - July 7th
Inport Long Beach
July 7th - 10th
At sea in SOCAL-OPAREA for
Air Operations
July 10th - 11th
Inport Long Beach for Dependant's
Day Cruise preparation
July 11th
Dependant's Day Cruise
July 11th - 12th
Inport Long Beach
July 22nd - 25th
At sea for CARQUALS
(July 23rd - BENNINGTON's
113,000th arrested landing was
made by Lieutenant McKinney of
VA-125)
July 25th - 30th
Inport Long Beach
July 30th - August 7th
At sea in SOCAL-OPAREA for
HUKASWEX 7-69
August 6th
BENNINGTON's 25th Anniversary
August 11th - 13th
BENNINGTON received the
Admiral Flatley Memorial Award
August 13th
Seaman Apprentice Michael E.
Jaggers was fatally injured by a
falling hatch cover
August 21st
At sea in SOCAL-OPAREA and
Pacific Missile Range for Project
SPRA test
August 21st - 26th
Inport Long Beach
August 26th
At Seal Beach Anchorage for off-
Load of ammunition
August 26th - 28th
Inport Long Beach
August 28th
At sea in SOCAL-OPAREA and
Pacific Missile Range for SPRA test
August 28th - September 2nd
Inport Long Beach
August 30th
Anti-Submarine Warfare Group
Three shifted his FLAG to the
USS HORNET (CVS-12)
September 2nd
In transit to San Diego
September 2nd - 5th
Inport San Diego
September 5th
At sea in SOCAL-OPAREA and
Pacific Missile Range for SPRA test
September 5th - 10th
Inport Long Beach
September 10th
At sea in SOCAL-OPAREA and
Pacific Missile Range for SPRA test
September 10th - October 10th
Inport Long Beach
September 19th
Command Deactivation
October 9th
Change of Command Ceremony
October 10th
In transit to Puget Sound Naval
Shipyard
October 13th
Arrived Puget Sound Naval
Shipyard for final deactivation
November 30th
Entered Dry-dock Number Four
1969 AIR DEPARTMENT STATISTICS
Arrested Landings (day)
1960
Arrested Landings (night)
313
Touch & Go
12
Bolters
69
Helicopter Landings
481
Aviation Gasoline consumed for 1969
376,025 gallons
TOTAL LANDINGS ON BENNINGTON
140,114
Total Arrested Landings
113,491
Total Helo Landings
26,682
Launches (port catapult)
286
Launches (starboard catapult)
916
January 15th, 1970
USS BENNINGTON CVS-20
Decommissioned
Joseph L. Pires, former SK3 onboard BENNINGTON from 1965-1969,
provided the information above. The information came directly from
the last commanding officer of the USS BENNINGTON CVS-20,
Captain, William M.Callaghan Jr. His Command History
(OPNAV) Report was typed on 14 January 1970…………
RETURN TO:
