USS Lake Champlain (CVA
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......... u.s.s. IJ\,KE C~ (CVA 39) ·eare or Fleet Post Office San Francisco, California CVA39/12/wit A9 Serial: 0290 5 Aug 1953 DDWNGRADED J\T 3 YEAR INTERVALS: : Fran: Commanding Officer, U.s.s. LAKE CHAMPLAIN (CVA .39) D!CJ.ASSIFIED AFTER 12 YEARS · To: Chief of Naval Op.ations DOD DIR 5200.10 Via: (l) Commander-Task Force SEVENTY SEVEN (2) Commanc\~ SEVENTH Fleet (.3) Command~ Naval 1 Forces, Far Fast (4) Commander in Chief, U. s. Pacific Fleet Subj: Action Report for the period U July through Z7 July 195.3 Ret: (a) OPNAV INSTRUCTION .3480.4 of July 1951. Encl.: (l) Carrier Air Group FOUR Act:f.on Report • p, Q '-1- l. ~. compliame with reference (a) the AcUon Report of the u.s.s. LAKE CHAMPLAl:N (CVA 39) and Carrier Air Group FOUR for the period 11 July through 27 July l9S3 is submitted herewith. PART I cgg:Q§J:TION Of OWN FQRQI? The U.S.S. Lt'U~ CHAMPLAIN (CVA .39), c0llll1llnded by CAPT G. T • MUNDORFF 1 USN,.with Command~ CB.rrier Divi:;sion ONE, RADM W. D. JOHNOON, USN, and " Carrier Air Grc>up FOUR less VF-44 plus VF.:..lll emb~ed, sortied from Yokosuka1 Japan at 0659I, 11 JW¥ 19-5.3 and at 2330!, 1,3 July 1953 joined 'l'a.sk, Force ~EVMY SEVEN in area SUGAR, Japan Sea. Comma.n.der Taak Force SEVENTY SEVEN and OGnlna.n.der Ca.mt;r Division THREE, RADM R. E. BLICK, USN, was embarked in the U.S.S. PRINCEToN (CVA 37). Those UIP.ts of Task· Force SEVENTY SEVEN p~esent when joined by the u.s.s. IJJ{E CHAMPLAIN (CVA 39) 1 were the U.s.s. BOXER (CVA 21), U.s.s. PRINCETON . (CVA 37);. ~various .ships of the screening .force. Comman®r Cartier Division ONE, RldJM lf4 .. D. JOHNSON, USN, embarked in ' . the u.s.S'. ·IJJ(;E CH.ll.MPLAIN (CVA .39) I assumed '4J;ties a.s Comna.nder Task .Force SEVENTY SEwN on l4 July 1953. At Q6QO o~· 17' ~ 1953, the u.s.s. PHILIPPINE SFA (CVA 4.7) joilwd the Task. FOt-ce. ;---- .. -m~~ilf - The mission cf this force 8.8 .s~t fo~h in CTF-77 Optrder 2.-S2 is to . eonduct air and surface operations ott tlie eoaat of Korea in otQ.or to support U.N. Forces ~ Korea• and to support the policy· of the United stat.- in th~ . Far East. , r l I '''··" .··s·,.·," ·';_-~-" •••, ;;.":;;..-"-'\:~~~¥'.'~."-'· CVA39/l2/wit A9 ntttlSSlflt.tl Serial: 0290 PART :q CHRONOLOGY ll Jul,y 1253: Underway for Korean operating area. from Yokosuka, Japan at 0659 in accordance with instructions contained in CTF-77 dis patch OS0604Z of July 19.53, with Commander Carrier Division ONE and Carrier Air Group FOUR embarked. Conducted air opera tions for training purposes with 92 sorties flown. 12 Jul:y J.25J : Enroute from Yokosuka, Japan ·to join Task Foree SEVENTY SEVEN. Rendezvoused with the u.s.s. SMALLEY (DD 565) at 04Z7. Air operations consisted of 36 sorti~s for training P\U1)0sea. Operational Suitability Test No. 711 was conducted. Conducted AA Exercises on sleeve target. Refueled u,s.s. SMALLEY (DD 565), alongside from 1522 to 1632. At 2330 joined Task Force SEVENTY SEVEN. Ships present When joined by the · U.S.S. LAKE CHtlMPIJ•IN (CVA .39) were: U.S.S. PRINCF:l'ON (OVA 37)t u.s.s. OOXER (CVA 2l), with Comnander Carrier Division THREE · as Camnander Task Force SEVENTY SEVEN embarked, and units of the screening force as follows: USS o•BANNON (DD 450) u.s.s. BRUSH (DD 745) 1 U.s.s. sw.LEY (DD 565), U.s.s. BRONSON (DD 668), U.s.s. CARPENTER (DD 825), U.s.s. FLETCHER (DDE 445), and ; U.S.S. MOORE (DD 747). l4 My 1253: . Air operations were limited to 31 sorties due to weather. At 1606 RADM w. D. JOHNSON, Commander Carrier Division ONE, re lieved RADM R. E. BLICK, Qommander Carrier Division THREE, as OTC and Commander Task Force SEVENTY SEVEN. 15 Juq 1953: Adverse weather conditions held 'bhe day's fiight operations to 35 sorties. Refueled from the u.s.s. PASSUMPSIC (AO 107) from 2109 .to 0037 • 16 MY 1253: Conducted limited air operations due inclement weather; 89 sorties flown. Conducted air operations with 110 sorties nown. At approxi mately 0600 the U.s.s. PHILIPPINE SEA (CVA 47) ac:compg.nied by the u.s.s. Fl.ETCHER (DD 445) joined the formation. From 1931 to 0007 the ship rearmed from trw u.s.s. MT KA'IMAI {AE 16) • 18 Jul_y 195J : Low visibility continued to hamper flight operations. 25 sorties were fiown. From 1400 until 1600 the u.s.s. NEW JPRSEY (BB 63) was present in the fonxation. From 1906 to 2241 the ship refueled t'rom the u.s.s. CALIENTE (AO 5.3). 2 •• CVAJ9/12/wit A9 Serial: 0290 J.9 July 1253: Air operations were restricted to 75 sort.ies fiown,d.Ue to weather. From 1032 to 1045 the u.s.s. BRUSH (DD 745) came alongside for transfer of personnel. The ship reprovisioned from the U.S.S. GRAFFIAS (AF 29) from 21.3.9 to 2249• 20 Jul.y 125.3: Conducted air· operations with 29 sorties nown. Fog and low ceilings seriouslY limited flight operations. 21 July l92J : Cancelled air operations due to weather. From 0705 to 1120 the u.s.s. N&1 JERSEY (BB 63) and the u.s.s. BOALE (DD 755) were present in the formation. From 1536 to 16$5, the Ship rearmed from the u.s.s. MT Kl:.TMAI (AE 16) followed by re fueling from the u.s.s. CALIENTE (AO 53) from 1730 to 1950. 22 J'!b 1953: Limited air operations conducted due to inclement Wea.ther. 60 sorties were flown. From 1020 to 1923 the u.s.s. MANCHESTER (CL 62) accompanied by the u.s.s. RADFORD (DDE 446) joined the formation. During· the morning .fllght operations, LT D. C. JOINES, 430230,;. USNR_, of vF-62 baUed out of his F2H2 airora.ft over water .and was reoovered by- a. helicopter from the u.s.s. BR]}!ERTON (CA 130). At 1726, KILLGROVE, R. W. 1 SN, 340 52 SO, USN, reoeived serious injuries when struck by- ' an aircraft arresting gear cable which broke during landing operations. 23 Ju1:y }.953 : Gondueted air operations consisting of 133 sorties. At 0908 ENS H. K. WALLACE, 551862, USNli1 of VF-22 piloting an F2H2 crashed in water from starboard catapult caused b,y loss of port tip-tank and was not recovered. At 13001 CAPT G. T. MUNOORFF, USN, was relieved as Commanding Officer of the U.S.Sr IJJ<:E CHAMPLAIN (CVA .39} by- CAPT L. B. SOUTHERLAND, USN, during) a brief ceremony on the bridge. From 2142 to 2400 the snip refueled from the u.s.s. Cf~IENTE (AO 53). ' 24 July 1953: Conducted a;i.r operations with 152 sorties fiown. At approxi- mately 1745 the ship's helicopter, BUNO 122710 crashed into water while hovering over the u.s.s. BLUE (DD 744) on a routi~ guard _n;ail trip. The pilot,· ENS R. L. 'l'EEL, 554652, USNR, a.n<;l' crewman H. E. MORTENSEN, AD2, 3l8 53 .36, USN, sustained minor injuries and were recovered by- the helicopter tram the U.s.s. BOXER ( CVA 21) • From 20.3.3 to 2.318 the ship rearmed from the U.s.s. MT VESUVIUS (AE 15) • 25 J)ll.y 1253 : Conducted air operations with 14S sorties .t:l.own. At 1420., HA.MRICK, A. K., AN, 428 15 50, USN, received minor injuries when he was caught by jet suction and carried into a jet in take. From 2057 to 0122 the ship refueled .from the U.s. s. CHIK.ASKIA, (AO 54) • · . ~ '"' . .~·:'..·_-.:~.··~ ·.· ... •• D£ctA$StfJEO ' CVA.39/l2/wit A9. Serial: 0290 26 JuJ:,y J.253: At 0258, General Quarters was sounded when radar contact was made with several unidentified air targets. At 0449,General. Quarters was secured; sch,eduled air operations were commenced at 0505. The LAKE CHAMPLAIN set it's own record today with 166 sorties flown. At, 1226; an· AD4B BUNO 127868 piloted by LTJG R. E. BRUMBACH, 505000 1 USNR, ditched alongside the ship. LTJG BRUMBACH was recovered by the helicopter uninjured. At '' 2025 the u.s.s. NEW JERSEY (BB 63) joined the formation. The ·-"t ship rearmed from the u.s.s. MT VESUVIUS (AE 15) from 2040 to 2300. At 1655, wooD, L. (n)., AN, 631 52 57, USN, received serious injury when thrown by a jet blast into a tractor while directing aircraft during air operations. EIJS E. N. BROn,ES, 5518491 USNR., was listed as missing in action when he failed to rendezvous after a bombing run over North Korea. 27 Ju1:Y 1923: Conducted air operations. with 128 sorties nown. At 1012 re ceived word that the Korean truce had been signed as of 1.00ll. with a cease-fire to follow 12 hours later. From 1911 to 2255 the ship refueled from the U.s.s. NAVliSOTA {AO lo6). At 2200 the cease-fire became effective and all offensive operations ceased. PART III ORDNhNCE MJ,.TERIYfY&!T AND AMHUNITION EXPENDITURES, _ ~~ OPERt\TIQR3 1. Ammunition ~nditure. a. Gun Ammunition 311 /50 cal. VTNF 544 rounds 5"/38 cal. A."..C 51 rounds ··' 5"/48 cal.