![]() A-7Es from ‘Indy’ went as well, as did Tomcats and Prowlers from both carriers. Kennedy launched 12 Intruders (seven from VA-85 and five from VA-75) and Independence sent five aloft, along with several KA-6Ds (from VA-176). In October 1983 Independence took part in the invasion of Grenada. The carrier was operating off the coast of Lebanon in support of the multinational peacekeeping force in Beirut. ![]() Vought A-7E Corsair II aircraft of attack squadrons VA-15 Valions and VA-87 Golden Warriors of Carrier Air Wing Six (CVW-6) line the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Independence (CV-62) in December 1983. While the ships rapidly woke up, it was confirmed that the ToT was an absolute that had to be met, which led to an all-hands effort to carry out their orders. On top of that, only one of the six specified targets had actually been prepared by the ships, and the other five, considered militarily irrelevant, were all new. The order was initially believed by the staff to have been sent in error, but as messages and voice traffic flashed between the ships and Sixth Fleet it became obvious that ‘somebody’ much higher had decided on military action with absolutely no regard for what it took for the operational forces to actually execute it.Īircraft were not ready or correctly spotted on the flightdeck, proper ordnance was not loaded and crews were not briefed. Then, at about 0300 hrs on the morning of the 3rd, a Flash order arrived from Sixth Fleet to execute strikes against six specific targets in Lebanon, with a time on target (ToT) of only four hours later. 1, when the carriers received direction to stand down from constant alert. The hair-trigger condition continued until about Dec. He was exactly who you’d want in that position if you were going over the beach.’ On top of that, we had Jerry Tuttle in charge. We had timing and weapons loads planned for all of them, and all of this information was sent up the chain to Sixth Fleet and CINCEUR so that they’d know what we were prepared to do. The force was ready, having prepared more than 300 potential targets in the region. This changed every 24 hours in order to share the load. It also placed two carriers off the beach to show national resolve.Īccording to one of Turtle’s staff officers, Lt Cdr Joe Hulsey, ‘we had been on constant alert for weeks, with one carrier being in “alert 30” with aircraft fully loaded and crews briefed, while the other flightdeck conducted normal flight ops. government, fearing a much bigger war involving Syria and Israel, put Marines ashore in Beirut in order to help stabilise a situation that was rapidly headed south. A-6E Intruder VA-35 Black Panthers, AJ502 / 151582 / 1977įoremost on the international stage at this point was the disintegration of Lebanon, as what had once been called ‘the Paris of the Middle East’ degenerated into violence and chaos involving multiple groups using assorted religious justification. This print is available in multiple sizes from – CLICK HERE TO GET YOURS. The senior officer on board CV-67 was the legendary Vice Adm Jerry O Tuttle, a short, fiery Naval Aviator with a light attack pedigree who was double-hatted as Commander, Carrier Group Two as well as Commander, Battle Fleet Sixth Fleet. ![]() ![]() As explained by Rick Morgan in his book A-6 Intruder Units 1974-96, these were still the days of Sixth Fleet having two carriers assigned, and CV-62 joined USS John F Kennedy (CV-67), which had CVW-3 - the first ‘dual A-6’ air wing - embarked. strike on Lebanon in 1983.Īfter Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada in 1983, the USS Independece (CV-62) pressed on to the Mediterranean, where it finally relieved USS Eisenhower (CVN-69), which headed for home. Truly an all-weather, day/night precision bomber, the A-6 was still the most potent strike aircraft on a carrier flightdeck during the U.S. The Grumman A-6 Intruder was the ‘Main Battery’ of carrier aviation throughout the Vietnam War, and it remained in service with the US Navy and US Marine Corps until 1996. The A-6 crew ejected, and Lt Mark Adam Lange soon succumbed to injuries suffered in the process of leaving the aircraft. B/N Lt Bobby Goodman was turned over to Syrian troops and duly spent several weeks in a jail near Damascus
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