Page 11 · Command & Leadership

Important Dates in the History of USS CONSTELLATION CV-64 October 27, 1961 * Commissioned at New York Shipyard. July 12, 1962 »* Departed New York to sail around Cape Horn to San Diego. August 4, 1964 «© Launched air strikes in response to Gulf of Tonkin incident. May 101972 * LT Cunningham and LTJG Driscoll, flying off USS Constellation, became first US aces of the war by downing three MiGs in one day and five in three months. November 23, 1974 © Entered Persian Gulf while participating in MIDLINK 74, the first time an American carrier had been in those waters in 26 years. July 1,1975 » Redesigned "CV" from "CVA," reflecting upgrade to multi-use carrier with anti-submarine capabilities. August 20, 1981» President Reagen declared Constellation "America's Flagship." February 21,1985» Departed San Diego for WESTPAC, the first deployment with the F/A- 18 Hornet. September 26, 1986 ¢ Became the first carrier to visit Anchorage, Alaska. August 3, 1987 * Began flying cover for U.S.-flagged tankers in the Persian Gulf. February 13,1990 »¢ Departed San Diego for transit around South America's Cape Horn enroute to Philadelphia. April 11, 1990 * Commenced Service Life Extension Program in Philadelphia. February 28, 1993 © Visited Valparaiso, Chile - the first aircraft carrier to do so since Connie last stopped in Valparaiso in 1962, on her last trip around the horn. March 4, 1993 * Departed Philadelphia for San Diego by way of Cape Horn - her third trip around the Horn. July 22, 1993 ¢ Arrived in "new" homeport of San Diego. November 10, 1994 * Departed San Diego for its 17th deployment to the Western pacific, the first overseas deployment in five years. January 11,1995 ¢ Entered Persian Gulf with embarked carrier Air Wing Two (CVW-2), to patrol U.N. "No-Fly" zone over southern Iraq in support of Operation Southern Watch. Conducted Maritime Interception operations in support of U.N. sanction against Iraq. March 21,1995 ¢ Secretary of Defense, William Perry, visited Constellation in the Persian Gulf. March 23, 1995 * Constellation departs Persian Gulf. May 10, 1995 © Arrive in San Diego from deployment to the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean. Build ts ssssissscsssssscsssscssvvessaes New York Naval Shipyard Height Keel to Mast. USS CONSTELLATION Statistics Launched...... ...October 8, 1960 .Two/30 tons each Commissioned..........ccccsessseseseseeseeees October 27, 1961 Weight of the Anchor Chain Links......... 360 Ibs. each Total Cost......... million dollars (1961) Combat Load Displacement................0++ 88,000 tons ..Four Steam Turbine Engines Propellers. ...4 with 21 ft. diameter S peed sissi..cccccssctstsacicsccsuscsnescovevess In excess of 30 knots Rudders.... 200,000 Ibs. each Plight Deck Lengths :.c.1.0cs0ss.ncscssssesorernstesstsecin 1,079 ft. Telephones Over 1,300 Flight Deck Breadthsiisssisiscssceccsssssesssesscscsvscetsens 270 ft. Distilling Capacity... eee 400,000 gallons/day Area of Flight Deck............. 4.1-Acre — Meals'served per day: is, cccccsessszsetesesevszerss 18,000 plus Number of Aircraft Elevators.