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Aviation History
1945
1945 - 2358.PDF
NOVEMBER 29TH. T945 FLIGHT 587 Enterprise Honoured Famous American Aircraft Carrier Receives Board af Admiralty FlagO N Friday last the First Lord ol theAdmiralty, Mr. A. V. Alexander, the First Sea Lord, Admiral Cun-ningham, G.C.B., D.S.O., and the Fifth Sea Lord, Rear-Admiral T. HTroubridge. C.B., D.S.O., accompanied by other Naval officers, were received onboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Enter- prise by Admiral H. Kent Hewitt,U.S.N., Commander of U.S. Naval Forces in Europe, and Capt. W. L.Rees, U.S.N., Captain of the ship. The occasion was the presentation of 1heBoard of Admiralty Flag to the Enter- prise in recognition of the splendid workof its crew and aircraft in the Pacific campaign. The flag, with its gold anchor on a redbase, made a brave splash of colour against a grey November sky as it 8e\vfrom the main. On the flying deck, im- mediately below the halyards, the FirstLord recounted some of the deeds of the ship, and suggested that the Enterpriseshould take the same place in the affec- tions of the American people as that heldby H.M.S. Victory in Britain. He pointed out that the Board of AdmiraltyFlag was first flown in the year 1570 and was carried by Lord Howard of Effing-ham against the Spanish Armada. First Sea Lord's Tribute Lord Cunningham identified the Enter-prise as the " Fighting Lady " in the epic film of that name. He wrote, hesaid, a foreword for that film and a pic- ture of himself appeared on the screen.He was certain that this led many people to think he had commanded the ship—an impression which would have pleased him had it actually happened. There is no doubt that the honour wasgratefully received, but the U.S. Navy— if in this respect only—is even moresilent than our own. Cheering is for- bidden. The Enterprise, which is now one of15 U.S.N. combatant ships busily en- gaged on repatriation of troops, is buta shell of its former self. Gone are all the guns which once tackled Japanese suicide bombers The hangar deck nowhou.-es tier after tier of bunks for G.I.s. During the war the ship has had avariety of names—all of them deserved. For example, " Big E," because Estands for excellence in the U.S. Navy, and also because at one time a recogni-tion E was painted on her decks. Then Admiral Halsey, U.S.N. Commander ofthe U.S. Third Fleet, nicknamed her "The Galloping Ghost " when he flewhis flag in her during the early raids into the Marshall Islands. For security pur-poses in the film she rejoiced in the name of " Fighting Lady." Mr A. V. Alexander is received on the flight deck ot U.3 S. Enterprise. (Above) The newly presented flag flies from the main. (Left) Rear Admiral Troubridge, representing the British Naval Air Arm, watches the ceremony In nearly four years ot war the enemydamaged her no fewer than 15 times. On six occasions the Japanese claimed tohave sunk her. Her official game bag includes 911 Japanese aircraft shot downby the ship's guns and aircraft; 71 enemy ships sunk by her aircrews, andanother 192 damaged. In her final en- gagement at Okinawa, where six Britishcarriers were also operating, Enterprise- was hit four times. The last was by aheavily loaded suicide bomber which hit the forward end of the flying deck. Theforward aircraft lilt was blown 400ft. into the air. Painted on the bulkhead ofthe hangar deck is a Presidential Unit Citation for the first year of her war ser-vice. It reads: — " For consistently outstanding performanceand distinguished achievement during repeated action against enemy Japaneseforces in the Pacific war area, Decem- ber 7, 1041, to November 15. 1942. Par-ticipating in nearly every major carrier engagement in the first year of the war,the Enterprise and her air group, ex- clusive of her far-flung destruction ofhostile shore installations throughout the battle area, did sink or damage, on he:own, a total of ^S lapanese vessels and shoot down a total of 185 Japanese aircraft. Her aggressive spirit and superb combat efficiency are fitting tribute tothe officers, and men who so gallantly established her as an ahead bulwark indefence of the American nation." She is the sixth U.S. Navy ship to benamed Enterprise, has a displacement of 27,000 tons, and was originally designedto carry 76 aircraft.
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