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67-68 CRUISE

USS Ranger (CVA-61)

Air Wing: CVW-2

Homeport departure/return: Alameda, 4 November 1967-25 May 1968

In-chop/out-chop: 20 November 1967-18 May 1968

On Line periods: 3-27 December 1967;

7-27 January 1968;

19 March 1968-11 April 1968;

22 April 1968-9 May 1968

Total: 88 days on the line

Squadrons:

VF-21......... ........F-4B ..........NE Ixx

VF-154....... ........F-4B.......... NE 4xx

VA-22 ................A-4C ..........NE 2xx

VA-147...... ........A-7A ..........NE 3xx

VA-165 ..............A-6A.......... NE 5xx

VAH-2 Det 61 ....KA-3B.... ...ZA 6xx

RVAH-6 .............RA-5C .......NE 70x

VAW-13 Det 61..EKA-3B..... VR 72x

VAW-115 ...........E-2A ..........NE 75x

HC-I Det 61 .....OH-2A/C....... UP xx

Air Combat victories (0):

Combat losses (4):

16 December 1967: F-4B (151492, NE 101) of VF-21; AAA; North Vietnam; LCdr D E Hernandez and Lt (jg) S L Vanhorn, both recovered.

22 December 1967: A-7A (153239, NE 313) of VA-147; SAM; North Vietnam; LCdr J M Hickerson, POW.

26 January 1968: A-6A (152901, NE 501) of VA-165; cause unknown; North Vietnam; LCdr N E Eidsmoe, MIA, and Lt M E Dunn, KIA.

28 April 1968: F-4B (153014, NE 103) of VF-21; AAA; North Vietnam; LCdr D E Hernandez and Lt (jg) D J Lortscher, both recovered.

Operational losses (6):

4 December 1967: UH-2C (149741) of HC- 1; four crew members recovered.

10 January 1968: F-4B (151506) of VF-154; both crew members recovered.

10 January 1968: F-4B (151499) of VF-154; both crew members recovered.

23 January 1968: A-6A (152932) of VA-165; one crew member recovered, one killed.

23 January 1968: UH-2B (151315) of MC-7; four crew members recovered.

14 April 1968: F-4B (150644) of VF-154; both crew members recovered.

68-69 CRUISE

USS Ranger (CVA-61)

Air Wing: CVW-2

Homeport departure/return: Alameda, 26 October 1968-17 May 1969

In-chop/out-chop: 12 November 1968-10 May 1969

On Line periods: 29 November 1968-10 December 1968;

14-29 December 1968;

8-30 January 1969;

16 February 1969-15 March 1969;

5-16 April 1969

Total: 91 days on the line

Squadrons:

VF-21........................F-4J............ NE lxx

VF-154......................F-4J ............NE 2xx

VA-147 ....................A-7A........... NE 3xx

VA-155..................... A-4F.......... NE 4xx

VA-165.....................A-6A ..........NE 5xx

RVAH-9 ....................RA-5C .......NE 60x

VAH-10 Det 61 .........KA-3B .......NE 61x

VAQ-130 Det 61...... EKA-3B ......NE 61x

VAW-115 .................E-2A ...........NE 01x

HC-I Det 61 ............UH-2C .........UP 00x

Air Combat victories (0):

Combat losses (0):

Operational losses (4):

16 January 1969: A-4F (155059) of VA-155; pilot killed.

17 February 1969: F-4J (155760) of VF-21; both crew members recovered.

20 February 1969: F-4J (155763) of VF-21; one crew member recovered, one killed.

12 April 1967: A-7A (1532?2) of VA-147; pilot recovered.

69-70 CRUISE

USS Ranger (CVA-61)

Air Wing: CVW-2

Homeport departure/return: Alameda, 14 October-1969 I June 1970

In-chop/out-chop: 4 November 1969-23 May 1970

On Line periods: 17 November 1969-6 December 1969;

18 December 1969-4 January 1970;

30 January 1970-17 February 1970;

1-20 March 1970;

17 April 1970-12 May 1970

Total: 103 days on the line with TF 77 and 8 days (6-13 April 1970) on the line with TF 71 off Korea

Squadrons:

VF-21.................. F-4J ........................NE lxx

VF-154 ................F-4J ........................NE 2xx

VA-56 .................A-7B .......................NE 4xx

VA-93 .................A-7B .......................NE 3xx

VA-196 ..............A-6A .......................NE 5xx

RVAH-5 ..............RA-5C .....................NE 60x

VAQ-134 ...........KA-3B/EKA-3B ........NE 61x

VAW-115...........E-2A.......................... NE 01x

HC-I Det 8......... SH-3A ......................NE 00x

Air Combat victories (0):

Combat losses (4):

22 November 1969: A-6A (155613, NE 513) of VA-196; cause unknown; Laos; Cdr L W Richards, recovered, and Lt (jg) R C Deuter, MIA.

22 November 1969: A-6A (155607, NE 507) of VA-196; cause unknown; Laos; LCdr R F Collins and Lt M E Quinn, both MIA.

2 January 1970: A-6A (152937, NE 507) of VA-196; AAA; Laos; Lt B C Fryar, KIA, and Lt N G Brooks, MIA.

6 February 1970: A-6A (155618, NE 516) of VA-196; AAA; Laos; LCdr E P (PeeWee) Reese and Lt (jg) D R Fraser, both recovered.

Operational locales (7):

17 December 1969: A-7B (154542) of VA-56; pilot recovered.

26 December 1969: A-7B (154517) of VA-56; pilot recovered.

11 January 1970: F-4J (155750) of VF-154; both crew members killed.

5 February 1970: A-7B (154391) of VA-93; pilot killed.

28 February 1970: A-6A (155605) of VA-196; both crew members recovered.

9 March 1970: F-4J (155775) of VF-21; both crew members missing.

9 May 1970: A-7B (154555) of VA-93; pilot recovered.

JANUARY 23, 1968...The USS Pueblo (AGER-2), a US Navy Flint and hydrographics ship, was boarded and seized by North Korean forces in international waters off the coast of Wosan, North Korea. After nearly a year of diplomatic disagreement between the US and North Koreans, the crew of 82 and one remains, having suffered greatly, were finally released.