US NAVY-Aircraft Carrier-off Wanchai-1968

Tue, 10/11/2016 - 22:04

Can anyone identify this aircraft carrier? 

The name on the stern is tantilising unreadable and the usual large number on the bridge structure is obscured.

Its interesting now how close they moored to the shore in those days

Date picture taken
15 Jun 1968
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It's an Essex Class Aircraft carrier, and one that has been modified to add the angled deck.
I'm guessing USS Ticonderoga, which was in HK from 19-24 Jun 1968.

Are you sure about the date 15 June?

These are the Essex Class US Aircraft Carriers in Hong Kong in 1968.

USS Coral Sea       11 Jan 1968

USS Kearsarge     21 - 27 Jan 1968

USS Yorktown       25 -30 Apr 1968

USS Ticonderoga  19-24 Jun 1968

USS Kearsarge     15 - 21 Aug 1968

USS Bennington    22 – 26 Sep 1968

USS Intrepid           3 – 8 Oct 1968

USS Hornet            22 – 27 Nov 1968

USS Hancock         14 – 20 Dec 1968

 

Ticondergo looks right.

The date I gave came from the 'Month & Year' as stamped on the back of my print by STEREO the well-known HK photo processors.

The day I just made a guess at.

Thank you for ID

 

Interesting list and dates.

I recall seeing them all a numbers of times over the years, except USS Bennington. This name completely escapes me.

I do recall that around 1968 or maybe 1967, that unusually there were carriers in at the same time from the US Navy and Royal Navy (HMS Eagle?) and Australian Navy,

When an almighty battle erupted between the crews in and around the Wanchai bars. It even made the front pages of the newspapers.

The "Shore Patrols" would have had a field day that night.

Interesting times!

 

The story that my father told me;
a group of American Sailors asked the English Sailors "why aren't you limeys fighting in Vietnam?".
The response? "the Viet Cong haven't asked us yet".
Sounds like the same event to me.

(the story is also attributed to someone on HMS Ark Royal).