USS Independence CV-62

The fifth U.S. Navy ship to bear the name Independence was known as the USS Independence CV-62, and she proudly served as a supercarrier, the first in her class. Launched from the New York Navy Yard in June of 1958, the Independence CV-62 was captained by R.Y. McElroy. On August 25, 1959, the Skywarrior, an A3D aircraft weighing a whopping 84,000 pounds, took off from the deck of the Independence CV-62 and would be the heaviest aircraft to take off from a carrier up until that time.

The Independence CV-62 went on to serve in a naval blockage during the famous John F. Kennedy-ordered Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, where she blocked off Puerto Rico. She returned to Norfolk, Virginia in November of that same year and went on to participate in training exercises in Guantanamo Bay. Serving until well into the 1970s, the Independence CV-62 traveled all over the world, including China, Vietnam, (where she assisted in the first coordinated air strikes against Vietnam at Hanoi-Haiphong) and the Mediterranean. In 1973, President Richard Nixon would deliver his Armed Forces Day speech from the deck of the Independence CV-62, and in 1974, she bravely assisted two other ships in retrieving passengers and crew of TWA Flight 841 from the waters of the ocean after the aircraft was bombed during what would become known as one of the very first terrorist attacks.

In the 1980s, the Independence CV-62 continued to support the U.S. military and traveled throughout the world, including a trip through the Suez Canal, making her the first U.S. vessel to maneuver the canal in almost 20 years. In 1984, the won the Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award for the Atlantic Fleet after earning the highest scores in efficiency tests. The Independence CV-62 served until she was decommissioned 39 years after she was launched.

The crew of the USS Independence CV-62 were a brave group, and they faced a number of risks during their time at sea. One such risk was that of asbestos exposure, which has been conclusively linked to the development of mesothelioma, also known as asbestos cancer. Mesothelioma is a deadly disease, and any veteran who served aboard this or any other U.S. ship that was built before 1980 should monitor their respiratory health and consult with a doctor if they begin to suffer from common mesothelioma symptoms, such as a lingering cough or breathing troubles.

Last modified: December 09 2009.