In 1962, the Yorktown and her crew took part in atomic bomb testing off of Christmas Island.  The Soviet Union had abrogated the 34 month old de facto nuclear testing moratorium on 1 September 1961 by initiating an unprecedented series of atmospheric nuclear tests.  The US response was a series of underground and atmosphere testing.  It was at the height of the Cold War and Yorktown sailors were not told very much about their mission. 

She has made several cruises to the Western Pacific supporting her country's policy in the Far East.  During her service off Vietnam, the Yorktown spent a total of 192 days "on the line." According to U.S. Navy records, five aircraft were lost operationally and eight aircrew killed by enemy action.

Picture caption  Mar 3 1966  From USS Yorktown post office to Credit Union at China Lake.  An aviation boatswain mate in V2 making a car payment?  Notice that letter was mailed while this Yorktown sailor was in the combat zone on Yankee Station off the coast of North Vietnam and thus no stamp.  All a Yorktown crewman had to do was write "FREE" and that was all the postage required.

The Yorktown was there at the beginning of the war against communist aggression in Vietnam. 15 April 1965 - Coupled with President Johnson's decision to actively engage the enemy and strike enemy forces in South Vietnam planes from Midway, Coral Sea, and Yorktown (CVS 10) conducted the first such attack against Viet Cong positions northwest of Saigon.

CVS-10 entering Sasebo, Japan  for Christmas 1964
 

The Yorktown was used in Search and Rescue of downed United States Pilots while she cruised off the coast of North Vietnam in the Gulf of Tonkin on "Yankee Station."

With the end of overt hostilities, one might assume Yorktown's role in history is ended and the days of the ships of the line are over.  The Fighting Lady has made eight cruises to the Far East since the Korean War.  She has represented America in the Straits of Formosa, Sea of Japan and the Tonkin Gulf. 

After several deployments to the Far East, including service in the Taiwan Straits, Vietnam and off Korea as a result of the USS Pueblo capture.

Join the USS US Navy click here