"Someone was watching over us."
Mac McLeroy enlisted in the United States Navy in 1951as a 19-year old college student. At the time, US Forces were fighting in Korea in what has since become known as "The Forgotten War." After 16 weeks of boot camp in San Diego, Mac traveled to airman training school in Memphis, then on to air controllers school in Jacksonville, Florida, before joining the re-commissioned USS Yorktown in Bremerton, Washington. Months of sea trials and operation readiness followed, then the Yorktown sailed for the China Sea and Formosa Strait to join the 7th Fleet. "We had a new ship, and 3,500 unproven personnel. Probably 80 to 85 percent of us were enlisted, and the average age was 19 or 20. Most of the older, experienced guys mustered out after World War II, so it was a rebuilding time."

Working in primary fly on the ship’s control deck, Mac coordinated the launching and recovery of naval aircraft in excess of 100 sorties per day. The floating naval base was hundreds of miles away from the fiercest ground fighting in places like Chosin, Wonsan, and Kumwha, but the seriousness of war hit home as this young sailor witnessed his first at-sea burial. "The ship was quiet…and the ship was never quiet. We were still on alert, but everyone who could be on deck, was. There was a color guard, and taps played over the ship’s intercom. I watched from the primary fly as they slid his body over the side. I’ll never forget his name. J.W. Keman. It was his first time away from home." The 18-year-old member of the flight deck crew died instantly when an arresting wire accidentally snapped and struck him.

Mac recalls the Navy as "the best education I ever got. We learned to work and live together, to serve with honor, and to sacrifice—but we were human. We all had feet of clay. I became an early-riser during those days, and on early mornings on in primary fly in pitch black, hearing the waves slap and seeing nothing but stars for miles, it was impossible not to believe that Someone was watching over us."

 

PICTURES FROM THE 1954-1955
USS YORKTOWN CRUISEBOOK

 

Order of the Fighting Lady

To all Sailors wherever ye may be and to all sea monsters, side cleaners, mail boy, lookouts, plane pushers and swab jockeys GREETINGS: Be it known that as a member of the Good Ship U.S.S. Yorktown and a Yorktown Firster of good standing that BOB WALLACE Having been found worthy by initiation to the deep occult mysteries of the Cavitte, Yokoska, Hong Kong and other Far Eastern ports and Seas thereabout, shall be accorded all the honors and ceremony befitting the august personage of an Oriental Mariner of the Order of the Fighting Lady.

 

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From Cruisebook 1954 to 1955 "In Yokosuka Japan, a couple of weeks before Christmas, we celebrated the Yorktown's second anniversary since her recomissioning. Our Bakers came through with the largest parcel of pastry ever whipped up aboard a seagoing vessel...without a doubt the largest cake most of us had ever seen anywhere! All hands joint in for all we could eat.

Yorktown sailors enjoying their far east liberty

CVA10 just clearing Golden Gate at Alameda, California

 

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CVA10 Forward Port Gun Mount 1954

CVA10 Alameda Shipyard, repairing Flight Deck 1954

 

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Hard Starboard Turn CVA-10 1954 ORE

Receiving aircraft Panther by crane on CVA 10 1954 Alameda 

It's been a long cruise.  You've steamed many miles, seen many places and people.  You've worked hard, played hard and sweat a lot, and now you're home. 

It's all behind you now, and you're glad it's over...but whenever the second Far Eastern cruise of the Yorktown is mentioned, you'll be proud to say

"I Was There."

Special thanks to RM1 George Brubaker United States Navy (ret.) for finding these USS Yorktown pictures in the old cruisebooks and making them available for all shipmates and the rest of the world to view.




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