If you like these pictures, thank a US Navy photographer.

Yorktown photographers photographed each and every landing and launching of fixed wing airplanes, regardless of weather.  We wore green jerseys on the flight deck. 

 

We were kind of like the 'death watch', in case a plane crashed or something went wrong, we would have it on film or video tape for the Navy to analyze.  Here is , earning his $50 a month hazardous duty pay as the launch cameraman, standing on the flight deck of the Yorktown.  His working position was on the starboard side, forward, a few feet away from the noise, jet wash, propellers, danger, catapults and launching aircraft.  He is standing of a catwalk which hangs off the side of the flight deck, about six stories above the cold China Sea and warm Gulf of Tonkin.

 

 

 

The other camera was a television camera on the island, at about the 07 level to capture each landing.  24 hours a day, 7 days a week, this closed circuit television was broadcast to the Squadron Ready Rooms, the Air Boss, the Captain, etc.  There was also a camera right on the  flight deck, under the wooden deck as the planes came right at it.

 

 

 

Navy Photographers on the Yorktown worked in both intelligence and in publicity.  We provided services to aviation, photo intelligence, public affairs and made nice portraits of officers and petty officers for their service jackets.  Pictured here, Chief Petty Officer Photographers Mate Milton Putnam.  He was a PH2 when HS4, his squadron, was assigned to the Yorktown in 1968.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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