NAVY- USS RANGER CVA61 MARCH 1963-APRIL 1966

The expected orders finally arrived and we were wrapping up our current tour at AIMD NAS Kingsville. We had “sold” our house at 1519
Johnston W. Circle and moved into a housing project for a couple of
months. The orders were not unexpected since one of the officers at AIMD,
a former Ranger crew member had made a comment one time that the
Ranger could use me so I think it was a set up. I checked out 1 March 1963
and we headed for California again. We found a rental in Hayward and
after getting moved in I checked in at COMFAIRALAMEDA and was flown
to Japan to board the Ranger in Yokosuka. I checked aboard before she
sailed for another Japanese port ( I believe Kobe). On the way there (it was
5 April 1963 we had a boiler uptake explosion so went back into Yokosuka
for repairs. We left Yokosuka on 1 May 1963 for an unrest in Laos. On 16
May we were back in Yokosuka for a 1 day cruise with the Japan-American
Society aboard. On 7 August 1963 we were in the shipyard at Hunter’s
Point Navy shipyard at San Francisco for a larger flight deck and finished
the yard stay on 10 February 1964. Before going into the yard we made a
family day cruise on 30 July 1963. We also moved into base housing in
November 1963. In September 1963 I received my permanent appointment
to ATC. I was drawing P1 OR P2 pay for most of the last year or so (a pay
to retain critical rates). We had a real dodo for the V6 division Officer. I
wont mention his name but he was a Greek and was LCDR at this time. On
our next deployment we had 8 AWOL sailors including one Chief and
besides missing movement they were gone over 30 days which made them
a deserter. He would hold personnel inspections on Sundays and demand
all kinds of stupid things-usually contrary to regulations. He jumped me the
first time I questioned his order telling him the way regulations demanded it
done. He told me not to argue with him but do as told, I said yes sir but I
will question all orders that go contrary to official standing orders so we
agreed on a Mexican stand off. One day an AZ3 broke his a knuckle or
two because he hit a file cabinet because of the LCDR. I did get somewhat
even later on our cruise which I will detail a little later. We got out of the
yard 10 February 1964 and began working up for the next deployment to
WESTPAC.  In May of 1964 we set sail south out of Alameda and went to
radio/radar silence in about 3 days, and while passing west of Los Angeles
at some distance from shoreline some guys on the flight deck was listening
to Los Angeles radio stations and heard that there was a report that the
USS Ranger was lost at sea and all contact with us was lost. We were on
a hush hush mission with only a couple of fighters and a COD aboard. Our
shops were essentially at rest because of no equipment to repair and all
test equipment was in good shape so we played pinochle most of the time.
Gene Roy was aboard with us and we still maintain some contact. We
crossed the equator ( a first for me) the summons issued for me to appear
before court see in documents USS Ranger.