USS Coral Sea Tribute Site

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This page is a collection of photographs that include intercepts, bomb damage assesments, spy ships and anything else having to do with the "bad guys".

79-80 WestPac. From Mike Chlebowski: "I've also got tanker pictures(reco photo) from the F-8's showing all the oil tankers running on empty. I don't think too many people know we also cut flow of oil out of the gulf for a while while we were there..." All photos courtesy of Mike Chlebowski. Picture captions/corrections provided by Bruce Gereber, retired Master Chief Intelligence Specialist--who spent his first 3 plus years in USS Coral Sea identifying all the ships and aircraft that "graced" us with a visit or were spotted and photographed by the various air wing elements.
	This is an AN-12 Cub (similar to a US C-130 Hercules). It can be used as a medium/long range maritime surveillance aircraft--and some were fitted with ECM (electronic Countermeasures) or ELINT (electronic Intelligence) equipment--this one appears to be a "garden variety" simply performing long range recon.
	Tanker riding high." This in fact is a cargo vessel. Note the cranes located amidships and the kingposts located on the front of the superstructure and near the bow. Tankers do not feature this type of equipment--cargo vessels do. The comment regarding reducing the flow of oil is a true statement--and was not well publicized.
	An F-4 Phantom of VMFA-531 intercepts a TU-95 Bear (probably D variant). These were the "real" long range recon/ASW platforms. Almost a daily occurence on this cruise. Correction from Miguel Vargas-Caba: Actually it is a TU-95MS-6, better known by its NATO codename as "Bear H". The TU-95RTs (NATO: "Bear D"), was the most iconic of all the TU-95s encountered by our aircraft carriers, and was distinguished by the two bulbous antenna covers, one under the nose and a larger one under the belly, to cover its navigation and search and targeting radar.
	Russian spy ships. Probably--the vessel on the left is a fishing trawler (routinely converted to AGI (Intelligence Collection Vessel) by the Russians; and the vessel on the right is most likely another converted fishing vessel, although probably configured as an AGS (Auxiliary Survey Vessel). Both routinely provide surveillance of US Navy vessels -- attempting to hide behind the inoccuous appearance as "fishing vessels."

	1965 Vietnam. Two F-4 Phantoms of VF-151 inbound over Vietnam. [Image Source - David Herron]
	1971 Two USS Coral Sea F-4B Phantom II fighters of fighter squadron VF-111 Sundowners (foreground) and VF-51 Screaming Eagles drop four Mk 82 500 lb bombs over Vietnam. [Image Source - US Navy]
	1977 Westpac. Russian Bear intercepted by a two F-4 Phantoms of VF-194. [Image Source - Peter Morris]
	1985 MED. This is an Udaloy Class DDG. By 1985 most of the Kashin's had been retired, although there were a few still operating. [Image Source - Chuck May]
	1972 WestPac. I took these two pictures of this F-4 Phantom from VF-111 Sundowners Squadron after flight operations. That I know of, this was our first Fighter to shoot down a North Vietnamese Mig in a dog fight. All of this happen during the first stages of the mining of Hiaphong Harbor back in April of 1972 when we started hitting SAM sights around Hiaphong Harbor. I remember Captain William H. Harris informing us over the PA system that an F-4 Phantom from the VF-111 Sundowner Squadron had just shot down a North Vietnamese Mig and that the F-4 pilot was going to do a low fly-by with a "victory roll". [Image/Story Source - Dan "Sauce" Sauceda]

	April - 1972 A-6 Intruders from VMF-224 pass a Junk as they head into North Vietnam in the first Alpha Strike at Hiaphong Harbor. [Image Source - Dan "Sauce" Sauceda]
79-80 Various "customers" from the 1979-80 Westpac
[Image Source - Bruce Henion]

!!!!!!!!!! Help !!!!!!!!!!

I need YOUR help to make this site great. I need any stories, photo's or ships information that you have on the Coral Sea. I can scan photo's for you if you don't have a scanner, email me for details. Please donate your memories so all Coral Sea crew members and their family's can enjoy this site to its fullest. Also let me know if anything you see here is in error. Thanks!!!

Contact me, Bob Dorais, at: cv43@usscoralsea.net

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