Made in 1966, READY ON ARRIVAL shows the activities of the United States Navy’s aircraft carriers & the crews who man them. The USS Independence CV-62 is the carrier featured.
Carrier aircraft making attack runs over Vietnam are shown at the start of the film, landing on carrier decks at mark 1:00. At mark2:55, 4500 men are on the ship, they make it run; engineers, doctors, pilot, aircraft mechanics, fire men. They all help in running the ship. They work 14hours a day. They handle tons of explosives, works, and mechanics work all day keeping all the aircrafts ready when needed. At mark 5:10, they plan on their missions and how they get in the actual attacks; debriefing each other. At mark 7:20, the aircrafts are taken out every 30seconds as they move out to attack. As seen at mark 9:00, each crafts engages in air strike by firing their missiles. At mark 10:01, they arrived back on the ship. These are the ingredient of an air strike. At mark 11:35, there is a carrier on board delivery plane which brings mails and occasional visitors. They are also loaded with outgoing mails on its way back. At mark 12:45, there are engineers communicating. 4 boilers and 45,000 men need fresh water in great quantities for their preservation. At mark 13:40, the crew men are fed and it could be seen their cafeteria. At mark 14:20, their clothes are been sewn and washed by African American sailors.
The work of the ship can be hard and tedious, but there is always a time for them to have privacy as seen at mark14:45. Noise and commotion ar part of the air you breathe. You give up your privacy to the greater needs of your country. All this are only done by a responsible man. Here at home, the independence prepares to relieve a fighting ship on the line as seen at mark 16:15. From 50 states they come, all trained to do their job; from cooking meal to operating the most complex electronic equipment, from repairing tires to launching missiles. All these materials of war as seen at mark 16:33 come from the nation that has created this mobile potent weapon. A large segment of the population has contributed its skill and its wealth to create this force. As seen at mark 17:00, tradition has it planned that bands be played for fighting men who are gone for it’s a well of farewell. At mark 18:05, the ship sets offshore. A community of 4500 men separates from their families some here will give their lives. They have come 12,000 miles, other ships join up, they arrive at Yankee station up north Vietnam as seen at mark 18:30. The war is just across the horizon. In the weeks to come, the carrier will launch its r craft against the enemies and take control of their weapons. As seen at mark 19;00 all hands are on deck. This moment is the combination of all training; they would go back through all the years of a man’s career. Back in deep to the primary education that qualified him to be here; where enginiality as much as his plane matters. At mark 20:10, the crafts set out for attack while they kept communication going with their base. Each plane flying one side another, they are on their own now all the way to the mountain, missile sites. A radio communications tracks them all the way. Information reaches here from every part of the ship as they move to their targets. As seen at mark 23:00, the attacks have begin. For these men, the war is still at its low place and there’s still some kind of anxiety. At mark 24:35, they make their landings back to the base. Over the years, the role of the attack carrier has been a changing one. It has allowed the United States to respond to the unexpected, to bring this weapon to the support of friends or to confront potential enemies. The attack carriers exist so their attacks will be effective. At mark 26:00 are tons of explosives transported for upcoming warfare, combats. All these are prepared for when it is needed. There will soon be another mission and another and all this men will be needed.
The fifth USS Independence (CV/CVA-62) is a Forrestal-class aircraft carrier of the United States Navy. She was the fourth and final member of the Forrestal class of conventionally powered supercarriers. She entered service in 1959, with much of her early years spent in the Mediterranean Fleet.
Independence made a single tour off the coast of Vietnam in 1965 during the Vietnam War, and also carried out airstrikes against Syrian forces during the Lebanese Civil War and operations over Iraq during Operation Southern Watch, the enforcement of the no-fly zone over southern Iraq.
Independence was decommissioned in 1998 after 39 years of active service, and is currently stored at Bremerton, Washington, awaiting scrapping.
This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD and 2k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
