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Danger Ranger, I heard you could get killed just walking through the hangar bay on the Ranger, amazing Kodachrome film stock, that Vigilante was awesome

Good stuff. I'm not tech savey to add flight deck sound. Navy music was the best I could do. My video was USS Midway 71-75 Air Operations over Vietnam. Thanks for sharing.

Badass!

I was aboard Ranger from 1968-'70, made 2 WestPac cruises. 1st Division my first cruise and S-7 Division (Data processing) on the second. Should've stayed aboard, probably would've done 20. Loved sea duty,

I was on Ranger 72 to 74

I was on Ranger 72 to 74

Was onboard Ranger with VA-113 72-72 gulf of Tonkin

I was in fighter Squadron VF-154 the Black Knights for two war time Westpac cruises 1967-68 and 1968-69, aboard USS Ranger.

Awesome upload. Vigi at the end is a real bonus!

I was on the anger for a 73-74 cruise in the AIMD Dept. supporting the RA5C family. Was a good cruise.

Thank you so much for sharing it!

I was aboard Ranger 72-73 flying E-1Bs. This cruise saw some very decisive action - the final assault on Hanoi/Haiphong called Linebacker 2, the first combat deployment of Laser Guided Bombs, and the mining of Haiphong approach lanes. Together these events provided great incentives for the final cease fire. The airwing lost 6 aircrew that cruise: one to combat (an A-7), 3 to aircraft material failure (an A-3), and 2 to a mid-air collision (2 F-4s). There was also a fatality in the Marine contingent - a heart attack.

DANGER RANGER

I was on the Sacramento from 72-74 D Wiest GMGSN.

Thanks for the video. Great to see the Top Gun again. Served aboard 62-64, YN3, Air Dept, V-6 Div., 62-63 WestPac.

That Vigilante trap at the end was nasty as hell. Did he trap off centerline?

Fascinating 🤩

Thanks John…super job! I almost feel YOUNG again. LOL

There was my station Down In the engine room Machines Mate 2nd articularly room 1979 to 1983 MM-E-5 David Garcia

First off I really enjoyed my time at sea. I was on this Westpac cruise. I was an AQ in VF-154, Black Knights. As an AQ I worked on the radar system. I don’t think the AQ rate is used any more. I worked the night shift, 7pm to 7am 7 days a week. Night ops was very cool. Seeing those planes being launched in full afterburner at night was really something. These Navy drivers in my opinion, are the best in the world. Being launched and recovered on an aircraft carrier is very precise work, especially during night time. Was always happy when all the planes that were launched were also recovered. One thing for sure, being on the flight deck during flight ops is dangerous work. At that time we were part of CAW2. I was also on the 68-69 Westpac cruise. On that cruise we went to the Sea of Japan because the North Koreans illegally boarded the USS Pueblo. We all thought we were going to war against North Korea. Sadly, that didn’t happen. Had we taken care of that problem, North Korea would be no problem today, my opinion. We had poor leadership not only in the White House, but also in General Westmoreland, who was in charge in Vietnam. I know this, I was proud to serve with my fighter squadron. We all did our jobs, as I believe every other squadron as well as ships company did their jobs. We were in a wartime operation. Bombs, missiles and airplane fuel were in abundance. So, doing your job correctly was at the top of the list. My time in the navy was a great experience. GO NAVY!!!

John A big thank you for remembering three of my closest friends of VAQ 130 Det 4 LCDR. Charles L. Parker (PILOT) LTJG Keith A Christophersen (Nav &ECM Officer) and AT-2 Richard D. Wiehr (Aircrewman) I wrote what happen on that tragic night in the comment section of your video of flight deck operations on the USS Ranger CVA61 in late 1972. Hard to believe it has been 50 yrs ago I remember that night as if it was yesterday.

If this video was taken in late 1972. This is the 72-73 west pac cruise. I too was aboard the Ranger back then I was with VAQ 130 Det 4 we flew the A-3 (WHALES) This video was taken just before we lost AC 611 on a night launch. I say this because in the video of one of the last f-4 launches the camera pan over an I caught the nose view of 611 just forward of the island I was a cat checker that night I had just finished checking HP bleed valves for closing and then jumped in the port catwalk a waiting the launch which was usually only a few seconds after I jumped in. I remember peeping over the scupper drain as I always did just to make another quick check of the bird before the launch. Then the cat launcher went to one knee and pointed towards the bow for the ok to launch. 611 was on its take off roll and got about halfway down the stroke on the port cat and then the nose gear clasped next there was a loud explosion just before 611 cleared the ramp She lost altitude and rolled hard left landing upside down in the water. Everyone rushed over to the port side and started throwing their flashlights over the side to mark her position. We all watch 611 as we passed by her just to sink before she even got to the fan tail. The helo was right there but never recovered anyone. The only thing they found the next day was about a 6ft section of honeycomb from the bottom of the bomb bay doors a part of the vert fin cap and one of the crews' helmets. I will never forget that night as long as I live. I lost three good friends ship mates if you will for, they all perished that night. May GOD be with them always.

USS SEATTLE AOE-3 HERE. 70-73

I was on the Oriskany 71-74 with VA-153 made three Westpacs during that time . I do remember the Ranger on one cruise everytime we would pull in to Subic Bay there was Ranger tied to pier. We called it building 61. We heard someone sabotaged a main engine somehow and she needed major repairs. Those were the days.

I was on that cruise.

I salute all soldier pilots marines army ranger who put there guts saving and fighting for freedom

Tough pilot

Crew is only one

Clear

Awak jet

All hands on deck

Thank you, John: I was aboard ship with you in 72-73, and then again in 74. I was with VA-25 as an AT3, working as a pre-flight trouble shooter and in AIMD. It was quite a ride, wasn't it? I took quite a few slide photos, myself, but they managed to escape my grasp over time. So thank you, again, John! Good Job!!

Well done!.. cool plane 👍

Gotta love those A7s

I served on the Ranger on 3 WESTPAC cruises (1968-1971). I worked on the radar of the F4-Phantoms in VF-21. What an adventure! I worked on the flight deck and hangar deck, trying to keep the airplanes flyable. We usually had another carrier working with us. One of us would fly all night 1900-0700, and the other would fly all day. We would launch 20 or 30 aircraft every hour and a half, and recover the previous mission's airplanes after those were launched. Then we had about an hour to repair, rearm, and refuel the planes before they were launched again. These cruises lasted 8 months, and during that time we would stay on Yankee Station off North Vietnam for about 6 weeks at time, flying bombing missions, then we would head for Subic Bay in the Phillipines, or Japan, or Hong Kong for some liberty for a few days. Then back to Yankee Station for another 6 week "line period". 8 months at sea on that ship was a loooong time. But lots of great memories and "sea stories"!

I did the last cruise on this girl 1993. But to tell u the truth. This footage is better than most footage these days the clarity. WOW

That Vigilante stops like a Lincoln Town car with the e-brake on

Actress Suzanne Summers had First USO Show on Ranger I Remember it Television 📺

On it in Iraqi war,130 days in Persian gulf , got back to sandiego then it was decommissioned

USS Hancock (CVA19) 1968-70. Good times in PI & Japan

Man the way that RA-5 shifted to the left on that trap…

As crewman of thr Rangers cod I probably landed on all of these carriers. At the time I thought there would be two separate countries in Vietnam. It was hard for me to reconcile the total collapse of South Vietnam. I didn't watch anything about the war for years. Today I'm extremely proud of my service.

Great pictures! I was one of your shipmates. Maintenance and aircrew on the C-1A. Thanks for your service! Top Gun Bar None!

I was on this cruise, aircrew and maintenance on the cod crew. Although not the speed of our jets the cat shots and arrested landing were exciting. Top Gun Bar None!

Was on this cruise l have the year book D Given A division

Looking good. I'm building this kit now.

Well made kit, was there also a figure included with this kit?

Great video

Holy shit I didn't think that Vigilante was going to pull up. Great video.

I was aboard the Ranger in 81-82 for one and a half Westpac cruises. I was involved in flight ops that looked much the same, except no Vigilantes, and the Phantoms were replaced with Tomcats.