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This is a good arial view of the Hancock, complete with full completement of planes from Carrier
Air Group 21 - A 'bird'e Eye View' from Angel One off the Starboard Side (1975) Donated by Joe Zeller. He has a
nice collection! |
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†
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This picture is one of the better pictures in tis gallery, which reprensents the Hancock during
her final years. It is the way those shipmates who served on her from 1956 when she received her angle deck, through
the end of the Vietnam War. This is the way your Yeoman remembers her the most. |
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‡
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My shipmate, Dennis Milliken donated this picture to our gallery. Dennis was stationed aboard
Hancock during the same time I was, and has contributed a great deal to this site, including some Oral History. He surprised me with a story that will bring back memories
for many of you. Please visit the Oral History site for his and many other great sea stories! |
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Battle Readiness was our condition and our Motto was "Ready Power for Peace"! |
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Hanna steaming for Yankee Station with Task Force 76 - Donated by Joe Zeller |
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This is an aerial shot of a Fly-by of a squadron of F8U Crusaders - One of the most sussessful,
deadly and accomplished planes of the Vietnam War! I don't know who contributed this picture, so I can't give credit;
if you are the owner of this photo, please accept my gratitude for it's use and let yourself be known so due credit
can be given! |
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Hanna had to briefly hit port at Pearl Harbor to unload Marines and other gear, and return to
Yankee Station, this time classified as an LPH, where Operations 'Eagle Pull' and 'Frequent Wind' were in full
operation. Picture was taken in 1975 during the Evactuation of Saigon. Read Joe's declassified message on Hancock Oral History Page. (Joe
Zeller, our photographer). |
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The Familiar #19 on the Island Structure! Who would forget? (Picture donated to the Gallery
by Joe Zeller) |
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This picture was also taken during this time (Joe Zeller, our photographer). Notice the hilo
on the Port Catapult. No, they weren't going to launch it!!  Getting reading for more evacuations. On the Starboard Catapult, sits a ready F8U Crusader |
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The scene is one that no sailor on Hancock will ever forget; the Afterbrow, and the pier at
NAS Alameda! Did you know you didn't have to salute the Ensign at night? But how many of us did? Nothing like coming
home after a long cruise to WestPac, and seeing all those families on the pier waiting for us.. Makes one's heart
skip a beat, thinking of those days! Pictured here is Joe Zeller, pausing to salute an Officer while taking 'Trash
and Garbage to the Pier' |
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Dennis Milliken donated this great frontal shot of the 'Fighting Hannah' - and is one of my
favorite shots of our Ship in this Gallery, though all are great pictures, I think! |
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Another favorite of mine, this shows Hannah as we were embarking on WestPac '63. We had just
dismissed from Flight Deck Muster, as we had passed under the Golden Gate Bridge, on our way to ORI (Operations
Readiness Inspection) in the vacinity of the Hawaiian Islands. |
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Tim Durand
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Another view of Hancock steaming out of the San Francisco Bay, on way to WestPac oncemore. This
Picture donated by Tim Durand via Ed Rostine. Ed has contributed to our Oral History Site as well. |
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Don Mettler
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Hancock at Anchor in Hong Kong (1975) on Hannah's last WestPac. Picture donated by Don Mettler.
Don is webmaster of another great Hancock Memorial Site. Please visit Don's Homepage |
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Don Mettler
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Pictured is Don Mettler's 'Final Cruise' shoulder Patch and the Hancock Patch which he wore
on his Flight Jacket |
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Richard Leonhardt and †
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Subic Bay Philippine Islands, March 7 1966 † Picture courtesy of NavSource and contributed
to that site by Richard Leonhardt |
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Yeoman Jake
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Your Yeoman took this picture of our ship as he turned to look at her for one last time, in
March of 1964. This was my very last view of our ship for I was never to see her ever again, and only when I decided
to put up this Memorial Site to her, did she really become something cherished and missed. |
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Log-19 Cruise Book '63
"on O.R.I"
Log-19
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I scanned this picture from our Log-19 1963 Cruise Book. It turned out very nice; I wish I knew
the photographer so I could give due credit, but should he happen aboard this Memorial Site, know that we do appreciate
your labors! From what your Yeoman
can recall, this picture was taken in the waters of Hawaii, and more than likely, while we were there on our Three-Week
ORI (Operational Readiness Inspection). |
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Log-19 Cruise Book '63
"on O.R.I"
Log-19
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This picture was taken the same time as the previous one. Your Yeoman used some Picture Magic
to place two pictures together to make one very nice picture of the Fighting Hannah. This picture is saved in 800
x 600 resolution, and makes a very nice Windows Wallpaper file - Try it you'll lik it!
Added 7 July 2001 |
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†
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A frontal or 'Birdseye View' of Hanna as perhaps seen by her many Squadron Pilots - (in
their rearview mirror ) † |
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Hancock History Book
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Pictured is Hancock with her 3000 man crew heading out for the waters of the South China Sea
on another WestPac Cruise. This picture could have beent taken anytime from 1956 through 1976. Picture courtesy
of the Hancock History Book. |
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Log-19 Cruise Book '63
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Another picture scanned from Log-19 1963 Cruise book, this one taken from 'Angel One' our plane
guard hilo, as we are about to return home from that 7 month long cruise to the Western Pacific waters of the South
China Sea, Tonkin Gulf and the Sea of Japan. Aboard you would find 3000 very happy Sailors! |
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Log-19 Cruise Book '63
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This is a picture of an at sea replenishment exercise. Ship alongside is long forgotten now
by myself, but those aboard her would remember coming alongside the Hannah many times during this and many other
cruises to the WestPac. This ship may be the UsS Neches AO-47. On this particular occasion we saw an Emergency
Breakaway full blown. Read about this Emergency Breakaway in Bill
Shipley's account in the Hancock
Oral Histories. (Courtesy of Joe Zeller) |
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Source unknown
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Pictured here is the Hangar Deck on the Hannah, from Hangar Bay #1 looking Aft. Remember the
Fire Doors Control Room with the small peep holes just above the Portside Elevator? You can see it here on the
left side of picture where the light from the door is coming in. Dave Mercer who is no longer with us, pointed
this out to me. |
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When Hannah was dispatched to the Scrap yard, to be rendered into 'Razor Blades' - her entire
Wheel house was disassembled and reassembled at the Smithsonian's
Air and Sea Museum in Washington, DC. This is a picture of it in reverse (They reassembled
it backwards! ).. Click picture to
see it the way it was on the Bridge. Visit the Bridge. |
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Unknown Plane Guard
Log-19
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This is an outstanding view of the Fighting Hannah, pictured aft, with one of our ever faithful
Plane Guard Destroyers following right behind. So much could be said about those who served in our Task Group,
while on line, during all times of operations, but no time, other than WWII and Vietnam can one truly appreciate
the presence of these ships, and for those who required their help, your Yeoman is quite sure, a hardy THANKS goes
out to those sailors who served proudly in our TIN CAN Navy. Hand Salute!
Added 7 July 2001 |
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Scenes of Hannah from the Metal Deck of the USS Kitty Hawk CV-63
WestPac '70-71
Thanks Patrick!
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Patrick Williams from the USS Kitty Hawk CV-63
recently (8 Aug 2001) wrote the Yeoman the following E-Mail contributing some interesting shots of our ship:
"Jake, I've attached the photos of the Hancock on Yankee Station that I took from the Kittyhawk sometime between
late `70 and mid `71. I wish they were of better quality, but as you know we never got to close to other carriers
while on Yankee Station. While not close-ups, they do show you how the Hancock looked to us on the Kittyhawk. As
for the moments that the photos were taken, I don't remember exactly when it was, but I do remember being on the
flight deck early in the morning after having just finished working all night. I saw the Hancock way off on the
starboard side and knew that I had to try to get a picture of such an historic ship. I ran down to the VA-195 Ordnance
Shack, got my camera and ran back up to the flight deck hoping I hadn't lost my opportunity. Unfortunately, this
was the best I could get with the equipment I had, but they are better than nothing.
Patrick Williams"
plwilliams(at)bigfoot.com (Patrick Williams)
Visit the Kitty Hawk CV-63 Association Page |
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US Navy Photo
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A very nice frontal view of the USS Hancock during flight quarters.
Picture courtesy of the Hancock History Book |
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Pictures courtesy of Tony Rucker, AK3, USN (Ret)
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Shipmate, Tony Rucker, AK3,
sent us this and the next photo of the Hannah, which he took in 1971. See Tony's Serendipity Gallery for some interesting pictures which he wished
to share with all of us. Tony says he was in the "Y" of Sydney when this was taken. Which 'Y' Tony?
Hannah at birth on Pier #3, NAS, Alameda. Tony says, "Check out the rare Chevy El Camino to the right. Those
sure were the days!
Thanks, Tony, for some very good pictures of the Happy Hannah! |
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USS Navasota AO-106 Alongside, during Refueling
Picture courtesy of the Log-19 '63 Cruise Book
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Now man all Starboard Refueling Stations. Lifeboat Crew of the Watch to Muster. The Hannah takes on Fuel from
USS Navasota AO-106,
for operations off the coast of South Vietnam in the Tonkin Gulf.
See more of this ship during a Refueling, on the 'Man
all Starboard Refueling Stations' Page |
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The End of an Era - Yet the Tradition lives on
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Hannah's Final
Portrait
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This picture was donated by Michael Donegan, and pictures Hanna already going under the cutting
torch. On the dock, you can see her gun mounts already removed. This is a sad sad picture for me, and I am sure,
for all of us ex-Hancock Sailors.
I would like to thank Mike Donegan for allowing me to use this picture of Hancock in her final days. With her side
cleaners long gone now, she was left for the elements to take over, and we know how fast the sea and salt works
on steel when not protected. Truly a sad ending to a Noble Lady!
Please visit Mike Donegan's Homepage, NavyDaze and enjoy Naval and Aviation art done in exacting detail,
color and composition, which make up his unique, one-of-a-kind paintings. A piece of history captured on canvas.
* A little bit of my own rhetoric here, please, but I know that, had the country not
been at war, and where there was such a large anti-war, anti-military sentiment in the land in 1976, she might
have been saved. I can't understand why such a distinguished warship would not be saved as so many are today..
The time was just not right for Hanna. Today, she is lovingly known by yours truly as the... |
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Reserved for
your Photo
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Please consider donating your photos to this gallery! |