The Ageless Warrior

This year marks the 250th anniversary of the United States Navy, officially formed on October 13, 1775. And to think I got to be a part of that rich heritage as a member of the crew of the USS Coral Sea, the best ship in the Navy, where I was assigned to E Division. The Coral Sea was in dry dock in Bremerton, Washington, at Puget Sound, undergoing updates and modernizations when I first reported aboard. After her updates were completed, we soon sailed down the coast to the San Francisco area, where our home port was Alameda, California. The sheer power, elegance, and technological sophistication of the Coral Sea made every day aboard a lesson in naval excellence, teamwork, and American pride. At 19 years old, on my own and pursuing my dream of serving in the US Navy aboard an aircraft carrier—as a lifelong Star Trek fan, I had hoped for the Enterprise, but God had a better plan—I was blessed beyond measure to serve on the Coral Sea. Serving with the people I did was a life-defining exp...

USS Coral Sea’s 1979–1980 WestPac Deployment Author: James K. Lewis NOTE; I was on board the USS Coral Sea during all of this. I’ll never forget November 13, 1979—the day the USS Coral Sea (CV-43) left Alameda, California. The air on the flight deck was thick with tension and excitement, like electricity before a storm. We were headed into one of the tensest moments in modern U.S. history: the Iran Hostage Crisis. Everyone knew the stakes. The seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and the taking of 63 hostages wasn’t just news on a TV screen—it was real, and we were a part of the response. Our first stop, a brief 6½-hour layover in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, was barely enough to stretch our legs and grab supplies. Liberty was a luxury we didn’t have. We had to move fast, every hour mattered. The world was watching, and we knew the Navy counted on us. We arrived in Pusan, South Korea, in early December, right after President Park Chung-hee was assassinated. The tension in the port was palpab...

The USS Coral Sea (CV-43) is a Midway-class aircraft carrier commissioned in 1947 and actively serving the United States Navy during the late 20th century. By the time I reported aboard in February 1978, the Coral Sea had participated in numerous Cold War operations and exercises, projecting U.S. naval power globally. This period encompassed significant geopolitical events, including heightened tensions in the Middle East, ongoing Cold War dynamics in East Asia, and critical U.S. naval readiness in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The Coral Sea’s presence served as both deterrent and rapid-response platform for the U.S., highlighting the strategic importance of aircraft carriers in modern naval warfare. Pre-Assignment and Training After graduating from high school from Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, I had a little bit of time to see the movie Star Wars for the first time before heading off to boot camp. My naval journey began on June 23, 1977, after attending a Milwaukee Brewers baseball game (s...

Rear Admiral Richard M. Dunleavy’s career in the United States Navy exemplifies visionary leadership, technical mastery, and an extraordinary understanding of the human element in naval service. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1933, Dunleavy rose through the ranks to become one of the most respected figures in modern naval history, leaving an indelible mark on both naval aviation and the lives of the sailors under his command. A Groundbreaking Naval Flight Officer In December 1979, Captain Dunleavy assumed command of the USS Coral Sea (CV-43), becoming the first Naval Flight Officer (NFO) to command an aircraft carrier. A Naval Flight Officer is a commissioned officer specializing in airborne weapons and sensor systems, navigation, and mission management; while they do not pilot aircraft themselves, NFOs are essential to the success of complex operations. Dunleavy’s selection broke barriers and demonstrated the Navy’s recognition of his exceptional leadership, technical skill, and st...

Beginnings and Training My naval journey began shortly after high school graduation in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. I squeezed in one last milestone of civilian life—the release of Star Wars—and attended a Milwaukee Brewers baseball game, the very team that My Time in the US Navy: Service, Tradition, and Legacy my boot camp company. On June 23, 1977, I reported to the Great Lakes Naval Training Center. Boot camp was a crash course in seamanship, naval traditions, physical endurance, and discipline. From there, I advanced to Basic Electricity and Electronics (BE&E) School and then to Electrician’s Mate A-School. The training was demanding but gave me the skills to maintain and troubleshoot the Navy’s complex shipboard electrical systems. Afterward, I enjoyed two weeks of leave at home before traveling west to join the USS Coral Sea at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington. Life Aboard the USS Coral Sea When I arrived in February 1978, the Coral Sea was undergoing a major mod...

With the Navy celebrating its 250th anniversary this year, I thought it would be fitting to write some articles commemorating that milestone and our very own USS Coral Sea. Over the decades, this ship has had a long and distinguished career, and the bravery, skill, and dedication of the crew and air wings that served aboard her deserve to be remembered. From combat operations to humanitarian missions, the Coral Sea has left an indelible mark on naval history. The Coral Sea first saw action during the Vietnam War, providing vital air support for U.S. forces. Her air wings flew countless missions over hostile territory, striking enemy positions, and protecting ground troops. The precision, courage, and coordination required to fly from a carrier in combat cannot be overstated, and the crew on deck worked tirelessly to ensure every launch and recovery was safe and effective. In the 1970s and 1980s, Coral Sea continued to serve with distinction, participating in NATO exercises and standing...

When you look back at the twilight days of the USS Coral Sea (CV-43), it’s impossible not to think about the steady hand of her last captain, Lloyd Edward Allen, Jr. He was the man at the helm when this great carrier closed out her service to the nation, and those final years were anything but uneventful. To understand just how meaningful that was, you have to look at what Coral Sea had already given the country. Commissioned in 1947, she was one of the post–World War II “supercarriers” designed to project American air power across the globe [Naval History Command]. She was in the thick of it during the Vietnam War, launching sorties over North Vietnam and playing a major role in Operation Pocket Money—the mining of Haiphong Harbor in 1972 [NavSource]. In the 1980s, she was still right in the mix, sending her air wing against Libya during the 1986 Gulf of Sidra crisis [USS Coral Sea Tribute]. Over more than four decades, Coral Sea had gone from Cold War show-of-force patrols to hot com...

The U.S. Navy didn’t always have admirals. In the Revolutionary War, captains and temporary commodores ran things. Admirals seemed too European, too aristocratic, for a new nation wary of titles and hierarchy. But as America grew and its naval power became global, the Navy recognized the need for formal ranks to manage fleets and coordinate complex operations. Ships like the USS Coral Sea (CV-43) became crucibles where raw talent became seasoned leadership. The Flag Ranks and Their Origins Fleet Admiral (O-11, five stars) Origin: Created in 1944 during WWII to align U.S. naval command structure with Allied nations. Only four officers—Leahy, King, Nimitz, and Halsey—ever held it. Role: Coordinated entire theaters of war, thousands of personnel, and hundreds of ships. Admiral (O-10, four stars) Origin: Adopted from European navies in the 19th century, used to command fleets and advise national leadership. Role: Oversees fleet operations, advises the President and Secretary of the Navy, a...