Time Line

CV-12

03 August 1942 -	Keel of Hull #395, Named USS KEARSARGE (CV-12) laid down in Newport News, VA.
26 August 1942 -	USS HORNET (CV-8) sank during the battle of Santa Cruz.
13 January 1943 -	USS HORNET (CV-8) officially stricken from navy records.
21 January 1943 -	USS KEARSARGE hull #395, renamed USS HORNET (CV-12) in honor of USS HORNET (CV-8).
30 August 1943 -	Launched and Christened by Mrs. Frank Knox, wife of the Secretary of the Navy at 12:17 p.m.
29 November 1943 -	Commissioned at Norfolk Naval Station, VA.
30 November 1943 -	Placed in Norfolk Dry Dock #4 for inspections prior to shakedown.
03 December 1943 -	Refloated
19 December 1943 -	Went to sea for first time. Made stop at Lambert Point, Virginia to rig deperming cables and check degaussing generators.
20 December 1943 -	Underway to start sea trials.
01 January 1944 -	First arrested landing on HORNET by Cdr. Bill Drane CAG 15, in TBM #15
February 1944 -	Transited Panama Canal for West Coast.
01 February 1944 -	Returned to Norfolk for post shakedown availability and evaluation.
08 March 1944 -	Air Group 2 reported aboard to replace Air Group 15, who was determined not to be combat ready.
15 March 1944 -	Admiral J. J. "Jocko" Clark COMCARDIV 13 came aboard and made HORNET his flagship.
20 March 1944 -	Arrived Majuro in Marshall Islands.
25 March 1944 -	Crossed Equator for first time.
29 March 1944 -	Drew first blood, CAP splashed Japanese Betty.
March - May 1944 -	Conducted offensive operations against targets in Carolines and Mariannas, including: Palau, Yap, Ulithi, Woleai, Wadke, Sawar, Sarmi, Hollandia, Truk, Sarawan, Ponape, Moen, Eton, and Dublon.
29 May 1944 -	In port Majuro for change of command.
01 May 1944 -	SB2C came aboard with "stuck" 100lb bomb. When it landed, the bomb came off and detonated killing 2 and wounding 13.
06 June 1944 -	Departed Majuro.
12 June 1944 -	Strikes against Marianna Islands of Guam and Rota.
20 June 1944 -	First battle of the Philippine Sea. HORNET bombers credited with striking Japanese carrier Shokaku and damaging another carrier and cruiser. HORNET fighters splashed 52 Japanese planes during the "Mariannas turkey Shoot".
24 June 1944 -	HORNET Aircraft shot down 67 Japanese Aircraft during strikes on Iwo Jima
30 June 1944 -	Strikes against Eniwetok and Iwo Jima.
July - August 1944 -	Strikes against Guam, Rota, Saipan, and Volcano Islands in preparation for Guam/Palau invasion.
05 July 1944 -	Passed 50,000 mile mark.
26 August 1944 -	Vice Admiral Mark Mitscher (CDR TF-58) aboard to honor ship for helping in conquest of Mariannas.
06 September 1944 -	Strikes against Palau Islands.
07 September 1944 -	Strikes against Philippine Islands of Davao, Cebu, Minando, and Negros in preparation for, General MacArthur's invasion of Morotai.
22 September 1944 -	Deck Log
30 September 1944 -	For month of September, HORNET air wing had shot down or destroyed 55 aircraft, sunk 27 ships, probably sunk 22 more and damaged more than 128. VF-2 had become top fighter squadron in the Pacific with more total victories and more ace pilots than any other fighter squadron. Of 50 pilots on board, 28 were confirmed ACES.
04 October 1944 -	10,000th landing on HORNET's flightdeck.
04-08 October 1944 -	HORNET lashed by Typhoon
10-19 October 1944 -	Strikes on Okinawa, Ryukyu Retto, Aparri, Luzon, and Formosa.
13 October 1944 -	First Japanese plane confirmed splashed by HORNET anti-aircraft fire.
13 December 1944 -	Passed 100,000 mile mark.
January 1945 -	Strikes on Formosa, Pescaderos, Saigon Cam Ranh Bay and Hong Kong.
16 February 1945 -	HORNET launches pre-dawn strikes on Tokyo to resume where HORNET (CV-8) had left off 34 months before.
late February 1945 -	Strikes in support of Iwo Jima invasion.
19 March 1945 -	Strikes conducted against Kobe and Kure while HORNET cruised 40 miles off Japanese coast.
6/7 April 1945 -	Okinawa Invasion. During this period more the 500 Japanese planes attacked the task force. Of the 152 shot down, HORNET scoreboard tallied more than one third of the kills.
07 April 1945 -	HORNET pilots found/conducted initial attacks on largest Japanese battleship YAMATO. Left sinking.
14-16 April 1945 -	HORNET air crews downed more than 60 Japanese planes along Kyushu.
17 May 1945 -	Passed 150,000 mile mark.
05 June 1945 -	Forward flight deck collapsed during a typhoon
15 June 1945 -	Captain Doyle announced that HORNET would return to San Francisco for repairs.
19 June 1945 -	Left San Pedro Bay enroute to Pearl Harbor.
29 June 1945 -	Moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor.
02 July 1945 -	Left Pearl Harbor enroute to Alameda.
07 July 1945 -	HORNET passes through the Golden Gate Bridge at San Francisco
10 July 1945 -	Moved to Dry Dock #4 at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard for overhaul and typhoon damage repair.
August 1945 -	5,763 Total men and officers onboard since commissioning.
12 August 1945 -	100,000 people visited HORNET during open house.
12 September 1945 -	Departed for post repair Sea Trials.
13 September 1945 -	Returned from Sea Trials
18 September 1945 -	Departed for HORNET'S first Magi Carpet Cruise.
23 September 1945 -	Arrived Pearl Harbor
25 September 1945 -	Departed Pearl Harbor for San Francisco
30 September 1945 -	Disembarked passengers in San Francisco.
September 1945 -	F4U Corsairs came aboard.
02 October 1945 -	Departed for Pearl Harbor for second Magic Carpet cruise.
09 October 1945 -	Set sail for Air Group CARQUAL'S
16 October 1945 -	Departed Pearl Harbor to return 800 Pearl Harbor Navy Yard workers to San Francisco.
22 October 1945 -	Air Group 19 embarked for deployment to Hawaii.
26 October 1945 -	Departed for Monterey to observe Navy Days, and was visited by 30,000+ people in two days.
29 October 1945 -	Departed for Pearl Harbor for third Magic Carpet cruise.
03 November 1945 -	Arrived Pearl Harbor, Air Group 19 disembarked, and passengers embarked.
08 November 1945 -	Departed Pearl Harbor.
09-10 November 1945 -	Weathered severe storm, damaged catwalks, various platforms at the gallery deck level, and life raft racks.
12 November 1945 -	Arrived Alameda and off loaded passengers and 47,000 gallons of aviation gas.
16 November 1945 -	Departed for Guam for fourth Magic Carpet cruise.
14 December 1945 -	Arrived Seattle to off load passengers.
20 December 1945 -	Departed for Guam for fifth Magic Carpet cruise.
28 January 1946 -	Arrived San Francisco.
05 February 1946 -	Departed for seven hour CARQUAL then returned to pier #3 at Alameda.
14 February 1946 -	Captain Charles F. Coe relieved Captain C. R. Brown as commanding officer.
12 March 1946 -	Placed in Dry Dock #4 at Hunters Point to begin inactivation overhaul.
01 April 1946 -	Refloated
18 April 1946 -	Seven yard tugs moved HORNET to pier #8 @ Bethlehem Naval Shipyard to continue preservation.
14 August 1946 -	Placed In Commissionn In Reserve in double ceremony with USS INTREPID CV-11 as part of the San Francisco Group 19th fleet.
15 January 1947 -	Placed Out of Commission In Reserve
20 March 1951 -	HORNET recommissioned at Hunters Point, San Francisco.
10 April 1951 -	Departed enroute for transit through Panama Canal.
22 April 1951 -	Transited Panama Canal enroute New York, Brooklyn Navy Yard.
30 April 1951 -	Arrived Naval Supply Depot, Bayonne, New Jersey.
30 April 1951 -	Commander G. C. Merrick took command.
01 May 1951 -	Departed for Brooklyn Navy Yard
12 May 1951 -	HORNET decommissioned Brooklyn Naval Shipyard in New York, for conversion to attack aircraft carrier.
14 June 1951 -	SCB-27A modernization begun. Upgrade included more powerful catapults and arresting gear, strengthened flight deck, new island, weapons elevators and other improvements to support jet aircraft.

CVA-12

01 January 1952 -	Designated attack carrier (CVA-12)
01 May 1952 -	60 X 40 foot section of bow was removed to repair WASP's bow after a collision with destroyer-minesweeper HOBSON (DMS-26)
10 January 1953 -	SCB-27A completed. Cost $50 million
11 September 1953 -	Recommissioned at New York Naval Shipyard. Recommissioning Program
31 October 1953 -	Set sail under her own power for first time in two years.
08 November 1953 -	2 day sea trials begun after pre-trial inspection at Naval Shipyard Annex at Bayonne, Dry Dock #7.
17 November 1953 -	Arrived Norfolk
18 November 1953 -	Began two week shakedown cruise, visited Port-au-Prince and Ciudad Trujillo (now Santo Domingo) in Dominican Republic.
08 December 1953 -	LT(jg). R. G. Wallace of VF-41 made first landing of jet aircraft on HORNET in a F2H-3 Banshee.
17 December 1953 -	Arrived at Naval Supply Depot at Bayonne, New Jersey.
05 January 1954 -	Arrived Naval Operating Base, Norfolk to load provisions.
06 January 1954 -	Departed for Mayport, Florida
08 January 1954 -	Arrived carrier pier #3 Mayport, Florida
27 Februay 1954 -	Disembarked AG 181 in Mayport, Florida.
05 March 1954 -	Arrrived Norfolk
10 March 1954 -	Moved to dry dock at Bayonne for Post-Shakedown Inspection and Availability.
11 May 1954 -	Deployed on eight month global cruise from Pier 5 in Norfolk VA, which included port calls in Lisbon, Portugal and Naples, Italy in the Mediterranean, a transit through the Suez Canal at 5 knots maximum due to slight depth of water between keel and canal floor. AD Skyraiders aimed port and starboard on flight deck were used to help steer!!! Also stopped in Colombo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) ,Singapore, Then Manila, P.I., and also Hong Kong.
04 June 1954 -	Transited Suez Canal.
19 July 1954 -	Captain Frank A. Brandley relieved Captain Milton A. Nation as ommanding officer, while anchored in Manila Bay.
25 July 1954 -	PHILIPPINE SEA fighters shot down two Chinese fighters while assisting in a search for survivors of a British airliner shot down by Communist Chinese fighters in what became to be known as the "Hianan Incident" The Admiral and pilots came aboard HORNET after the incident, as a result of their being aboard HORNET, HORNET was wrongly creddited with the kills.
17 August 1954 -	Departed for Yokosuka, Japan for maintenance and upkeep.
01 September 1954 -	Departed to conduct exercises with USS YORKTOWN CV-10
29 November 1954 -	Departed for Alameda.
12 December 1954 -	HORNET arrives NAS Alameda following global deployment.
04 May 1955 -	Departed on second CVA WestPac cruise. Ship weathered at least thirteen typhoons during this deployment before losing number two shaft/prop near end of cruise. My father was on this cruise.
10 May 1955 -	Arrived Pearl Harbor.
07 June 1955 -	Departed for Yokosuka, Japan with RADM Williamson onboard as COMCARDIV1.
13 June 1955 -	Arrived Yokosuka, Japan.
20 June 1955 -	Captain Norwood A. Campbell relieved Captain Frank A. Brandley as Connanding Officer while steaming off of Okinawa.
09 November 1955 -	Arrived Yokosuka, Japan to replace #3 propeller.
03 December 1955 -	Arrived Pearl Harbor
10 December 1955 -	Arrives NAS North Island, San Diego to end cruise.
10 January 1956 -	Arrived Naval Ammunition Depot at Bangor, Washington to off load ammunition.
28 January 1956 -	Begins SCB-125 modernization at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Bremerton,WA. Upgrades included an angled flight deck, hurricane bow, Primary Flight Control, starboard deck edge elevator and improved arresting gear system.
30 June 1956 -	Refloated in Dry Dock #4
03 August 1956 -	SCB-125 modernization completed, and departed for Post-Modernization Sea Trials.
17 August 1956 -	Departed Bremmerton, Washington, for Naval Ammunition Depot, Bangor, Washington.
18 August 1956 -	Captain William W. Hollistr relieves Captain Norwood A. Campbell as Commanding Officer.
12 January 1957 -	HORNET departed San Diego, CA to bolster the strength of the 7th fleet.
14 May 1957 -	Number 2 engine suffered a casualty. Divers confirmed the part of shaft #2 and it propeller were missing.
20 May 1957 -	Entered dry Dock at Yokosuka, Japan for repairs.
30 May 1957 -	Departed Yokosuka, Japan
04 June 1957 -	Transited Bashi Channel enroute to Hong Kong.
05 June 1955 -	Arrived Hong Kong for scheduled port of call.
25 July 1957 -	Arrived North Island, San Diego to complete third CVA WestPac cruise. During cruise an AD Skyraider (Spad) was damaged by Chinese ground fire while patrolling near the Swatow Peninsula.
12 August 1957 -	Captain Thomas F. Connolly relieved Captain William W. Hollister as Commanding Officer.
October 1957 -	USS Hornet was used for the carrier qualifications of the F4D Skyray.
06 January 1958 -	Fourth WestPac cruise. This particular cruise was used as a political tool by the Navy. HORNET was overloaded with aircraft to "prove" that the Essex class deck was too small, and larger carriers were required. There were so many aircraft launches missed because designated launch aircraft were 'frozen' in the hangar deck, VAW-11 Detachment Kilo, along with VAW -35 were off-loaded on Guam to make room for more efficient air ops.
February 1958 -	Relieved USS JOHN HANKOCK (CVA-19) in Yokosuka, Japan.
17 June 1958 -	Departed Yokosuka, Japan

CVS-12

27 June 1958 -	Designated CVS-12 (Anti-submarine warfare carrier)
30 June 1958 -	Arrived Alameda
02 July 1958 -	Returned from fourth WestPac cruise.
06 August 1958 -	Departs for Naval Ammunition Depot at Bangor, Washington to off load ammunition.
13 August 1958 -	Enters Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for CVS conversion.
25 August 1958 -	Captain Marshall W. White relieved Captain Thomas F. Connolly as Commanding Officer.
December 1958 -	Completed CVS conversion. Relocated to new homeport at Naval Station Long Beach, CA.
18 December 1958 -	Departs for San Diego after Sea Trials.
03 April 1959 -	Departed Long Beach for 7th fleet anti-submarine warfare tactics and fifth WestPac Cruise.
16 April 1959 -	Ens. L. L. Marshal of VAW-11 was killed when his F2H-4 Banshee crashed landed onboard HORNET.
04 May 1959 -	Relieved USS YORKTOWN CV-10 at Guam.
19 May 1959 -	Lt(jg) J. Stalcup made 1000th Helocopter landing on HORNET since CVS conversion.
May 1959 -	D. Johnston of VS-38 made the 53,000th fixed wing landing onboard HORNET in a S-2F Tracker.
04 August 1959 -	Departed Beppu to avoid typhoon Ellen
14 August 1959 -	Lt(jg) R. Carleton made 2000th Helocopter landing on Hornet.
20 November 1959 -	Captain Earnest E. Christensen relieved Captain Marshall W.White as Commanding Officer.
25 November 1959 -	Departed to West Coast of California via Pearl Horbor.
December 1959 -	When HORNET passed through in May, Hawaii was a territory, now she is a State.
17 March 1960 -	Departed for 6th WestPac cruise.
02 November 1960 -	Captain David C. Richardson relieved Captain Earnest E. Christensen as Commanding Officer.
29 November 1960 -	Departed Subic Bay for home.
18 December 1960 -	Arrived Long Beach
February 1961 -	Major overhaul at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.
June 1961 -	HORNET boarded by 25,000 visitors during 3 day open house. More than 1 million people watch 50th anniversary of Naval Aviation telecast from HORNET.
October 1961 -	HORNET returns to Long Beach.
18 October 1961 -	Captain Hoyt D. Mann relieved Captain David C. Richardson as Commanding Officer.
November 1961 -	HORNET crew helps fight devastating Hollywood Hills fire near Los Angeles.
06 June 1962 -	Departed for seventh WestPac cruise, included operations and patrols off troubled Chinese islands of Quemoy and Matsu.
15 July 1962 -	Relieved USS YORKTOWN CVS-10
24 September 1962 -	Captain Ellis J Fisher relieved Captain Hoyt D. Mann as Commanding Officer.
21 December 1962 -	Arrived Long Beach
04 January 1963 -	Began short overhaul at Long Beach, removed four 5" guns.
June 1963 -	HORNET readiness observed by President John F. Kennedy from USS KITTY HAWK (CV-63) during Operation "Gold Ball"
09 September 1963 -	Departed Long Beach for shakedown.
25 September 1963 -	Captain J. I. Hardy relieved Captain Ellis J. Fisher as Commandinf Officer.
09 October 1963 -	Departed on eighth WestPac cruise.
22 November 1963 -	Moored near USS ORISKAY CVA-34 in Yokosuka, Japan after conducting manuvers off of Hawaii.
23 November 1963 -	At 04:43 HORNET received news of President Kennedy's assination.
January - March 1964 -	Provided ASW support and a ready dech for helocopters in anphibious exercises in Taiwan.
February 1964 -	Returned from deployment to Hunters Point Naval Shipyard in San Francisco, CA. for fourth major upgrade, since WWII, a FRAM II ASW package to include improved ASW capabilities, new sonar and electronic equipment.
02 February 1964 -	A3J Vigilante aircraft crashes aboard the USS Hornet (CVS-12) operating in the Pacific before the barricade could be rigged, killing the pilot and injuring two crew members.
15 April 1964 -	Returned to Long Beach
29 June 1964 -	Departed for temporary new homeport at San Francisco Naval Shipyard for fourth major conversion since WWII.
July 1964 -	Started FRAM II conversion and modernation.
19 February 1965 -	FRAM II compleated, sailed back to Long Beach.
March 1965 -	1 Sikorsky SH-3A helicopter piloted by Commander J. R. Williford, took off from HORNET'S flight deck berthed at North Island, California, and landed on USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT CV-42 at sea off Mayport, Florida 16 hours 2075 miles later, The flight surpassed the existing distance record for helicopters by more than 700 miles establishing a new non-stop distance record.
01 July 1965 -	Captain W. M. Pardee relieved Captain M. A. Hadden as Commanding Officer.
11 August 1965 -	Departed Long Bach for ninth WestPac and first Vietnam cruise. Flagship for Commander ASW Group 1. Air wing Marine A-4 Skyhawks flew 109 combat missions from USS MIDWAY (CVA-41) during deployment.
19 August 1965 -	Arrived Pearl Harbor and immediately deployed to begin Operational Readiness Evaluation (ORE). A simulated submarine force was to locate and destroy HORNET as part of the exercise.
28 August 1965 -	Began two week R&R in Pearl Harbor.
04 October 1965 -	Departed Yokosuka Japan for a 21 day arround-the-clock search and rescue mission.
19 October 1965 -	Operated with USS MIDWAY CVA-41 until first week of November 1965. 109 combat sorties.
14 November 1965 -	Arrived Subic Bay for ten days of R&R.
29 November 1965 -	The crew enjoyed a giant cake to celebrate HORNET'S 22nd birthday.
January 1966 -	Departed Yankee Station to monitor a group of Soviet ships conducting operations between Taiwan and the Philippines.
22 January 1966 -	LCDR William S. Forman, Edmund Frenyea, Robert Sennett, Erwin Templin lost when their plane disappeared.
17 February 1966 -	Departed for Sydney Australia.
01 March 1966 -	Started 6 day visit in Sydney Australia with Destroyer Devision 251.
23 March 1966 -	Returned to Long Beach from Vietnam deployment.
01 April 1966 -	Captain Van V. Eason relieved Captain W. M. Pardee as Commanding Officer.
3/4 July 1966 -	Fourth of July port visit NAS Alameda.
23 July 1966 -	While conducting ASW exercises HORNET was notified that a Royal Thai DC-3 enroute from California to Thailand, with Lt Gen J. Stillwell Jr. aboard had ditched at sea. HORNET raced to the crash site to search for survivors but unfortunately none were found.
29 July 1966 -	Returned to Long Beach.
5 August 1966 -	Deaprted for Pearl Harbor as primary Apollo recovery platform for NASA'S unmanned Apollo AS-202 capsule.
20 August 1966 -	Departed enroute to primary recovery area 300 miles Northeast of Wake Isalnd.
02 September 1966 -	AS-202 off loaded at NS Long Beach.
26 October 1966 -	Resumed operations in local waters off of California, after being In Port Restricted Availability.
Nov - Dec 1966 -	Restricted Availability and holiday leave.
05 January 1967 -	AG 57 came aboard and departed for Snatch Block in preparation for upcomming WestPac deployment.
14 February 1967 -	Began 10 day ASW exercise (HUKASWEX) included Operatonal Readiness Inspection.
27 February 1967 -	Captain Gordon H. Robertson relieved Captain Van V. Eason as Commanding Officer.
27 March 1967 -	Departed Long Beach for 10th WestPac cruise and second Vietnam cruise.
04 - 17 May 1967 -	Tansited Sea of Japan during combined exerises with Japanese and South Korean Naval Ships.
23 May 1967 -	Arrived Yankee Station. HS-2 lost an SH-3 and the crew was later listed as MIA. Lost were: LT Richard W. Homuth, LTJG Thomas E. Pettis, PR2 Eureka L. Schmittou, ADJ2 Ronald P. Soucy, Sr.
23 June 1967 -	At 13:45 the 100,000th landing was made by HORNET'S C.O. Captain Gordon H Robertson in an S-2D Tracker.
10 July 1967 -	Participated in SEATO exercise Sea Dog which included Naval ships from six nations.
16 August 1967 -	Arrived Hong Kong for four day visit. This was shortenedby a tropical storm.
05 September 1967 -	Arrived back on Yankee Station.
26 October 1966 -	Resumed operations in local waters off of California, after being In Port Restricted Availability.
05 October 1967 -	Departed Yankee Station.
16 October 1967 -	Departed for home.
28 October 1967 -	Returned from second Vietnam deployment to Long Beach.
30 October 1967 -	Anchored off of Seal Beach to off load ammunition.
15 November 1967 -	Started overhaul at Long Beach Naval Shipyard.
27 November 1967 -	Entered dry dock at Long Beach Naval Shipyard.
16 January 1968 -	Refloated at Long Beach Naval Shipyard.
23 Febuary 1968 -	Captain Jackson A. Stocton relieved Captain Gordon H. Robertson as Commanding Officer.
06 - 07 April 1968 -	Conducted "Fast Cruise" along side doc. This was to familiarize new and refamiliarize old crewmembers.
16 May 1968 -	Completed overhaul.
30 September 1968 -	(ASWGRU) Five, Antisubmarine Group Five, departed for Hawaii for Operational Readiness Evaluation and for third Vietnam deployment.
26 October 1968 -	Relieved USS Bennington CVS-20 at Yokosuka, Japan for eleventh and last WestPac cruise.
30 October 1968 -	Departed for Yankee Station.
14 November 1968 -	Departed Yankee Station for ASW exercise, "Exercise Beacon Lamp"
18 December 1968 -	Departd Yankee Station for Sesebo, Japan.
23 December 1968 -	Arrived in port Sesebo, Japan
22 January 1969 -	Participated in "Beacon Lamp 69" a 3 day ASW exercise.
27 January 1969 -	Arrived Subic Bay for upkeep.
15 April 1969 -	HORNET received word that a Navy EC-121 Constellation reconnaissance plane was shot down off the coast of North Korea in international waters.
16 April 1969 -	First carrier to arrive in Sea of Japan following North Korean shoot down of unarmed Navy EC-121 Constellation reconnaissance aircraft.
29 April 1969 -	Arrives Yokosuka, Japan to be relieved by USS KEARSARGE CVS-33.
01 May 1969 -	Departed Yokoduka, Japan.
13 May 1969 -	Arrived San Diego to off load Air Group and steam into Long Beach later in the day.
23 May 1969 -	Captain Carl J. Seiberlich relieved CAptain Jackson A. Stocton as Commanding Officer.
01 June 1969 -	Designated primary recovery platform for Apollo 11 manned lunar landing mission.
16 June 1969 -	Departed for San Diego for refresher training.
27 June 1969 -	Departed Long Beach for Hawaii.
02 July 1969 -	Arrived Pearl Harbor.
12 July 1969 -	Departed Hawaii for primary Apollo recovery area.
14 July 1969 -	Arrived on station in the Abort Recovery Area for Apollo 11 Launch, then moved to Prim Recovery Area after a sucessful launch.
20 July 1969 -	Lunar Module "Eagle" landed on the moon.
24 July 1969 -	"Marine One" with President Richard M. Nixon arrived on board to observe Apollo recovery mission. Astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldin and Michael Collins splashed down and recovered by HS-4 helos. Re-entry vehicle tracking accomplished by VAW-111 and HORNET CIC.
26 July 1969 -	Arrived Pearl Harbor to off load the command module and the Mobile Quarantine Facility, then leave for Long Beach.
01 August 1969 -	HORNET returned to Long Beach with banner indicating HORNET PLUS THREE.
03 September 1969 -	Participated in ASW Exercise "HUSKASWEX 9-69"
05 September 969 -	Arrived San Diego
06 September 1969 -	Departed Sandiego for Carrier Qualifications
12 September 1969 -	Arrived Long Beach for UPTIDEII-B exercise to test latest concepts in Anti Submarine Warfare.
14-18 September 1969 -	Carrier Quals
02 October 1969 -	Arrived Long Beach
07 October 1969 -	RADM J. D. Bulkeley arrived aboard to perform a detailed material and physical condition of the ship, known as "HORNET INSURV" (inspection and survey)
27 October 1969 -	Departed Long Beach for Hawaii as primary recovery platform for Apollo 12 mission.
31 October 1969 -	Became part of Task Force 130 and started recovery training for Apollo 12 off of Hawaii.
10 November 1969 -	Departed Pearl Harbor for primary Apollo recovery area.
23 November 1969 -	Arrived prime recovery area.
24 November 1969 -	ADM J.S. McCain, CINPAC aboard to observe all Navy crew of Apollo 12 "Yankee Clipper" Astronauts Charles Conrad, Richard Gordon and Alan Bean recovered by HS-4.
28 November 1969 -	Offloaded command module at Pearl Harbor.
29 November 1969 -	Departed Pearl Harbor.
04 December 1969 -	Returned to Long Beach.
15 January 1970 -	SECNAV announces CVS-12 will be deactivated by 30 June 1970.
Janyary - February 1970 -	Participated in two ASW exercises.
February 1970 -	Conducted CARQUALS for 5 west coast Squadrons while at last at-sea period.
20 February 1970 -	S-2E Tracker of Air Group 59 with pilot CDR Gerald Canaan "CAG" and copilot RADM Norman C. Gillette made 115,445th and last arrested landing aboard HORNET.
02 March 1970 -	CVS-12 begins deactivation at long Beach.
30 March 1970 -	Departed Long Beach for Bremerton to continue deactivation at Puget Sound.
02 April 1970 -	Arrived Puget Sound.
02 April 1970 -	09:30 nudged into Dry Dock #6.
24 June 1970 -	HORNET decommissioned at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Bremerton, WA.
October 1987 -	The Board of Inspection and Survey found HORNET to be unfit for further service.
December 1988 -	Chief of Naval Operations Carrier Programs Division determined thet HORNET and the remaining ESSEX class carriers were unfit for further modernation or reactivation and recommended that they all be disposed.
January 1989 -	USS HORNET HISTORICAL MUSEUM ASSOCIATION, INC (UHHMA) was formed in an effort to save her from the scrappers torch, and turn her into a museum.
14 March 1989 -	The UHHMA applied to SECNAV to consider their turning HORNET into a museum.
April 1989 -	750 guests and 22 surviving Doolittle Raiders convened on HORNET'S flight deck for the 47th Anniversary Reunion of the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo.
24 July 1989 -	Apollo 11 astronaut "Buzz" Aldrin and Apollo 12 astronaut Richard Gordon met with 300 guests in the hanger bay to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of HORNET recoverint the Apollo 11 space capsule.
19 August 1989 -	CNO orders NAVSEASYSCOM to strike HORNET from the Naval register.
October 1989 -	A formal National Historic Landmark study was conducted by James P. Delgado, a maritime historian and head of the National Maritime Initiative of the National Park Service.
December 1990 -	Commencement Bay, across from Puget Sound was decided to be the perfect location to convert HORNET into a museum.
04 Ddecember 1991 -	HORNET met the rigid criteria for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places, and was officially designated a National Historic Landmark by the Secretary of the Interior.
31 January 1992 -	The final time extension for donation expired.
May 1992 -	National Park Service photographers took approximately 100 black and white photos of HORNET during a "recordization" of the ship. A report on the ship and these photos became part of the Historic American Engineering Record (HEAR No. WA-34). This record was developed for the National Park Service and will be maintained by the National Archives.
15 December 1992 -	The HORNET CLUB held its final emotional reunion aboard their ship.
26 January 1993 -	Opening date for "Ex-HORENT" on "Invitation for Bid" sale number 31-3312 item number 3.
14 April 1993 -	Sale bid for Ex-HORNET awarded to Astoria Metals, Portland, Oregon for $200.000. HORNET relocated to Hunters Point Naval Shipyard in late 1994.
10 September 1994 -	HORNET began its first voyage in 24 years being towed by the sea going tug Craig foss.
24 September 1994 -	HORNET arrives in Long Beach after her two week, 1200 mile, 3.8 knot, $140,000 trip.
23 October 1994 -	HORNET arrived Hunters Point and was tied up to Dry Dock #4 to await her fait. This was the same pier that she had her typhoon damage and where she was moored from 1947 to 1951.
11 May 1995 -	Approval received for NAS Alameda to borrow and relocate ex-HORNET to Alameda for five months to use for display purposes as a part of the NAS base closure historical preservation process.
October 1995 -	HORNET moved from NAS Alameda to FISC Oakland to await salvage disposition.
December 1995 -	Navy announces that HORNET will be returned to the donation program and preserved as a museum.
December 1995 -	HORNET moved back to NAS Alameda (pier 3) to await donation disposition.
29 November 1996 -	Application was sent to NAVSEA, 53 years to the date from which the HORNET was first commissioned. The current plans are to have a Grand Opening in late spring to early summer 1998.
29 November 1997 -	The Aircraft Carrier Foundation announced that on October 24th 1997 the Secretary of the Navy sent a letter notifying Congress that the ACHF has met the minimum donation requirements and the Navy plans to transfer the USS HORNET to the Foundation. This is not the Official Announcement of the transfer of the ship to the ACHF. Congressional legislation has passed and been signed by the President. The Paperwork should be completed during December and formal announcements Made in January.
19 December 1997 -	The Navy is currently removing fuel that is still in HORNET'S tanks. Fuel removal is near completion, nearly 200,000 gallons have been removed from the outboard tanks alone.
17 February 1998 -	Fuel removal is complete, nearly 200,000 gallons have been removed from the outboard tanks alone.
26 May 1998 -	SECNAV signs HORNET over to Aircraft Carrier Hornet Foundation.
21 July 1998 -	HORNET was moved to the north side of pier 3 on, she has been breasted 40 feet away from the pier.
27 August 1998 -	HORNET opened to the Public.
27 August 1998 -	Starboard deck edge elevator reattached..
September 1998 -	Flight Simulator installed in Bay #2. Avenger aircraft placed on pier. Covers on the two forward gun mounts have been removed. Guns not in great condition.
16-20 September 1998 -	USS HORNET CV-8 CV/CVA/CVS-12 Reunion: Arlington Virginia. Contact: Connie Massé P.O. Box 7189 North Port, FL 34287 (941) 426-8551
16 October 1998 -	Radar antennas installed on Mast.
17 October 1998 -	USS HORNET CV-12 Recommissioning Ceremony and Grand Opening.
30 December 1998 -	F-8 Crusader restoration completed and placed in Hangar Bay.
February 1999 -	One 5000# bomb elevator, #3 A/C elevator doors, several ventilation blowers, the navigation lights, and many of the hanger bay roller curtains (doors) operational again.
02 June 1999 -	The HORNET Museum has sucessfully tested the #1 centerline elevator today, 02 June 1999. The elevator sat at the Hanger Deck level for the first time in over 29 years.
14 June 1999 -	The HORNET Museum used #1 elevator to put their Fury (FJ-2) on the flight deck Monday 14 June 1999
11 December 2001 -	The HORNET Museum loaded a real MQF (s/n 004, the one used for the Apollo 14 mission) and a beautiful Apollo water egress training capsule (BP1102A).
16 March 2001 -	The HORNET Museum held the Grand Opening of their new Apollo Exhibit