August 16, 2023, marks the 80th anniversary of the commissioning of USS Intrepid, the World War II-era Essex class aircraft carrier that is now a national historic landmark and the centerpiece of the Intrepid Museum. To celebrate the milestone, the Museum will host a special ceremony on Wednesday, August 16, honoring former crew members from all eras of the carrier’s service, who will reunite and share stories of their tours of duty. The ceremony will take place in the hangar deck at 11:00 am ET and is open to the public. A live stream of the ceremony will also be available on YouTube and Facebook.
Intrepid was one of the most successful and stalwart ships in U.S. history. Nicknamed “The Fighting I” by its crew, Intrepid served in the Pacific during World War II, surviving five kamikaze attacks and one torpedo strike. Intrepid later conducted submarine surveillance in the North Atlantic during the Cold War and served three tours of duty off Vietnam. It was also one of the primary recovery vessels for NASA during the Mercury and Gemini missions, and retrieved astronauts Scott Carpenter, Gus Grissom, and John Young after their respective orbits and splashdowns in the Pacific.
While the Museum recognizes the ship’s commissioning anniversary every year, the 80th celebration promises to be the largest gathering of former crew members since the 75th anniversary in 2018. For some former crew members, this will be the first time they have been aboard their beloved ship since the completion of their service.
Visiting former crew members will have the opportunity to attend a special dinner event and guided tours of the ship. The Museum will also host a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of Intrepid’s commissioning on Wednesday, August 16, honoring former crew members from all eras of the carrier’s service, who will reunite and share stories of their tours of duty. The ceremony will take place in the hangar deck at 11:00 am ET and is open to the public. A live stream of the ceremony will also be available to watch on YouTube and Facebook.
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