USS Franklin D Roosevelt

• The USS Franklin D. Roosevelt was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named after President Franklin D. Roosevelt. • Commissioned in 1945, the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt was the first aircraft carrier to be named after a sitting president. • During its service, the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt participated in numerous operations including the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War. • At the time of its decommissioning in 1977, the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt was the longest serving aircraft carrier in the United States Navy. • Throughout its career, the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt earned several awards and commendations including the Navy Unit Commendation and the National Defense Service Medal. • During the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt played a key role in enforcing the blockade of Cuba and monitoring Soviet ships in the region. • In 1970, the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt became the first aircraft carrier to be equipped with anti-submarine warfare helicopters. • During the Vietnam War, the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt conducted numerous bombing missions in support of ground troops and helped to monitor and control naval traffic in the region. • In 1973, the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt was involved in a collision with the destroyer USS Claude V. Ricketts during a training exercise off the coast of North Carolina. • Following its retirement, the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt was eventually sold for scrap in 1978.