Russel Barefoot, Jr.

USS Randolph (CV-15) was an Essex-class aircraft carrier commissioned by the United States Navy in October 1944. She saw extensive action during World War II in the Pacific Theater, participating in major operations such as the raids on Tokyo and the Battle of Okinawa, where her air groups contributed significantly to the Allied air campaign. After the war, Randolph was decommissioned but was later modernized and recommissioned, serving during the Korean War era and playing key roles in Cold War operations, including as a recovery ship for the Gemini IV space mission. The carrier was finally decommissioned in 1969, closing a distinguished chapter in American naval aviation history.