[Jeff Head]

Thanks for your service to tis Republic. The Essex class rebuilds were pretty phenomenal ships in their own right and were the backbone of the carrier force until the Forrestal Class, and then the Kitty Hawk Class and finally the Nimitz class came along.

[Know et al]

Very true JH. There was an ad back in the day that said, “Join the navy. It's not a job it's an adventure.” That is so true.

The “Benny” took me around the world and brought me back. We were the first carrier to make a west-pac without losing a single man or plane. We received the meritorious unit commendation in 1968.

I went to places I would never have seen otherwise.