Operation Sea Orbit was the 1964

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of Task Force One of the

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, consisting of the aircraft carrier USS ''Enterprise'' (CVAN-65) and her escorts, the cruisers USS ''Long Beach'' (CGN-9), and USS ''Bainbridge'' (DLGN-25). This all-nuclear-powered unit sailed 30,565 miles around the world for sixty-five days without refueling.

Concept

Operation Sea Orbit was the idea of Vice Admiral John S. McCain, Jr., who saw the exercise – which demonstrated how nuclear-powered ships could operate unfettered by shore logistical ties – as a statement of American technical achievement similar to that of the coal-burning Great White Fleet in 1907–1909.

Deployment

''Long Beach'' and ''Bainbridge'' departed

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on 28 April 1964, in company with the aircraft carrier for the Atlantic crossing to the

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, where the rendezvous with ''Enterprise'' was scheduled. Task Force 1 formed up at Bahia de Pollença,

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on 13 May, before undertaking a series of exercises to test the efficiency of the all-nuclear formation working together. Having been relieved by other vessels, TF1 departed on its trans-global cruise on 31 July 1964, with all three ships having taken aboard maximum provisions the day before to ensure there was no need for further

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en route. The task force initially sailed down the west coast of Africa, calling at

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and

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, before

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. By 10 August, TF1 had reached the

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, where it conducted exercises with a pair of

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ships. Following the South African visit, TF1 transited the

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into the

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where the ships then called at

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, before transiting the Indian Ocean to

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, where they rendezvoused with three ships of the

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, before the entire force called at

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. However, due to the sea conditions it was determined to be too dangerous for either ''Enterprise'' or ''Long Beach'' to enter the port; instead, while ''Bainbridge'' came alongside, the two larger ships were forced to anchor several miles outside the harbour. Upon departing from Karachi, TF1 transited along the west coast of India before turning towards

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. While en route, in the area south of

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, the force conducted an exercise with a

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carrier group led by , before splitting to allow individual port calls at

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(''Bainbridge''),

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(''Long Beach'') and

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(''Enterprise''), before the three ships reformed for the transit to

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, where both ''Bainbridge'' and ''Long Beach'' additionally called at

Wellington Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...

. TF1 crossed the

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and rounded

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back into the Atlantic, with visits to

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and

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before the entire task force put in at

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. Having departed

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, ''Bainbridge'' was detached on 30 September to return to Charleston, while ''Enterprise'' and ''Long Beach'' put in at Norfolk, all three arriving back on 3 October 1964. Task Force One had spent 65 days deployed, with 57 of them at sea, and steamed 30,216 miles in total without replenishment. Rear Admiral Strean noted that the flexibility of operating a force of nuclear powered vessels meant that TF1 "could have been diverted to any other maritime area of the world without logistical considerations and could have been ready for immediate operations upon arrival".

Command

*Commander, Task Force One: Rear Admiral Bernard M. Strean (Commander Carrier Division 2) **: Captain Frederick H. Michaelis *** Carrier Air Wing Six: Commander T.L. Nielsen **: Captain Frank H. Price, Jr. **: Captain Hal C. Castle

Commemorations

Veterans of Operation Sea Orbit gathered on July 30, 2004, for a 40th anniversary reunion. In 2011, Operation Sea Orbit was included in the Technology for the Nuclear Age: Nuclear Propulsion display for the Cold War exhibit at the U.S. Navy Museum in Washington, DC.

Notes

References