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During the Mideast (Lebanon) crisis of July
and August 1958, F-8 Crusaders from the Sixth Fleet in the
Mediterranean earned their spurs.
For instance, Crusaders assigned to VF-32, operating off the
carrier, USS Saratoga, accumulated 533 flying hours in July and
762 hours during the 23 days of the operation in August 1958.
When the crisis broke, the Navy bolstered its Crusader strength
aboard the Saratoga and the USS Essex by sending additional F-8s
from the East Coast of the U.S., flying by way of the Azores, to
Lyautey, Morocco, and then onto the carriers.
All ferry flights were highly successful and the F-8 patrols
helped the Sixth Fleet and the U.S. stay abreast of actions that
occurred during the crisis. After it was over, the USS Forrestal,
with F8U-2s of Marine Fighter Squadron 333 on board, relieved
the Saratoga for continued policing operations in the
Mediterranean. |
