Our ship flew the last combat air operations against North Vietnam

I served on board the attack aircraft carrier, USS CONSTELLATION. In 1973, our ship flew the last combat air operations against North Vietnam. As a crew member, the smell and taste of jet fuel, known as JP-5, was prevalent throughout the ship. The stifling heat in the Tonkin Gulf made our tour of duty extremely uncomfortable. The grueling shift of Port and Starboard duty
(12 hours on and 12 hours off) combined with the necessity of General Quarters (better known as Battle Stations) left little time for reflection.

The crew served valiantly and with little grumbling — we know our mission was important and we were proud to contribute to the end of the Vietnam War.