USS Coral Sea (CV-43) - Iranian Hostage Crisis, Final Western Pacific Cruise

Iranian Hostage Crisis, Final Western Pacific Cruise

On 4 November 1979 militant followers of the Ayatollah Khomeini (who had come to power following the overthrow of the Shah of Iran) seized the US Embassy in Tehran and held 63 Americans hostage. Thus began the Iranian Hostage Crisis.

The Coral Sea relieved the Midway in the northern part of the Arabian Sea, off the coast of Iran, on 5 February 1980. This operating area was nicknamed Gonzo Station by the men on the ships operating there, apparently because of its vicinity to Iran and the assumption that war with Iran was likely.

Later, along with the USS Nimitz and other ships in company, the Coral Sea participated in Operation Evening Light, the unsuccessful and aborted rescue attempt of 24 April 1980. (Aircraft were launched from the Nimitz and the Coral Sea played a supporting role.) The crew of the Coral Sea and other ships in company received the Navy Expeditionary Medal for their efforts. By the time the ship pulled into Subic Bay, the Philippines for a port call on 9 May 1980 the crew had spent 102 consecutive days at sea – mostly off the coast of Iran. (The Iranian Hostage Crisis ended on 20 January 1981 when Ronald Reagan succeeded Jimmy Carter as President of the United States and Iran released the Americans.)

At this time (1979-1981) the ship was commanded by Captain (later Admiral) Richard Dunleavy, who was to play a role in the Tailhook scandal, which forced him into retirement. However, while commanding the Coral Sea he was considered an excellent commanding officer by his crew, who respected him greatly, even though they worked long, difficult hours under him and he could be a strict disciplinarian.

On 10 June 1980 the Coral Sea returned to her homeport of Alameda. Shortly after its return the San Francisco Bay area press reported the theft of a set of golden bear statues from the ship. These statues had been presented to the Coral Sea by the city of San Francisco after the city had adopted it as "San Francisco's Own." Two sailors from the Coral Sea were caught with the statues after attempting to sell them, and the sailors were subsequently court-martialed and sentenced to prison. All of the statues were recovered in good shape.

The ship embarked on her final Western Pacific deployment on 20 August 1981. After making port calls at Pearl Harbor and Subic Bay, the Philippines, the ship operated in the South China Sea. After a port call at Singapore the Coral Sea headed to the Indian Ocean where she relieved the USS America (CV-66) at Gonzo Station, and operated with Royal Navy units in GonzoEx 2-81 (17–23 November).

The Coral Sea battle group, under Rear Admiral Tom Brown, was involved in exercises with the Royal Navy under Rear Admiral Sandy Woodward – who operated with HMS Glamorgan as his flagship. During one exercise, Woodward was able to manoeuver Glamorgan into a position where he could have "sunk" the Coral Sea with Exocet missiles. The result of this exercise played a part in the belief of Admiral Woodward that the British should sink ARA General Belgrano because of the fear of a similar situation arising between that ship and the British Aircraft Carriers HMS Hermes and HMS Invincible during the Falklands War.

Later, the Coral Sea participated in Exercise Bright Star 82, an exercise involving the defense of Egypt and the Suez Canal (4–9 December).

Relieved on 17 December 1981 by the USS Constellation (CV-64), the Coral Sea departed Gonzo Station and called at Pattaya, Thailand after 79 consecutive days at sea. Like the visit to Subic Bay after 102 days at sea during the Iranian Hostage Crisis, Pattaya was a welcome sight for the crew, who availed themselves of the pleasures the city had to offer, as sailors are often stereotypically seen to do in literature and film. However, as with most port calls the Coral Sea made, no serious incidents were reported that might have damaged the ship's reputation.

After departing Pattaya the ship called at Subic Bay and Hong Kong. The Coral Sea then operated in the Sea of Japan before making a port call at Sasebo, Japan.

After departing Japan the Coral Sea made another port call at Subic Bay, then again at Pearl Harbor before steaming to California. The Coral Sea arrived at her home port of Alameda on 23 March 1982.

The ship then began upkeep, training and operations off the coast of California. In late July 1982 the Coral Sea served as a movie prop in filming of portions of the motion picture The Right Stuff.