Editing USS Enterprise CVN-65 (section)

==1970 TO 1979==

•	1969 - 1970: Enterprise returned to Newport News Shipbuilding for an overhaul and her second refueling. 

•	19 January 1971: She completed sea trials with her newly-designed nuclear reactor cores which contained enough energy to power her for the next 10 years. Enterprise then set sail for Vietnam to provide air support for U.S. and South Vietnamese units. 

•	In Vietnam Enterprise, Oriskany, and Midway spent a total of 22 two-carrier days and nine single-carrier days on station, resulting in a strike sortie count of 2,001 on 30 July 1971. Strike operations during July were disrupted when the carriers on station evaded three typhoons — Harriet, Kim and Jean. A slight increase in South Vietnam strike sorties occurred during the month. These were mainly visual strikes against enemy troop positions and in support of U.S. helicopter operations. 

•	1 August to 8 August 1971: Dual-carrier operations. 

•	9 August to 31 August 1971: Enterprise was alone on station 

•	This resulted in a total of eight two-carrier days and 23 single-carrier days which produced a strike sortie count of 1,915 for the month. 

•	1 September to 4 September 1971: Enterprise was in operations on Yankee Station. 

•	4 September to 26 September 1971: Oriskany was in operations on Yankee Station. 

•	27 September to 30 September 1971: Midway was in operations on Yankee Station. 

•	One day in September 1971 was a two-carrier day. This month produced 1,243 strike sorties. 

•	1 October to 10 October 1971: On Yankee Station, Midway was on single-carrier operation. 

•	11 October to 30 October 1971: On Yankee Station, Enterprise was on single-carrier operation. 

•	20 October 1971: The air warfare posture in North Vietnam was altered through deployment of six MiG aircraft south of 20° latitude north — two each at Vinh, Quan Lang and Bai Thuong. 

•	November 1971: Alternating on Yankee Station, Oriskany, Constellation and Enterprise provided 22 two-carrier days on the line, delivering 1,766 ordnance-bearing strike sorties, 12 into North Vietnam and 9 into South Vietnam. Two reconnaissance missions were flown during the month, with the airfield at Vinh the mission assignment. Escort aircraft on both missions expended ordnance in a protective reaction role against firing anti-aircraft artillery sites near the field. Other protective reaction strikes were executed. 

•	23 October 1972: The U.S., ended all tactical air sorties into North Vietnam above the 20th parallel and brought Linebacker I operations to a close. This goodwill gesture of terminating the bombing in North Vietnam above the 20th parallel was designed to help promote the peace negotiations being held in Paris, France. Enterprise and the other carriers had flown a total of 23,652 tactical air attack sorties into North Vietnam from May to October, and U.S. tactical air sorties during Linebacker I operations helped to stem the flow of supplies into North Vietnam, thereby limiting the operating capabilities of North Vietnam's army. 

•	23 October through 17 December 1972: The bombing halt. Enterprise alternated with other carriers on Yankee Station during the bombing halt, and remained on station. As a result of the bombing halt above the 20th parallel in North Vietnam, no MiG kills or U.S. losses were recorded during this time. 

•	December 1972: The Paris peace talks stalemated. 

•	18 December 1972: The United States resumed bombing campaigns above the 20th parallel under the name Linebacker II. During Linebacker II operations Enterprise and other carriers on station reseeded the mine fields in Haiphong harbor and conducted concentrated strikes against surface-to-air missile and antiaircraft artillery sites, enemy army barracks, petroleum storage areas, Haiphong naval and shipyard areas, and railroad and truck stations. Navy tactical air attack sorties under Linebacker II were centered in the coastal areas around Hanoi and Haiphong. There were 705 Navy sorties in this area during Linebacker II. Between 18 December and 22 December the Navy conducted 119 Linebacker II strikes in North Vietnam, with the main limiting factor on airstrikes being bad weather. 

•	28 December 1972: An F-4J Phantom II from VF-142 on board Enterprise downed a MiG-21, the 24th downed by Navy and Marine Corps pilots during the Vietnam War. 

•	29 December 1972: The North Vietnamese returned to the peace table. Linebacker II ended. 
Although unable to support them at first, Enterprise was eventually refitted to handle the newer F-14 Tomcats, and would operate with these fighters until their retirement from Enterprise in 2001.

[[image:enterprisedeck.jpg|thumb|right|'''One of the worlds most fearsome fighters! The F-14 Tomcat.''']]

•	23 January 1973: The Vietnam cease fire was announced. 

•	27 January 1973: The Vietnam cease-fire came into effect and Oriskany, America, Enterprise and Ranger canceled all combat sorties into North and South Vietnam. 

•	28 January 1973: Aircraft from Enterprise and Ranger flew 81 combat sorties against lines-of-communication targets in Laos. The corridor for overflights was between Hue and Da Nang in South Vietnam. These combat support sorties were flown in support of the Laotian government which had requested this assistance. Laos had no relationship with the cease-fire in Vietnam. 

•	After the cease-fire in Vietnam, Enterprise proceeded to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington, where the Big E was altered and refitted to support the Navy's newest fighter aircraft—the F-14 Tomcat. Two of four jet blast deflectors (JBD) were enlarged to accommodate the Tomcat. The number four propulsion shaft was replaced due to being bent after its screw became fouled in a discarded arresting gear cable. 

•	18 March 1974: The first operational F-14 aircraft made its maiden landings and take-offs from Enterprise. 

•	September 1974: Enterprise became the first carrier to deploy with the new fighter plane when she made her seventh western Pacific (WESTPAC) deployment. 

•	6 February 1975: Typhoon Gervaise struck the island nation of Mauritius. 

•	9 February 1975: Enterprise responded to calls for disaster relief from Mauritius. 

•	12 February 1975: She arrived at Port Louis. Carrier personnel spent more than 10,000 man-hours rendering such assistance as restoring water, power and telephone systems, clearing roads and debris, and providing helicopter, medical, food and drinkable water support to the stricken area. 

•	19 April 1975: Enterprise, Midway, Coral Sea, Hancock, and Okinawa deployed to waters off Vietnam for possible evacuation contingencies as North Vietnam, in violation of the Paris Peace Accords, launched a conventional invasion of South Vietnam. 

•	29 April: In three hours, Operation Frequent Wind was carried out by U.S. Navy and Marine Corps helicopters from the Seventh Fleet. Frequent Wind involved the evacuation of American citizens from the capital of South Vietnam under heavy attack from the invading forces of North Vietnam. The military situation around Saigon and its Tan Son Nhat airport made evacuation by helicopter the only way out. 

•	President Gerald Ford ordered the evacuation when Viet Cong shelling forced the suspension of normal transport aircraft use at Tan Son Nhut airport. With fighter cover provided by carrier aircraft, the helicopters landed on Saigon rooftops and at Tan Son Nhat to evacuate the Americans. The airport became the main helicopter landing zone: it was defended by Marines from the 9th Amphibious Brigade flown in for that purpose. All but a handful of the 900 Americans in Saigon were evacuated. The last helicopter lifted off the roof of the United States Embassy at 7:52 p.m. carrying Marine security guards. During Operation Frequent Wind, Enterprise aircraft flew 95 sorties. 

•	July 1976: Enterprise began its eighth WESTPAC deployment. During this:- 

•	27 February 1977: Idi Amin, the President of Uganda, made derogatory remarks against the USA in public and ordered all Americans in Uganda to meet with him. This was several months after the Israeli raid at Entebbe airport. Enterprise and her escort ships, having just left Mombasa, Kenya, after a port call, were directed to remain in the area and operated off the east African coast for approximately one week. At that point the ships were scheduled to be on their way home after a seven-month deployment. The ship's Marine detachment and air wing prepared for a possible mission to rescue and evacuate the Americans, but Amin eventually released all his 'guests.' The ships then steamed across the Indian Ocean at high speed to make their previously-scheduled final port call at NAS Cubi Point in the Philippines, then after dodging a typhoon, transited the Pacific at high speed to return home approximately on time. 

•	1978: Enterprise's ninth WESTPAC deployment. 

•	January 1979: Enterprise sailed to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for a 30-month comprehensive overhaul. During this overhaul, the ship's superstructure was modified, removing the SCANFAR radars and the unique inverted cone-shaped top section which was 3 stories high, comprising the 013, 014 and 015 levels.