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Lt. Thomas A. Banta was killed when the bridle detached from one hook and dragged A4D-2 BuNo 142702 sideways down track and upside down into sea. His body was not recovered.
Deployment - Mediterranean (MED) Cruise '58
From Month/Year
January / 1958
To Month/Year
October / 1959
Description A Mediterranean Cruise is a ship's deployment from her home port, usually lasting between 5 and 8 months. Ships visit different ports such as Athens, Istanbul, Izmir, Naples, Livorno and Gibralter . The ships hosted foreign militaries, performed numerous underway replenishments-at-sea and conducted general quarters drills, fire drills and maritime patrols.
US Navy provides during these deployments provocative "freedom of navigation" operations, known as FONOPS, that send warships into the disputed areas around the world on any given year.
Any cruise is hazardous with sailors injured or killed during flight, refueling, ordnance, operations or weather; day or night. Foriegn military vessels threatening by fast approach to ramming. Often at times ships are endangered by low fly overs from hostile aircraft.
