These are photographs taken aboard the USS Essex CVA-9 during a cruise during the Korean War over the winter of 1952 to 1953. One of the squadrons assigned to Essex during that tour was VF-821, an activated naval reserve squadron based in New Orleans, Louisiana. VF-821 was flying the Panther F9F-2 and one of the squadron members was AE2C Gerald Warneke, who took these photographs. If you recognize the last name, that is because Gerald,s son, Jon, is part of Commanders/Iron Shipwright and Jon sent in the photos taken by his father. In addition to Panthers, you'll see AD1 Skyraiders, F4U Corsairs, Dragonfly helicopters, a turret-less Avenger and even an odd PBY and C-47.

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