CV-66, nicknamed ‘The Big A’ had just returned from an 8-month patrol in the Mediterranean a week before war start. She’d been replaced by CVN-69 Eisenhower and was long overdue for a 4-6-month maintenance overhaul in dry-dock. She enters dry-dock two days after war start and her air group (CVW-1) and battle group are dispersed amongst the fleet. She hastily emerges from the Navy Yard in April of 94 with a rebuilt air group based on the East Coast Reserve wing CVWR-20 and is in time to joint the fleet actions in May.
USS America CVBG
CV-66 America
CVW-1
VF-33 Starfighters F-14A (To CVW-3 on Eisenhower)
VF-102 Diamondbacks F-14A (To CVW-11 on Lincoln)
VFA-86 Sidewinders F/A-18C (To Training Depot for replacements)
VFA-136 Knighthawks F/A-18C (To CVW-6 on Enterprise)
VAQ-137 Rooks EA-6B (To Training Depot for replacements)
VAW-123 Screwtops E-2C (To Training Depot for replacements)
VS-32 Mauleers S-3B (To CVW-7 on Kennedy)
HS-11 Dragon Slayers SH-3H (To CVW-7 on Kennedy)
CVWR-20 (Formed Apr and deploy to re-launched CV-66 May 94)
VF-201 Hunters F-14A
VF-202 Superheats F-14A
VFA-203 Blue Dolphins F/A-18C
VFA-204 River Rattlers F/A-18C
VAQ-137 Rooks EA-6B (From Training Depot)
VAW-123 Screwtops E-2C (From Training Depot)
VS-35 Boomerangs S-3B
HS-209 Golden Gates SH-3H
Escorts formed as required