Operation Sea Orbit facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Operation Sea Orbit
Part of Cold War (1962–1979)
Operation Sea Orbit route.
Type	Naval surface warfare and naval air operations
Location	World-wide
Planned by	United States Navy
Objective	First circumnavigation of the world by nuclear-powered surface warships
Date	31 July 1964 to 3 October 1964
Executed by	Rear Admiral Bernard M. Strean, USN Task Force One: • USS Enterprise (CVAN-65) • USS Long Beach (CGN-9) • USS Bainbridge (DLGN-25) • Carrier Air Wing Six (CVW-6)
Outcome	Mission successfully accomplished.

The ships Enterprise, Long Beach, and Bainbridge sailing together.

Operation Sea Orbit was an amazing journey around the world by three special ships from the United States Navy in 1964. These ships were the USS Enterprise, the USS Long Beach, and the USS Bainbridge. What made this trip so special? All three ships were powered by nuclear energy!

This group of ships, called Task Force One, traveled over 30,000 miles. They did this without needing to refuel even once. The entire trip lasted 65 days, showing how powerful and independent nuclear-powered ships could be.

Why Was Operation Sea Orbit Important?

The idea for Operation Sea Orbit came from Vice Admiral John S. McCain, Jr.. He wanted to show the world how advanced American technology was. He saw this journey as a modern version of the "Great White Fleet" trip from 1907-1909. That earlier fleet used coal-powered ships to sail around the globe.

Operation Sea Orbit proved that nuclear ships could operate far from land. They didn't need to stop often for fuel or supplies. This was a huge step forward for naval power.

The Journey Around the World

The journey began on July 31, 1964. Before setting off, all three ships loaded up with as much food and supplies as possible. This was to make sure they wouldn't need to stop for anything along the way.

The ships started by sailing down the west coast of Africa. They visited cities like Rabat, Dakar, Freetown, Monrovia, and Abidjan. They even had a special ceremony when they crossed the equator!

By August 10, Task Force One reached the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. Here, they practiced maneuvers with two ships from the South African Navy.

Across the Indian Ocean

After leaving South Africa, the ships sailed through the Mozambique Channel into the Indian Ocean. They stopped in Mombasa, Kenya, before heading towards Pakistan. In Pakistan, they met up with three ships from the Pakistan Navy.

All the ships then sailed to Karachi, Pakistan. However, the sea was too rough for the large Enterprise and Long Beach to enter the port. So, they had to anchor several miles offshore. Only the smaller Bainbridge could go into the harbor.

To Australia and New Zealand

After leaving Pakistan, Task Force One sailed along the west coast of India. Then, they turned towards Australia. On the way, south of Indonesia, they did an exercise with a Royal Navy carrier group. This group was led by HMS Victorious.

The ships then split up to visit different Australian cities. The Bainbridge went to Fremantle, the Long Beach visited Melbourne, and the Enterprise went to Sydney. After their visits, the three ships met up again. They then sailed to New Zealand, where both Bainbridge and Long Beach called at Wellington.

Back to the Atlantic

Task Force One then crossed the South Pacific Ocean. They sailed around Cape Horn, which is the southern tip of South America. This brought them back into the Atlantic Ocean.

They made stops in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Montevideo, Uruguay. Finally, the entire task force visited Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

On September 30, the Bainbridge left the group to return to Charleston. The Enterprise and Long Beach continued to Norfolk. All three ships arrived back at their homeports on October 3, 1964.

The Success of the Mission

Task Force One spent 65 days on its mission. For 57 of those days, the ships were at sea. They traveled a total of 30,216 miles without needing to refuel. Rear Admiral Strean, who was in charge, said that the nuclear ships were very flexible. He noted they could have gone to any other part of the world without worrying about fuel. They would have been ready for action right away.

Remembering the Journey

Veterans who were part of Operation Sea Orbit gathered on July 30, 2004. This was for a 40th-anniversary reunion. In 2011, Operation Sea Orbit was featured in a special display. This display was about "Technology for the Nuclear Age: Nuclear Propulsion." You can see it at the U.S. Navy Museum in Washington, D.C.