A U.S. Navy Douglas A4D-2 <i>Skyhawk</i>s (BuNo 144918, 144927) of Attack Squadron VA-81 Det.45 "Crusaders" aboard the aircraft carrier USS <i>Essex</i> (CVS-9). VA-81 Det.45 was assigned to Carrier Anti-Submarine Air Group 56 (CVSG-56) aboard the <i>Essex</i> for a deployment to the North Atlantic from October 1961 to February 1962.
USN
U.S. Navy photo <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.navysite.de/cruisebooks/cv9-61/182.htm">[1]</a> from the <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.navysite.de/cruisebooks/cv9-61/index_020.htm">USS <i>Essex</i> (CVS-9) 1961-62 cruise book</a> available at <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://navysite.de/cruisebooks/index.html">Navysite.de</a>