27 Jun 1958 - Redesignated CVS-12 (Anti-submarine warfare support carrier).
— Aug 1958 - Entered Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for CVS conversion.
1958 - Completed CVS conversion. Relocated to new homeport at Naval Station Long Beach, Ca.
1959 - 1960 - First two CVS WestPac deployments.
— Feb 1961 - Major overhaul at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.
— Jun 1961 - HORNET boarded by 25,000 visitors during 3 day open house. More than 1 million people watch 50th anniversary of Naval Aviation telecast from HORNET.
— Oct 1961 - HORNET returns to Long Beach.
— Nov 1961 - HORNET crew helps fight devastating Hollywood Hills fire near Los Angeles.
1962 - WestPac deployment included operations and patrols off troubled Chinese islands of Quemoy and Matsu.
— Jun 1963 - HORNET readiness observed by President John F. Kennedy from USS KITTY HAWK (CV-63) during Operation AGold Ball.
— Jul 1963 - Departed on eighth WestPac cruise.
— Feb 1964 - Returned from deployment to Hunters Point Naval Shipyard San Francisco, Ca. for fourth major upgrade, a FRAM II ASW package, since WW II.
1965 - Deployed on ninth WestPac and first Vietnam cruise. Air wing Marine A-4 Skyhawks flew 109 combat missions from USS MIDWAY (CVA-41) during deployment.
23 Mar 1966 - Returned to Long Beach from Vietnam deployment.
3-4 Jul 1966 - Fourth of July port visit NAS Alameda.
25 Aug 1966 - Designated primary Apollo recovery platform and recovered unmanned Apollo AS-202 capsule 300 miles northeast of Wake Island.
02 Sep 1966 - AS-202 off loaded at NS Long Beach.
27 Mar 1967 - Deployed on second Vietnam cruise. Yankee Station operations conducted from 23 May to 5 Oct.
28 Oct 1967 - Returned from second Vietnam deployment to Long Beach.
15 Nov 1967 - Entered overhaul and drydocking at Long Beach Naval Shipyard.
20 May 1968 - Completed overhaul.
30 Sep 1968 - Departed on third Vietnam deployment.
23 Dec 1968 - In port Sasebo, Japan.
16 Apr 1969 - First carrier to arrive in Sea of Japan following North Korean shoot down of unarmed Navy EC-121 reconnaissance aircraft.
13 May 1969 - Returned from third Vietnam deployment. - Designated primary recovery platform for Apollo 11, first manned lunar landing mission.
12 Jul 1969 - Departed Hawaii for primary Apollo recovery area.
24 Jul 1969 - President Richard M. Nixon arrived on board to observe Apollo recovery mission. Astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldin and Michael Collins splashed down and recovered by HS-4 HELOS. Re-entry vehicle tracking accomplished by VAW-111 and HORNET CIC.
01 Aug 1969 - HORNET returned to Long Beach with banner indicating HORNET PLUS THREE.
27 Oct 1969 - Departed Long Beach for Hawaii as primary recovery platform for Apollo 12 mission.
10 Nov 1969 - Departed Pearl Harbor for primary Apollo recovery area.
24 Nov 1969 - ADM J.S. McCain, CINCPAC aboard to observe all Navy crew of Apollo XII Astronauts Charles Conrad, Richard Gordon and Alan Bean recovered by HS-4.
04 Dec 1969 - Returns to Long Beach.
15 Jan 1970 - SECNAV announces CVS-12 will be deactivated by 30 June 1970.
20 Feb 1970 - S-2E Tracker makes 115,445th and last arrested landing aboard HORNET.
02 Mar 1970 - HORNET begins deactivation at Long Beach.
26 Jun 1970 - HORNET decommissioned at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Bremerton, Wa.
19 Aug 1989 - CNO orders NAVSEASYSCOM to strike HORNET from the Naval register.
04 Dec 1991 - HORNET designated a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service.
14 Apr 1993 - Sale bid for ex-HORNET awarded to Astoria Metals, Portland, Oregon. HORNET relocated to Hunters Point Naval Shipyard in late 1994.
11 May 1995 - Captain Jim Dodge, Commanding Officer NAS Alameda, seeks and receives approval to borrow and relocate ex- HORNET to NAS Alameda for five months to use for display purposes as a part of the NAS base closure historical preservation process.
23 Oct 1995 - After the Aircraft Carrier Hornet Foundation is formed to save HORNET and 85,000 people tour her during the summer and fall, HORNET is moved from NAS Alameda to FISC Oakland to await salvage disposition.
01 Dec 1995 - Navy announces that HORNET will be returned to the donation program to be preserved as a museum.
04 Dec 1995 - HORNET moved back to NAS Alameda (pier 3) to await donation disposition.
29 Nov 1996 - On the 53rd anniversary of the commissioning of HORNET, the Aircraft Carrier Hornet Foundation submits its application to the Navy for approval to operate HORNET as a museum.
