on the line exhibition guide

The events and impact of the Vietnam War through the lens

of the Intrepid experience.

HISTORY WHERE IT HAPPENED.

One Intr epid S quar e, Wes t 4 6th Str ee t and 12 th Avenue, N YC

EXHIBITION OVERVIEWCOLD WAR FEARSFearing the spread of Communism in Southeast Asia, the United States escalated its involvement in Vietnam.

INTREPID RETURNS TO COMBAT The ship was modifi ed in February 1966 and sent toSoutheast Asia to join Operation Rolling Thunder.

THE AIR WAR Intrepid was a fl oating military airfi eld, and the fl ight deck was the center of the action. Intrepid’s fl ight deck crew worked physically demanding jobs in dangerous conditions.

LIFE “ON THE LINE” Air operations were the ship’s purpose, but many skills were required on board. To relax, men sought out opportunities for leisure and liberty while “off the line.”

MIA AND POWS Intrepid pilots faced the dangers of warfare, including the risk of going MIA or becoming a POW.

THE UNPOPULAR WARThe antiwar movement escalated,affecting Intrepid crew members anddividing American society.

COMING HOME Intrepid crew members recall coming home and readjusting to civilian life after Operation Rolling Thunder came to an end.

This tab, used throughout the Museum, denotes an artifact or historic space associated with the exhibition.

BECOME A MEMBER! Support from our members helps the

Intrepid Museum promote the awareness and understanding of history,

science and service, allowing us to share exhibitions like On the Line: Intrepid and the Vietnam War with visitors from around the world.

To join and for more information on levels and benefi ts, call 646-381-5030,

email [email protected] or visit intrepidmuseum.org.

Or turn today’s tickets into a year of membership at the Information

Desk or Box Offi ce.

A 1964 Herblock Cartoon, ©The Herb Block Foundation

National Archives and Records Administration

Collection of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. Gift of Garrett Craig Myers, AMS3. P2013.02.174

This exhibition includes many artifacts on display for the fi rst time, as well as photographs, historic fi lm footage and oral histories from former crew members that provide greater insight into this complicated chapter of American history. The exhibition is set in the actual spaces where the crew lived and worked.

This exhibition is co-curated by Teresa Iacobelli, guest curator; Eric Boehm, curator of aviation and aircraft restoration; and Jessica Williams, curator of history and collections.

The year 2015 marks the 40th anniversaryof the conclusion of the Vietnam War, one ofthe most contested confl icts in modern history. The exhibition On the Line: Intrepid and the Vietnam War considers the war through the lens of Intrepid, which served three tours of duty off the coast of Vietnam between 1966 and 1969.

The Museum invites all U.S. veterans to visit for free whileOn the Line: Intrepid and the Vietnam War is on display.Proper ID is requested.

PUBLIC PROGRAMS EDUCATION PROGRAMS & TOURS

KRONOS QUARTET: BLACK ANGELSTuesday, October 20, 2015, 7:30pm, hangar 3

Things were turned upside down. There were terrifying things in the air...they found their way into Black Angels. — George Crumb

The Grammy Award–winning Kronos Quartet will perform George Crumb’s Black Angels, a groundbreaking work inspired by the Vietnam War. Following the performance, John Schaefer, host of NPR’s Soundcheck, will lead a discussion with the members of the Kronos Quartet and Dr. Steven Bruns, an associate professor of music and expert on George Crumb.The panel will explore music’s ability to refl ect on issues past and present with insight and sensitivity.

Front Orchestra: $60 general/$55 membersRear Orchestra: $25 general/$23 members

Front Orchestra tickets include one complimentary glass of wine.

SCHOOL PROGRAMPieces of History: Intrepid in the Vietnam War Grades 9–12After exploring the exhibition, students examine and analyze Vietnam War–era objects and primary source documents from the Museum’s collection. Using these elements, students “curate” their own mini-exhibition narratives.

For more information or to reserve a program,email [email protected] or go tointrepidmuseum.org/schoolprogramsK-12.

GUIDED TOURRolling Thunder: Intrepid in Vietnam Daily, 10:30am & 2:30pm USS Intrepid served with distinction in Vietnam between 1966 and 1969. Learn about the challenges faced by Intrepid pilots and crew during the ship’s three tours of duty in the Vietnam War. (90 minutes)

Buy tickets at the Box Offi ce or at intrepidmuseum.org.

MEMORY, TRAUMA AND RESILIENCE

Wednesday, November 18, 2015, 7:30pmAllison & Howard Lutnick Theater

Four decades after the Vietnam War, 11 percent of veterans still suffer from posttraumatic stress. New research suggests that for some, this condition is unlikely to go away and may get worse over time. Learn about new research on memory and trauma in this moderated panel featuring Joseph LeDoux, Henry and Lucy Moses Professor of Science at New York University (NYU) and director of the Emotional Brain Institute at NYU; George Bonanno, professor of clinical psychology and director of the Loss, Trauma, and Emotion Lab, Teachers College, Columbia University; Charles Marmar, chair of the Department of Psychiatry at NYU Langone Medical Center and director of the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Veterans Center and Military Family Clinic; and Daniela Schiller, assistant professor of psychiatry and neuroscience and head of the Schiller Laboratory of Affective Neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. BBC journalist and author Kim Ghattas, who grew up on the front lines of Lebanon’s civil war, will serve as moderator.

Tickets: $20 general/$10 members

FREE TOUR GUIDE TALKOne Day in Vietnam: October 9, 1966 Hear about the events of October 9, 1966, and the people who experienced them, including Lt. Tom Patton, who shot down a jet-powered MiG-17 from his propeller-driven airplane.

Talks are offered daily in hangar 2 and are free with admission.Ask at the Information Desk for times.

TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTIntrepid and the Vietnam War Monday, February 1, 2016This full-day workshop will provide middle and high school teachers with Museum resources to aid in teaching and understanding the Vietnam War. Teachers will work with primary sources such as letters, photographs, oral histories and other ephemera in order to gain skills, content knowledge and confi dence using primary sources in classroom instruction.

Space is limited. Registration is required and opens January 4, 2016. For more information or to register, email [email protected] or go to intrepidmuseum.org/professionallearning.

The exhibition On the Line: Intrepid and the Vietnam War is presented through the generous support of Travis Patton and Jeff Seese. On the Line education programs are supported in part by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council, and by

grants from the Barker Welfare Foundation, the Rose M. Badgeley Residuary Charitable Trust, the Steven A. and Alexandra M. Cohen Foundation, the FAR Fund, the Ambrose Monell Foundation, the May and Samuel Rudin Family Foundation, and the Joseph LeRoy and Ann C. Warner Fund.

4 FLIGHT DECK

Ten aircraft on the fl ight deck have a direct connectionto the Vietnam War, includingthe F-8K Crusader, A-1 Skyraider, F-4N Phantomand the iconic helicopterUH-1A Huey. Also on display are two Soviet-designed MiG fi ghter jets—the same types that threatened Intrepid aviators during operations from Yankee Station.

1 Grumman A-6E Intruder Principal Navy attack bomber in the later years of the war. Not fl own from Intrepid.

2 Grumman E-1B TracerEarly warning aircraft aboard Intrepid for second and third deployments to Vietnam.

3 Lockheed A-12 ProjectOxcart (Blackbird)CIA reconnaissance aircraft. This type fl ew 24 missions over North Vietnam in 1967–1968.

4 Bell AH-1J Sea CobraAttack helicopter basedon the successfulBell UH-1 Huey series.

5 Bell UH-1A HueyMost widely used helicopter of the war. Not fl own from Intrepid.

6 McDonnell DouglasF-4N Phantom IIExtremely important fi ghter bomber of the era, used by the Navy, Marines and Air Force. Not fl own from Intrepid.

7 Douglas XBT2D-1(A-1) SkyraiderPrototype of the model that had extensive service aboard Intrepid and was involved in a famous victory over a MiG-17.

8 MiG-17Soviet design, supplied in large numbers to the North Vietnamese. This is thetype shot down by anIntrepid Skyraider.

9 MiG-21High-performance Soviet design, also supplied in large numbers. This type has fl own in 56 air forces and been involved in more confl icts than any other aircraft in history.

Vought F-8K CrusaderType used by fi ghter squadron VF-111 on the 1967 and 1968 deployments. Fastest aircraft ever fl own from Intrepid.

1 MAIN EXHIBITION

On the hangar deck, before the entrance to the Exploreum.

Highlights include artifacts, photographs and fi lm clips from the Museum’s collection and on loan. The exhibition also draws from the Museum’s Oral History Project, offering visitors the chance to hear the experiences of former crew members in their own words.

Also on display is the A-4B Skyhawk, the primary attack jet that fl ewfrom Intrepid during the Vietnam War.

EXPLORING ON THE LINE The exhibition is located in several areas of the ship, indicated on the map below.

* These areas of the Museum are not wheelchair accessible. Resources related to these areas of the exhibition are available at the Information Desk.

6 7 8 9

TRIPLE STIX

MAINEXHIBITION

MAINENTRANCE

SQUADRON READY ROOM

INFORMATIONDESK

TOWER 1 TOWER 2 TOWER 3 TOWER 4

HANGAR 3 (Exploreum)

For tickets or more information on programs and events,visit intrepidmuseum.org.

2 TRIPLE STIX*

Follow signs for the fo’c’sle,up the stairs.

In 1967, four junior pilots from attack squadron VA-34 shared a stateroom in the fo’c’sle—room 0111, otherwise known as Triple Stix. From May 11 through November 23, 1967, these four roommates wrote in a shared diary. Explore a re-creation of their room and read diary entries.

3 SQUADRON READY ROOM*

Entry on the hangar deck, near the elevator (up the naval ladder).

Pilots faced more danger and endured more stress than most sailors. The ready room was their sanctuary—generally off-limits to other crew members. Enter this restored space and learn about the experiences of Intrepid’s pilots.