USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 1959-60 Cruise Sweatshirt

The USS Saratoga (CVA-60) was a Forrestal-class attack carrier commissioned on April 14, 1956, and homeported at Naval Station Mayport, Florida. Named for the 1777 Battles of Saratoga that proved the turning point of the American Revolution. The 1959-60 extended Mediterranean deployment came during a period of intense Cold War competition, with Soviet naval forces expanding their reach into the Mediterranean and the U.S. Sixth Fleet standing as the guarantor of Western sea control. Saratoga and her air wing operated continuously through this long cruise, projecting readiness at a critical juncture in the Cold War. This sweatshirt honors the crew who served aboard Saratoga during the 1959-60 cruise.