The Commissioning
The Honorable W. Averell Harriman, Governor of New York, proclaims Saturday, April 14, 1956 "U.S.S. Saratoga Day".
In early January 1955 one officer found himself in Newport, Rhode Island with the precommissioning detail. He remembers driving down to New York City in late March in his 1953 green Ford accompanied by a fellow officer. How they ended up on Wall Street is anyone's guess. They worked their way to the New York Naval Yard and left the car, with all of their belongings, on the street overnight.
	While this officer really can't trust his memory for the details of the actual commissioning, he does remember a chilly day, dress blue uniforms, and everyone lined up on the flight deck.
The following account of the commissioning is taken from the Naval publication:
	ENS L.D. Bryant, Jr.   Editor Richard Graddick, JO1   Managing Editor Roy Levin, SN   Copy Editor Philip Gardner, JO3   Staff Writer Lowell Kinney, JO3   Staff Writer Robert Luttinen, SN   Business Manager John Cole, SN   Art Editor
	"We stood on the dock in the chill of a New York April and waited to go aboard. We looked at the ship with a critical eye, and liked what we saw...Something told us, This will be a good ship...a damned good ship."
The weather for the commissioning was much more agreeable than at christening, and we drew a pretty good crowd. The boys from Bennett started things off by flying over for a look.
	...on board at last. The familiar faces from Newport, the first inspection, and suddenly we felt at home. It was our ship and we were the first crew...the plank owners.
SECNAV was on hand again, and we had a band and all the trimmings to meet him. Adm. Wm. F. "Bull" Halsey was among the Commissioning guests, and the choir from Annapolis did the musical honors.
Govenor Averall Harriman was one of the speakers (he may have mentioned something about New York).
The cake cutting topped off the cermony, and all of a sudden we were part of the Navy...officially, that is. Cake cutting (L to R): Mrs. Stroh, the XO, The Captain, Mrs. Thomas, Cdr. Lovig, Mrs. McCrocklin and SECNAV.
"Navy Commissions Carrier Saratoga, Mightiest Warship"
On Sunday April 15, 1956 The New York Times ran an article "Navy Commissions Carrier Saratoga, Mightiest Warship" by Milton Bracker which referred to the Saratoga as the "most powerful warship in the world". Bracker states that 6,000 guests joined officers, dignitaries and some 3,500 crew members for the commissioning ceremony. Forty-six jet fighters flew over the flight deck symbolizing Saratoga's strength.	Secretary of the Navy, The Honorable Charles S. Thomas, described the Saratoga as a mobile, seafaring New York Idlewild International Airport. The Times noted two presentations made during the commissioning. The first, a silver service, was presented by Mayor Addison Mallery of Saratoga, New York, on behalf of his community. The second, acknowledged by Captain Stroh, was six television sets which had been installed by the shipyard workers as a gift to the crew.