The Region - News from Nov. 6, 1985

The Navy said it has launched a major training exercise off the California coast involving the aircraft carrier Enterprise, the battleship New Jersey and 22 other vessels. The exercise, code-named READEX 86-1, will continue through Nov. 26. It is designed to provide “realistic, multi-threat, open-ocean training for participating units,” the Navy said. About 12,000 sailors are participating. In addition, elements of the Air Force and Marine Corps as well as several Canadian ships will participate in certain phases. The exercise began just three days after the Enterprise apparently struck a reef while steaming off San Diego, ripping some outer plates from the hull. The Navy has said the incident is under investigation but that the damage was not sufficient to prevent the carrier’s participation.