THE "MIGHTY O" IS GONE

[Paul Krumrei]

U.S.S. Oriskany - was that the one that McCain set on fire with his missle, or was that the Forestal?

[m50a1ontos]

Forrestal, first Ship I deployed on. 1987 med cruise. Our berthing compartment was back between the wire rooms. We could see the patches welded into the flightdeck from the explosions. 19 guys died in our compartment.......

[phil65]

The last I knew the USS Forrestal was in Middletown RI with the Battleship USS Iowa and Carrier USS Saratoga.

[Richard W.]

I once saw a National Geographic program about the ship breaking yards in India.

They send those poor devils in to torch cut the ships without any kind of protective clothing. No goggles, no helmets, etc. Definitely no OSHA in India, and no concern for the welfare of the workers.

The Clemenceau must really be messed up if even the Indians wouldn't take it.

[chico]

I once saw a National Geographic program about the ship breaking yards in India.

The Clemenceau must really be messed up if even the Indians wouldn't take it.

I think i saw the same program, really fascinating. Not to sound offensive, but watching the people attack those ships was like watching ants work.

I've have heard that it's not that India doesn't want Clemenceau, they could care less. It's the French environmental groups that are throwing a hissy fit. They are disputing the amount of asbestos that is still on the ship. French navy has one number (25 tons?), the eco-group has another, considerably higher number (something like 500 tons).

[Robbie Stuart]

A Little More From The PNJ;

Published - May, 19, 2006

Oriskany is sitting pretty
Divers can start enjoying reef today at noon


Troy Moon
@PensacolaNewsJournal.com

Let the diving begin.

The Oriskany is sitting upright on the Gulf of Mexico bottom, facing north and south just as planned, state and Navy divers reported Thursday.

A Navy demolition team sunk the decommissioned aircraft carrier Wednesday about 24 miles southeast of Pensacola to produce the world's largest man-made artificial reef.

Divers can start enjoying the reef today at noon, state and local officials said.

"It appears the Oriskany went down in the sand and is sitting perfectly," said Stan Kirkland, a spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, which, along with the other state agencies and the Navy, sent divers down Thursday.

"It appears it went down in the sand a little deeper than we expected. But the overall report is good."

Robert Turpin, chief of Escambia County's marine resources division, dived the Oriskany on Thursday. He reported 80 feet of visibility and said the experience was spectacular.

"It was perfect, and the Oriskany went down exactly where we hoped," he said. "And the fish are already out there. There are pinfish, bait fish, and it's going to get better."

Gene Ferguson, an owner of Scuba Shack in Pensacola, said his company will take its first divers to the site on Saturday, and weekend trips through the end of the year are being booked.

"People are excited," he said. "We had 100 phone calls today. Normally, we just have 10 or 12."

The ship was sunk in 212 feet of water. But reports on Thursday said the ship actually was 5 to 21 feet deeper than that.

Regardless of the final depth, the diving should be top-notch, Ferguson said.

The maximum depth for recreational divers is 130 feet, and even if the flight deck were at 129 feet, it probably would be too deep for most divers, he said.

"We don't want people going to the flight deck anyway," Ferguson said.

He said the plan always has been for local dive outfits to concentrate mainly on the top "island" structure of the Oriskany, which is at a depth of between 67 and 80 feet, according to various measurements taken Thursday.

"We're in good shape," Ferguson said. "The (island area) is huge. It's so huge, you wouldn't be able to cover it in three dives."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Robbie

[Jack Cook]

U.S.S. Oriskany - was that the one that McCain set on fire with his missle, or was that the Forestal?

It was the Forrestal and John McCain had nothing to do with it. This is one of those innaccurate posts that actually makes someone look like they screwed up and got people killed. Not so!! A Zuni rocket was set off by some stray voltage on a F-4 on the starboard side of the flightdeck. It hit the A-4 next to McCains on the port side and he watched his friend die. He barely made it to safety. This was the beginning of CV-59's line period and she was taken off the line for extensive repairs. This is how McCains squadron ended up on the Oriskiny.
We had a serious flight deck fire on the Nimitz some Ordies did an electricial check on a loaded A-7 and shot 3 rounds into a loaded KA-6D.
you can guess the result. Seeing people die really sucks!
The Navy made a training video out of it called "Trial by Fire". If you can find it, do so and watch it.

[RickH]

Jack, according to McCains recollection, the errant rocket actually hit the centerline tank on his A-4 . He saw his friend sitting in the cockpit and that was the last time he ever saw him. McCain climbed out of his cockpit and went forward down the refueling probe to escape the flames engulfing his aircraft. You can see it all on the flight deck videos.

McCain had absolutely NO input on the cause of that terrible tragedy.

Your absolutely correct, incorrect info starts and perpetuates myths.

[Shay]

U.S.S. Oriskany - was that the one that McCain set on fire with his missle, or was that the Forestal?

KNOW YOUR HISTORY MAGGOT!!!


1052 hrs, July 29, 1967 - 5th day of operation on Yankee Station

Actually the Zuni misfired from a F-4 Phantom sitting on the on one of the catapults. The rocket shot aft and struck a parked A-4. From there ordinace and fuel ignited in a chain reaction as more aircraft were involved. McCain was sitting in his aircraft at the time and McCain can be seen jumping from the doomed A-4 in the footage taken of the accident.

My Uncle was aboard the Oriskany when she arrived on scene to render assistance. The Mighty O had dealt with her own tragic fire only 9 months earlier.

I remember when I first joined the Navy. The Fire aboard the Forrestal film was one of the first if not the most impressionable films shown to us new recruits. They were trying to communicate the importance of self reliance and Fire fighting abilities at sea. You are the only Fire Dept.



Shay
____________
Semper Fortis

[B-29 Super Fort]

Navy divers went down to look at it. Here's a link with story and video of their dive down.

http://www.pensacolanewsjournal.com/app ... 90327/1006

http://www.pensacolanewsjournal.com/app ... 18019/1006

[Jack Cook]

the errant rocket actually hit the centerline tank on his A-4

You're right here of course has I think about the movie now. The burning fuel from McCains A-4 enveloped the one next to his and burned the pilot to death and cooked off the MK-82/83s on it. I remember the image of everyone running away except the the leading chief of the Air Dept who headed right at it with 2 halon bottles hoping to put it out before they cooked off. But he was too late and was vaporized in the blast. That was the bravest thing I've even seen.

[Shay]

Intially problems started with people panicking but I can't blame them and then in the beginning trying to fight a Class Bravo fire with water instead of foam.

It is truely a humbling and saddening film to watch and I recommend everyone see it in it's entireity.

Shay
____________
Semper Fortis

[corsair166b]

Whatever battleship you saw in Middletown RI was NOT the Iowa, since she is in Suisun bay near San Fran on the west coast awaiting a decision as to whether she'll be museumed at San Fran or elsewhere....the closest battleship to Middletown RI is the USS Massachusetts...


Anyone have any news on the Iowa situation, by chance?

Mark

[Jerry O'Neill]

Actually, until a few years ago, the Iowa WAS in Newport, RI., berthed just North of the Naval War College, next to the Saratoga and the Forrestal. I have photos of her when she was there, both from the air and the ground. She was towed to the West coast only in the last few years, so the the person who wrote the previous comment about them may have seen the Iowa there a few years ago, but not in the last year.
Blue skies,
Jerry

[corsair166b]

True enuf....in fact she was towed from RI to San Fran in recent years....forgot about that....apologies if the person I was referring to saw her then in RI....

Still hoping for info on the Iowa's situation NOW however...

Mark