THE "MIGHTY O" IS GONE

[phil65]

What happined the battleship Iowa that was next to the Forrestal last time I was there, A few years ago.

[Originalboxcar]

The Iowa is/has been in Suisan Bay near SF. The navy is still trying to find a home for her which if it were up to me would be with the active fleet.

You may have gotten her mixed up wth the heavy cruiser Des Moines which was in Philly up until Aug 2006 but sadly she is currently in brownsville, tx being scrapped.

The state of Wisconsin petitioned the navy for her but then reconsidered due to harbor size availability as one issue. It looks like they will be receiving a Forrest Sherman class destroyer instead to harbor in Sheboygan. Not that equitable of a swap if you ask me as the Des Moines was pretty much a time capsule in just post-WWII config. Her sister (SALEM) is in Quincy restored as a museum.

regards,

t~

[Shay]

Just in case any of you like me missed it the first couple of times.

The Discovery Channel is showing today (14 Jan) at 1200 Noon the sinking of the USS Oriskany titled "Sinking of a Aircraft Carrier"

Shay
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Semper Fortis

[corsair166b]

So That's the cruiser I saw in Philly at the navy yard in summer 2005...was driving up from DC to tour the USS New Jersey when we drove by the navy yard and I got a good long look into it and saw what looked like a couple of cruisers....would there have been another Des Moines class cruiser along side her? Also got brief views of the ocean liner S>S> United States tied up to a pier in Philly, awaiting whatever fate...actually have her stacks in the distance of a couple of my pics on the New Jersey...

Too bad the Des Moines is being scrapped...nice looking ship...but we can't make museums out of em all, can we?

M

[Shay]

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

Is it on the internet somewhere to download?

I knew it would show up on Youtube eventually


USS Forrestal fire, July 29 1967

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/CVA-43_1_1955.jpg


Shay
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Semper Fortis

[Kevin G]

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

As of November the group working to make the relocation to Mare island happen http://www.battleshipiowa.org have been deemed by the USN to be the sole viable candidate for taking posesion of the Iowa. They need to raise $15-20 million. I don't know how much they have so far.

[Roger Cain]

I don't think the Iowa move is looking too good right now. At the Nellis air show I talked to one of the groups members and he said it wasn't looking that good on getting the ship. Hopefully they can swing it.........

[mrhenniger]

Here are some photos from a memorial in Oriskany, NY...

http://rides.webshots.com/album/559855847cIEeDT

Mike

[Sasquatch]

USS Forrestal is also going to be an art. reef. Sinking date not yet known.
FYI (from wiki)

As of 2006, all four ships have been struck from the Navy Vessel Register. Ex-Forrestal and ex-Independence are slated to be sunk as targets, while ex-Saratoga and ex-Ranger are on donation hold as potential museum ships.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe this is the Forrestal with the Sara ni RI:

Newport RI:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q ... 1&t=k&om=1

Which CV is this in the Philly ship yard?:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q ... 1&t=k&om=1

Other CV's in the NRF at Bremerton:

Indy, Connie, and what is the CV on the far right?

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q ... 1&t=k&om=1

regards,

t~

The carrier on the far right (third carrier from the left) is the Ranger. It's also fun to click, hold and pull the view to the left (to see to the right) to see bunches of nuc subs that are in the drydock and tied-up along shore, being dismantled as part of the submarine recycling program (google it up and you can find all kinds of info and photos on subs being scrapped).

--Tom

[Shay]

I came across these just the other day and with the 2nd anniversary of the "Mighty O's" sinking here in a few days.

The vids are of the Oriskany's 1970 cruise, from May 14th to Dec 10th. Carrier Air Wing Niniteen (CVW-19 *NM*). My Uncle was aboard for this cruise as pilot with the VF-191 "Satan's Kittens".

**Coincidentaly I just came across a couple of my Dad's photo slides dated Dec 1970. They are of a VF-191 Crusader on the snowy ramp of the recently renamed Grissom AFB (previously named Bunker Hill AFB). I'm guessing due to the time frames of the deployment ending and the pictures that they were taken while both my Uncle and my Dad (USAF) were back home on the farm on leave for the holidays. When i get the slide scanner up and running I post them.

EDIT: the F-8 in the slides is NM 106. Sources indicate that for the 70 cruise VF-191's 106 was BuNo 150670. Originally and F-8E later converted to a J model. Anyone know what became of this aircraft?

Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXaKTJIVxHM

Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wr8JagU_1ig&feature=related

Part3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qmx5NOe9mA&feature=related

VF-191 Crusaders


Shay
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Semper Fortis

[Jerry O'Neill]

Here's a shot of the Iowa I took on March 17th, 2008 from Taigh Ramey's C-45.

I hope they find a good home for her!
Jerry

PS: Great flight BTW! If you're out Stockton way, give Taigh a call. You won't regret it!

[Roger Cain]

A couple more of the Iowa from a lower view. We were going to take some more aerial shots of her a week ago, but ran out of time.







And a couple from a recent visit to the USS Missouri at Pearl Harbor a couple weeks ago.