Last voyage of the USS Forrestal.

My USMC squadron (VMA 331 with the Sky Raider better known as ADs back in 1957) for carrier qualification prior to going to Japan via of the Phillipines back in 1958. We had AD 5s and sixes out of Opalocka, Florida.

My brother-in-law was a Chief Petty Officer onboard the Forrestal in 1967 when the fire broke out in the Gulf of Tonkin. He suddenly became a "fireman" as did nearly everyone aboard. He related some terrible stories about that tour, both before,during and after the fire. Seems an electrical anomaly caused a missile to discharge on board, then all He** broke loose. He had some pictures taken by other crewmen at the time. He finally retired Navy after 30 years at Mayport in Jacksonville, FL.

If she's going to be 20 miles out we probably won't see her.

daily double wrote:
If she's going to be 20 miles out we probably won't see her.

That's 20 miles out while at sea. She will come in at SPI and then down the channel to Brownsville to the boat yard. Lot's of great places to see her for the very last time.

On Edit:

This may be of help:

Clicky

Ive been on CV-59, 60 and 64.

robsouth wrote:
My brother-in-law was a Chief Petty Officer onboard the Forrestal in 1967 when the fire broke out in the Gulf of Tonkin. He suddenly became a "fireman" as did nearly everyone aboard. He related some terrible stories about that tour, both before,during and after the fire. Seems an electrical anomaly caused a missile to discharge on board, then all He** broke loose. He had some pictures taken by other crewmen at the time. He finally retired Navy after 30 years at Mayport in Jacksonville, FL.

That missile shot across the deck and hit the jet parked next to that of John McCain - he was able to get out to fight another day. A few months later he was downed over North Viet Nam. The History Channel did an excellent story on the Forrestal incident - lots of heroes on board that day. It's very worthwhile to find a repeat of that story. Since all fight operations are filmed, there is much documentation.

A college friend was an Ensign aboard a destroyer escorting the Forrestal and saw it all. Planes burning on deck, bombs exploding, flight deck ruptured, fire in the hanger deck, etc. No way would they save her.............. but they did. One tough ship, one tough crew.

USS Forrestal C-59
Nicknamed...... The FID------"First In Defense".
Had several other unofficial names by crewmen (as do ALL NAVAL SHIPS)
USS Zippo, Forest Fire, Firestal----the 1967 incident wasn't it's only fire but was the worst. (1972, 4 in 1978)

Decommissioned in 1993 and immediately stricken from NAVAL Vessel Registry
Offered as a donation for museum or memorial in 1999......no viable takers
Redesignated for disposal in 2003....in 2007 environmentally prepped for sinking as an artificial reef
Moved to inactive ship storage from Newport, RI to Philadelphia, PA in 2010
Solicitations made for the towing and complete dismantlement...2012

2013.....SOLD for 1 PENNY to scrapyard in Brownsville, TX
Note: The scrapyard didn't pay the penny....the Pentagon paid the scrapyard

Sorry way for an old fighting ship to end up.

At least my old ship after decommissioning was used as a 'Self Defense Test Ship' for 10 years (countering anti-shipping cruise missiles) and was sunk in line of duty in 2004

The complete history: Clicky

I wish I could be there. I'm proud to have served on the USS Forrestal in 1967 when in the Gulf of Tonkin.

It must have been one horrific moment for a young man.


"Main article: 1967 USS Forrestal fire

In July 1967, Forrestal departed Norfolk for duty in waters off Vietnam. In the Gulf of Tonkin on 29 July, Forrestal had been launching aircraft from her flight deck. For four days, the planes of Attack Carrier Air Wing 17 flew about 150 missions against targets in North Vietnam from the ship. On 29 July 1967, during preparation for another strike, a Zuni rocket installed on an F-4 Phantom, misfired, impacting an armed A-4 Skyhawk, side #405, parked on the port side (U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General Investigation Report of USS FORRESTAL Incident), which was incidentally occupied at the time by LCDR John S. McCain, III, future senator and presidential candidate. The rocket's impact dislodged and ruptured the Skyhawk's 400-gallon external fuel tank. Fuel from the leaking tank caught fire, creating a serious conflagration that burned for hours, killing 134, injuring 161, destroying 21 aircraft and costing the Navy US$72 million"


Also, I have no clue where the government pays the penny??? Until it is fully dismantled the government owns the ship, then the penny will be transferred to make it a legal binding contract.