USS Forrestal anniversary

[Iain Stuart Yardley]

Today is the 35th anniversary of the USS Forrestal disaster. 134 servicemen were killed when fire swept through the ship in the Gulf of Tonkin.

 

[Don Tweed]

Boz,
When I was in the Navy as an aviation ordinancman I saw the film on the Forrestal.
A very terrible 2 days at sea.
When the rocket misfires and shoots down the deck and all hell breaks lose and I realized it was an ordinancman who triggered the whole thing!
I was wondering if I should change jobs!!!
I remember how everybody called her the USS Forrestfire.
-Don

 

[Erik Wood]

I recall recently seeing a documentary on the Forrestal fire. That was a serious piece of sailoring on behalf of all those involved. Isn't she still in one piece somewhere?? Possibly a musem??

Erik

 

[kevin johnson]

the city of balitmore is trying buy forrestal and
turn into a muesuem

 

[Michael H. Standart]

Anyone wanting to learn more about the U.S.S. Forrestal and the efforts to preserve her should click on USS Forrestal Museum Inc.

A memorial page to the fire can be accessed by clicking on Forrestal Fire

This latter page includes a list of those who died in the fire.

 

[Erik Wood]

Thanks for the links Mike. It is good to know that hopefully this piece of history won't slip away into a scrapyard.

Erik

 

[Michael H. Standart]

There are efforts afoot to save the USS Ranger too, but I don't know if they'll come to anything. Proposals are as thick as fleas, but that's one thing. Actually getting up the resourses and cash to make it happen are something else entirely. A lot of people with such interests are still wincing over the Cabot/Dedelo fiasco.

 

[Erik Wood]

One would think that with a carrier the expanses would be much more then say even an ocean liner. Much bigger and a lot more stuff to restore and keep in good condition.

 

[Michael H. Standart]

That I understand was a part of the problem with the Dedelo. The assocciation which received the ship had no idea just what they were in for, and by the time they figured it out, they were bankrupted by trying to fix everything up. A real shame as she was the only surviving Independence class light carrier from World War II in existance.

The last photo I saw of her was when she was sitting abandoned and forgotton in a bay in Texas awaiting the breakers torch.

A damned shame!

 

[Erik Wood]

I recently saw photos of warships being broke up and a day by day photo display (say that fast three times) of a carrier being broke up. I know of a couple of pages that show the conditions of a couple destroys before breakup and during. It was rather interested.

I am always looking for pictures of old abandoned ships. Mostly interior.

I did some thinking and discussing with some shipmates of mine about the Forrestal disaster. All of us came to the same conclusion, the Captain of that ship did one heck of job keeping his ship together and his crew motivated.

 

[Karin Kasper]

My father served on board the Forrestal and actually was transferred to shore duty in the Phillipines just before the disaster. It was so soon before that he hadn't yet notified his family of the change, so for days afterwards, they didn't know if he was dead or alive. I for one am rather glad he got transferred, because if he hadn't, I might not be here, lol!

 

[Karin Kasper]

Interesting thing on the History Channel last night- a series they have called "Caught on Film" showed footage from the disaster shot by Navy cameras. I'm sure they'll show it again at some point, if you're interested; you probably could check out their website for details.

 

[Erik Wood]

I saw that very show yesterday. It was a good one. The History channel (it may have been the discovery channel) did a wonderful hour long show devoted to the subject.

 

[Michael H. Standart]

Every once in awhile, the Discovery Channel airs the Fire At Sea documentary. It's practically identical to the training film I saw in boot camp.