Forrestal (CVA 59) - Naval Cruise Book

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HIGH TECH The world's first usuper carriern begins to take shape in the Newport News Shipbuilding yards. FORRESTAL was the first post-World War Il aircraft carrier and boasted many new high tech improvements over her predecessors. The new carrier was larger and more powerful than anything ever constructed. FORRESTAL was specifically designed to handle jet aircraft. Catapults which would launch the air- craft would be powered by steam instead of hydraulics. An angled-flight deck was also a new design feature that would allow the ship to launch and recover aircraft at the same time. 53 f if f

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A N ERA . . . THE S PER CARRIER X X f X A New Era In July 1951, the Navy announced plans to build a 60,000 ton, 1039 foot carrier designated CVB-59. The keel was first laid in July 1952 and less than 30 months later, USS FORRES- TAL, the first 'lsuper carriern was launched. Mrs. James V. Forrestal, widow of the first Secre- tary of Defense christened her. ln Fall of 1956, FORRESTAL was called to assist forces in the Mediterranean during the Suez Crisis. From 1958 through 1966, FORRESTAL alternated between the Second Fleet in the Atlantic and Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean. ln June of 1967, she departed Norfolk for duty in the waters off Vietnam: After only five days of combat operations, a tragic fire broke out on the flight deck which claimed 134 crew- men. The entire nation felt the tragedy, and Life Magazine reported that in five minutes, everyone became a man. FORRESTAL deployed to the Mediterranean twelve times between 1968 and 1986. ln March 1973, she conducted rescue operations in the flooded Medjerda River Valley near Tunis. FORRESTAL was Host Ship for the International Naval Review in New York City. On July 4, 1976 on FORRESTAL's flight deck, President Gerald Ford rang in the nation's Bicen- tennial and reviewed over 40 Tall Ships from countries throughout the world. FORRESTAL celebrated her Silver Anniversary in October 1980. On September 12, 1982, FORRESTAL transited the Suez Canal for the first time in her 28 year history. From January 1983 to May 20, 1985, FORRESTAL underwent a S550 million Service Life Extension Program CSLEPJ which was designed to extend her useful life another 15-20 years. ln October 1987, FORRESTAL returned from Ocean Safari '87, a highly successful NATO exercise, operation above the Arctic Circle and in the fjords of Norway. FORRESTAL completed her 19th major deployment on October 7, 1988 after operation 108 consecutive days underway, making port calls totaling 15 days and operation in three oceans. For her superior operational performance during the deployment she received the Meritorious Unit Citation. After a brief stand down period and local operations, FORRESTAL participated in New York City's FLEET WEEK in May 1989, and then commenced preparations for her next de- ployment. FORRESTAL got underway for her 20th major deployment on November 7, 1989 after having completed repairs on damage caused by a fire a month earlier. During the deployment FORRESTAL was visited by President George Bush during his historic Malta Summit with Soviet Premier Mikhal Gorbachev. FORRESTAL returned to her homeport of Mayport, Flor- ida on April 12, 1990. From August 1990 through March 1991, FORRESTAL maintained a constant combat pre- pared in anticipation of deployment in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. The call never came. FORRESTAL commenced her 21st and final operational deployment on May 30, 1991. During this period she provided air power presence and airborne intelligence support to the Combined Joint Task Forces of Operation Provide Comfort and served in a number of new and innovative battle group and carrier roles. She completed this deployment on December 23, 1992. iii,

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KFIRE ON THE FLIGHTDECK!!! In Hangar Bay No. l, a bronze plaque reads: To the Officers and men of USS FORRESTAL, living and dead, who on July 29, 1967, proved through their comradship and heroism that uncommon valor was their common virtue? FORRESTAL had arrived on L'Yankee Stationi' off Vietnam only four days earlier, following a six-week transit from her homeport of Norfolk. That morning, the first strike had launched and the second strike was preparing to launch at ll a.m. At 10:52, a Zuni rocket was accidentally fired and sent shooting into a drop fuel tank on an A-4E Skyhawk. Within seconds, the after portion of the flightdeck was engulfed in flames. High winds across the deck spread the fire quickly to otheraaircraft, most loaded with ordinance. Within two minutes of the initial fire the explosions from 500, 750 and 1000 pound bombs ripped gaping craters in the flight deck. The largest hole was over 20 feet in diameter. Almost 50 night crew personnel sleeping one deck below were killed instantly. Twenty men were blown overboard by the forces of the explo- sions. Only l6 would be recovered. Although the fire on the flight deck was extinguished within two hours, the residual fires below decks would burn on for 17 hours more until they could be contained. Twenty-one aircraft were destroyed and total damage was estimated at S72 million. The final toll: 134 dead, 164 injured. This was the single biggest loss of Navy personnel during the Vietnam War and the worst U.S. Naval disaster since World War Il. l 8