Aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk departs Bremerton for Texas dismantling
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It's sad to see our history being dismantled and thrown away. I worked very hard trying to keep the USS Saratoga (CV-60) near her only home port (Mayport) after she was decommissioned back in '94. Matching funds were promised to the S.O.S. (Save Our Sara) Foundation by local city government, but the politicians eventually fell under the spell of the NFL and reneged on the deal reallocating the funds to football, and we ended up with the worst team in the NFL instead of the last Forrestal class carrier- a real shame seeing as how the history of Naval aviation in Jacksonville (birthplace of the Blue Angels) was planned to be displayed on her flight deck.
It's a sin, really. Absolutely shameful.
It's a sin, really. Absolutely shameful.
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Hello, That is a shame.
Heck, I remember as a kid.
When, the Kitty Hawk would come into port at Subic Bay the base would be on high alert because of the race riots. It got pretty intense at times with the Shore Patrol all deck out in their riot gear. My parents would tell us 4 boys to stay away from the rec. halls, gyms and the phone & music exchanges. Yet, we where safe living a block from the UDT barracks...
The Kitty Hawk, Saratoga, Coral Sea, Hancock, Ranger, Oriskany, Midway and Enterprise would all come into Subic Bay. Some, for repairs at SRF, refueling and supplies restocking. And, of course, R&R for the crew members...
We lived right down the street from the docks, across the street from the O'Club and BOQ. I could see all the ships coming into the bay, rounding Grandy Island. We lived there from 72 to 75. At first, off base 1/2 between Olongapo and Subic City(WhiteRock Beach)... Then, on base down next to the beach in Officers family quarters. My father was a GS-15 by then(sorta officers ranking), and connected with NASU at that time.
Never, a dull moment at Subic Bay as a kid... What a childhood.
Heck, I remember as a kid.
When, the Kitty Hawk would come into port at Subic Bay the base would be on high alert because of the race riots. It got pretty intense at times with the Shore Patrol all deck out in their riot gear. My parents would tell us 4 boys to stay away from the rec. halls, gyms and the phone & music exchanges. Yet, we where safe living a block from the UDT barracks...
The Kitty Hawk, Saratoga, Coral Sea, Hancock, Ranger, Oriskany, Midway and Enterprise would all come into Subic Bay. Some, for repairs at SRF, refueling and supplies restocking. And, of course, R&R for the crew members...
We lived right down the street from the docks, across the street from the O'Club and BOQ. I could see all the ships coming into the bay, rounding Grandy Island. We lived there from 72 to 75. At first, off base 1/2 between Olongapo and Subic City(WhiteRock Beach)... Then, on base down next to the beach in Officers family quarters. My father was a GS-15 by then(sorta officers ranking), and connected with NASU at that time.
Never, a dull moment at Subic Bay as a kid... What a childhood.
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I sure could use some of the iron from the flight deck to build a fence. Shipping and delivery might be a PITA though.
I'll have to get a newer welding machine to make that many passes. Those decks should be around 3" thick; no?
Jarhead
I'll have to get a newer welding machine to make that many passes. Those decks should be around 3" thick; no?
Jarhead
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1-1/2 thick STS (Special Treatment Steel - It's very good as a structural steel and reasonably good as armor plate.)
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Saw her a few times in Southeast Asia.
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Friend of mine retired from his tugboat company I used to work for tells me it is being towed by this newer Foss tug of 7300 HP. It went by California a few days ago on the way.
Michele Foss Outbound @ County Line Park: 4-9-19 - Bing video
Michele Foss Outbound @ County Line Park: 4-9-19 - Bing video
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Sara wasn't the last Forrestal carrier. Both Ranger (ex-CV61) and Independence (ex-CV62) were sold to the scrappers long after Sara's final keel plates were being lifted out of the water. The Forrestals would have made excellent museum ships (all had been through SLEP) but for one fact: they were all pillaged of useable parts to keep both Kitty Hawk and JFK at sea until they were finally decomm'd
Correct. What I meant was if we had kept our Sara at home where she belongs- she'd be the last Forrestal-class carrier still alive. But now, tragically, they're all gone.
Our consolation prize is the destroyer USS Orleck which arrives tomorrow to become the centerpiece of the Jacksonville Naval Museum...
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Here in Texas we have kept the USS Texas, a WWI Battleship out of the scrap yard.
108 years old.
Served in both WWI and WWII.
She's been docked on the Houston Ship Channel since 1948.
Been on board several times, even got to spend the night on her with my nephew's Boy Scout Troop.
She has some hull problems and is being moved to the shipyard for repairs.
Once repaired she won't be returned to the berth on the Ship Channel, she'll be moved to one of three cities here in Texas that are competing for her.
Navy photographs.
www.history.navy.mil
108 years old.
Served in both WWI and WWII.
She's been docked on the Houston Ship Channel since 1948.
Been on board several times, even got to spend the night on her with my nephew's Boy Scout Troop.
She has some hull problems and is being moved to the shipyard for repairs.
Once repaired she won't be returned to the berth on the Ship Channel, she'll be moved to one of three cities here in Texas that are competing for her.
Navy photographs.
Texas (BB 35)
USS Texas, a 27,000-ton New York class battleship built at Newport News, Virginia, was commissioned in March 1914. In May, she steamed to Vera Cruz to support the occupation of that Mexican city. Regular operations with the Atlantic Fleet began in mid-year and continued to January 1918. The...
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Forrestal would have been a good choice as well. She and Sara were both stationed at Naval Station Mayport (I was on both numerous times while my youngest uncle was Chief Bos'un's Mate {Sara} and Ship's Bos'un {Forrestal}) the majority of their service lives. IMO, the Navy screwed the pooch by NOT letting Forrestal complete her service life as a training carrier to replace Lexington. It would have saved the Navy millions of dollars over time by not requiring a carrier outbound for deployment to make a detour to the Texas Gulf Coast so "nuggets" could earn their carrier qualification.Correct. What I meant was if we had kept our Sara at home where she belongs- she'd be the last Forrestal-class carrier still alive. But now, tragically, they're all gone.
Our consolation prize is the destroyer USS Orleck which arrives tomorrow to become the centerpiece of the Jacksonville Naval Museum...
View attachment 475682
View attachment 475683
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With Russia and Ukraine going at it, we might want to delay decommissioning anything at the moment ....
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Too late...
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