Big Ben Struck Twice!

Gives me some new insight into the Franklin. My first duty station was the Brooklyn Navy Yard from 1965-1967. The yard was already slated for closing and the Navy was removing a lot of material for transfer to other facilities even though they were working on giving the Intrepid a limited CVA capacity for VietNam. While wondering the yard with another sailor we found the Franklin's hulk moored to a fairly isolated pier in the shipyard. She was in poor shape and the Navy was still finding useful equipment aboard to strip for other ships. A civilian yard worker told us that the Navy considered a total rebuild right after the war ended but decided the damage was too extensive and so she sat in various places for quite a while until finally sold for scrap. I knew the Franklin's story and standing on the pier looking at her was a sobering event. The civ. employee told us that it was a very erie feeling to be working deep inside a deserted ship removing some piece of equipment. He also mentioned that at least one other worker told of a ghostly encounter that happened to him (if you're into such things). Apparently he claimed to have encountered a sailor in a tattered, smudged, oil spattered white uniform which was not cut or tailored  to match the then current (1965) white uniform. The story here is not of ghosts as such but the feeling I got from looking at a fine warship that took a terrible beating and yet was still able to sail home.  RickM

subfixer wrote:

That was a long read but well worth it

It was a long proof read too!!  But I agre, well worth it.

i just finished a book about the FRANKLIN and the cruiser SANTA FE . the heroics on both of these fine vessels speak to the highest standards of behavior of the navy . there are some questions concerning the behavior of the captain of the FRANKLIN after the incident . this does in no way color the fact that in my mind BOTH ships should be revered in model form ..    tankerbuilder

That was a long read but well worth it, thanks for the link.

Incrediable history. Thanks much for this Gem.

Interesting that over the years it was speculated that the enemy plane was a "Judy" when the action report clearly states that the plane sighted was of twin-engined design...that would also explain the heavier than normal bombload and different types of bombs dropped...I'll bet it was a "Frances" or maybe even a "Betty"...