USS Forrestal begins final voyage

Remember seeing her in Mayport, FL. when I was stationed there in the mid 60's. As with the FDR and Saratoga.

We used to call her the "Forestfire". Sad, indeed. I worked on that boat a few times.

Never was on her, but was the 'Sara' a few times. Just remember the Forrestal sailing in and out.

She and the Sara should be museums

I'll drink to that! Wish mine had been, but that didn't happen.

I agree that they should be made into museums, but the overall cost of keeping them afloat is astronomical. I know the folks out in Bremerton, WA are always struggling to find funding to keep the Turner Joy afloat. It's sad to see pieces of our history being scrapped liked that, but unfortunately, there isn't enough interest in the general public.

Got that right! Government sells them for pennies, scrapyards make a fortune, but it takes a lot of hard work to scrap a ship, especially an aircraft carrier. And it's not cheap. Wasn't the Turner Joy out of Mayport, FL. at one time? Name just jogs a memory.

Well you also have to remember that other decommissioned ships have better more support in congress, i.e. the USS JFK is being donated for display in Boston, any other entity has to jump through more hoops than youd expect for the same privalage, but I'll stop there before I get off on a tangent

Actually the Government PAID someone to take it away. I think that ship would have been way beyond the abilities of any private organization to maintain.

USS Turner Joy was always a West Coast ship. She and USS Maddox were the two ships involved in the Tonkin Gulf incident that precipitated escalated US involvement in the Vietnam War. My ship, Ranger, operated with her during 1974 in the Tonkin Gulf.

Ranger is the third of the four Forrestal class carriers. There was a big push to have her preserved as a museum in Oregon but from what I hear, that plan has fallen through.

The other carrier that I served on, the Lexington, fortunately has been saved as a museum in Corpus Christi, Texas.

My bad then. That ship just rings a bell, but I'll leave it at that. Just so many ships in my 4 yrs., maybe they all sound the same after awhile. Lol

Wasn't it for a penny?

Mr2bill,

 Yes, she was sold for a penny. That's the final pricetag that the government put on her. They came to that conclusion after figuring out how much it would cost the private company in Texas to relocate and scrap her out compared to how much they would make off the scrap. Since they figured the company would essentially break even, they sold her for a penny.

Subfixer,

 So you were on the Ranger? My father served on board her back around 1990 sometime when he was Command Master Chief of COMCRUDESGRU 5. I've been aboard her a few times myself. I actually got the opportunity to sail with her during a Dependents' Cruise way back when. As a kid, it was one of the greatest things in the world! In terms of the TJ, we kinda have a special place for her in our hearts in my family. My father served aboard her as well and he actually decommissioned her. He was the last enlisted man to go ashore before she was towed away. I plan on building a model of the TJ and presenting it to him as a gift. I just need to finish my current build first! :)

Actually, after doing further reading, it appears that there are conflicting reports as to whether the Navy paid a penny or if All Star Metals paid the penny.

This report states the the ship was purchased by All Star Metals for one penny:

www.upi.com/.../UPI-16381382560484

This one states that the Navy PAID a penny:

www.washingtontimes.com/.../uss-forrestal-navys-first-supercarrier-sells-cent

I would put more stock in the latter article considering that their source is direct from from Naval Sea Systems Command. Apparently, the Navy retains ownership of her until she is completely dismantled. All Star Metals gets ownership of the scrap that is produced from the dismantling. So, technically, it can be said that she was never sold. But now we're talking semantics...

I remember doing a tiger cruise with my dad and grandfather before she was decommissioned.  That one was about 22 years ago or so. Last I saw her was while she was moored in Newport about 12 years ago with her mast cut off and sitting on the deck (had to get under the bridge).  Sad to see her go, but I can't imagine how much taxpayer money was spent just for her to sit around for 20 years.

Groot

You probably don't want to know! Probably not as much as the gov't. spends on a rivet for her hull!! Lol Think my ship was (not sure) sold as scrap to somewhere in S. America or the likes. No matter where it went, I don't think they even tried to save her from the cutting torches.

Smitty

Mr2bill,

 Yes, she was sold for a penny. That's the final pricetag that the government put on her. They came to that conclusion after figuring out how much it would cost the private company in Texas to relocate and scrap her out compared to how much they would make off the scrap. Since they figured the company would essentially break even, they sold her for a penny.

Kinda like a deal I completed recently. I had a storage yard with lots on "junk" on it. Lots of metal and wood. I could have sold it for scrap but made a deal with a guy that he could have it all in exchange for hauling it all off. He made a few bucks and I got the yard cleaned up for free.

Sad, but life goes on, as they say. There's more than one way to skin a cat! Seems like everyone here in this part of the Midwest always try to make a buck doing that, for some the yard just gets worse. Well, just got an email my Black Swan will arrive Monday afternoon sometime. This will be my 3rd sailing ship build, after the first two, I have a better idea how to attack it. I just have to learn how to do washes, etc. That is one thing I've never done so will be a new adventure.