Kinda sad tonight...

I used to live in Jacksonville Florida and frequently saw corsairs and crusaders being chopped up and dumped into the water.   about 10 years ago, I dove coast of NJ and there were M60 tanks and subway cars under water.  It was sad to see how these mighty machines end up like that, but I can't imagine what was going through the minds of people who served on those big ships when they were sinking into the water. 

*Bows Head and offers a moment of silence in salute.*

While the USS Oriskay met her fate this morning about 200 miles south of Penscloa Beach in 200 feet of water to make an artifical reef. Former crew members watched from chartered boats. 500 Pounds of explosives were used to sink her

I remember as a kid back in 70 walking the Flt Deck of the USS Hancock CVA-19 during open house at NAS Alameda back when my uncle Ernie served aboard as a crewman. I was in awe of the aircraft aboard & in Aug or Sept  of 1977 while in Long Beach visiting my great uncle Bob who worked on an oil rig supply boat across  from the Hanna when they were crapping her. Man, that broke my heart somewhere I have a pic of it.

I just heard they are going to sink the Oriskany as an artificial reef this week. I saw this post a couple of days ago and meant to post that reminded me. Then I saw where grape ape mentioned the same fate for the Connie IMHO that Sucks The Connie deserves better but I guess it's the way of the world. I was with VF-154 on board the Connie from 87' til she went into SLEP. She was in better shape going into SLEP than her replacement was coming out. Had many good times because of her and I still miss her She's a grand lady.

Wow didn't realize there was still activity here... I totally dropped the ball on getting the Guam plans to trumpeter but someones question in the odds and ends reminded me of it.  I came back to get the email address of the guy I was talking to and had to read through the whole thing again.

Glad to see some of the new crowd come aboard!

Read in the paper that the US Navy plans to tow the USS America(CV-66) out of the Philly Yard and sink her somewhere east of Norfolk during a weapons test in late April or early May.
Since they have never sunk a super carrier, they want to see what it takes to do so and how the ship will sink.
This is just a note for those interested

I have the same feelings when I see pics of the USS Long Beach. What's lef t of her is up in Washington with the rest of the nuke cruisers waiting for final disposition. It really hurts when you spend some of the best years of your life and have to see what others do to it.

tears are welling in my eyes everytime i hear or see apiece of history get destroyed or scrapped just a month ago i saw wwII T-2 tanker get hauled out to sea for the last time
so i pulled over my bigrig over along the river got out and paid silent omage as it passed on its way to forever i wish i had a camera that day but it will live in my memory
forever . remember those who don't save and remember history today , are doomed to repeat it tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey! New to this forum thing. Was checking this thread out and talk about old memories flowing. Yes, for whatever reasons, MY ol' girl "Connie" CV-64 will always be a big part of me. She was decommished 2004. I was unable to attend the ceremony and I'm still and wil be kicking myself in the butt for years to come for not seeing her and saying good-bye for the last time. Sob,Sob Anyway, I was a grapeape and served below-decks(and I mean just about everywhere below-decks, even on that BIG boat). Even did some flight deck duty. There were lots of so-called bad times. But as the years go by, they are turning more into good if not great times. Last I heard was that they might sink her for artifical reef or something like that. That news hit me hard.
As a kid, I said I would be on a aircraft carrier someday(sailor or civilian). And I've always wanted a totally detailed, museum quality model of one. My skills will never reach that level. But am enjoying the hobby anyway. The ultimate model is one that will handle a full or almost full airwing of 1/72 aircraft. This kind of model is one where a whole room must be added to the house just for it. I have a dream!! someday... someday... Anyway, sorry for the rambing on. This thread just struck a cord with me. Thanks for the memories grapeape

Ran across this thread and let me asure you, most of the folks who serve out on the open water form the same attachments to their ships as you did. I served aboard the Knox class frigate USS Fanning (FF-1076) and the New Orleans (LPH-11) . New Orleans is being held in reserve for eventual disposition as a museum. I'd heard the city of New Orleans was interested. As for the Fanning, when the Navy dumped the Knoxes in 93 she was "leased" to Turkey, and eventualy sold outright to them on 2000. In 2001 they decommissioned her and sent her off to be cut up for scrap. It is though I was informed of the death of a friend I hadn;t seen in many years. There are still nights (I got off the ship in 1976) when I dream of walking her decks, feeling the roll of the hull in the flat calm of the Indian Ocean, the midnight moon reflecting off the still waters. She was much more than steel and aluminum to me, she was a home, a sheltering presence, and the backdrop against which I grew up. I read a comment from a USS Ramsey (FFG-2) crewmember on the occasion of her sinking as a target during RIMPAC exercises, "it was like watching someone go out and shoot your old dog". We lost so much when the Navy downsized after WWII, The Enterprise, Saratoga, all the old dreadnaught battleships that survived Pearl Harbor. More recently they let go to the torch the Henry B. Wilson and the Harold Holt that pulled the steamer Mayaguez back from Cambodia. While I fully appreciate that we can't preserve everything it seems to me that we are all too willing to shread significant momentos of our past. When nothing is left of that past it is all too easy to forget......and perhaps repeat. One of the saddest photos I can remember is the last page of the Squadron book on Essex aircraft carriers. It shows the USS Bunker Hill, the last unconverted Essex, being towed out of San Diego on the way to the scrappers, past the Rosecrans National Cemetery. That was in 1973. Wish we'd had the foresight to save her. What a monument to the airmen and sailors of WWII she would have made. Rest well old friends, you are not forgotten.

thanks John! yeah I've looked into the Pima museum... definitely gonna have to check it out! we have the lone star flight musuem down here that is growing.. the main thing with it is that about 90% or more of the aircraft are operational and participate in fly overs and air shows through the year!

Tom
Sorry to see that you were sick over the weekend, glad to hear you are better.
I agree that weapons do need to be tested. The ship's are being sunk to make artifical reef's for the fish. They need to be inspected to make sure all pollution sources have been removed from the ship, so I don't know about it being cheaper. Know the same fate is planned for the USS Oriskany, if it hasn't been done already. Story was in our paper here in Phoenix, they were going to give former crewmembers a chance to visit her before they sunk her. The ship was the last one a former naval pilot and current US Senator from our state served on before he was shot down over North Vietnam.
Navy also deep six'ed some A-6 airframes off of the Florida coast for the same reason(fish reef's.) This was after the decided to retire them. My son's Med cruise in 96 was the last for the Intruders. Saw them down at D-M AFB in Tuscon in the boneyard a few months later.
If you ever get over that way visit Pima Air and Space Museum.
John
helicopters don't fly, they beat the air into submission

thanks for the info Mike! 1985 is fine, I was on her in 89 on so it would probably look just like her...

John, I think it boils down to it's cheaper to sink them than keep the forever... if n one has the ready cash, or no salvage yard jumps for it... it's a lot easier I think... of course occasionally I would see a need to test weapon effectiveness etc.. sometimes I get the suspicion some congressman or such is at that periscope clapping his hands together like a little kid when the FT launches that missle...

Went to
www.navy.mil
this morning and found out the ship sunk was the USS Schenectady. I don't know why they hace to keep doing this Gen, Mitchell provided you could sink a ship with a bomb back in the 20's and he used a dumb one.
Welcome to the forum Mike
John
helicopters don't fly, they beat the air into submission

I apologize for comming in so late, to your discussion. But, I've got some info, for you.
There are plans for USS Gaum (LPH-9) at this web site: <<http://www.floatingdrydock.com/>>
Goto the Warships section, click on the "G" series and page down. There's a set of Guam drawings, 1:192 scale, for $30 (circa Sept 85). It might be what you're looking for. The part # is G-LPH9. If you have questions, call Tom. He listes his phone number and is a great guy to work with.
As far as this trip down memory lane, I know what you're talking about. I served on ten ships, during my career. The last one was commissioned in the early 70s. She retired from the Navy the day before I retired, '97. She, and one other, are up in Washington state, awaiting disposal. The sail of another is a Submarine memorial in Brazil. All the others have long since become razorblades.
A truely sad ending for some truely great ladies.
Mike

Didn't look like a carrier-type ship superstructure was mid-line on ship, but other then that I don't know
John
helicopters don't fly, they beat the air into submission

There was talk of one of the remaining LPH's going down soon... but they wouldn't tow it all the way over there... I think it was the New Orleans....

I'll have to see if I can find out which ship it was... gonna make me a "wall" for these ships... sunk by our own hands...

They did it again. Woke up this morning and switched on the news. Watched them sink another ship(didn't catch the name). Said it was a joint AF/Navy exercise using a B-52 and I believe a JDAM to sink it somewhere off Hawaii. Sad to see another one go.
John
Helicopters don't fly, they beat the air into submission

I never was on a destroyer, except touring a WWII escort class... but I feel for ya.. like we said in previous posts an entire genreation of history is being sunk as we speak...

the good thing for yall is the spruance class is molded...

the odd thing is I noticed it in 1/700... it must be 2" long... I would hate to have to try that build... it's in 1/350 as well...

we're getting old... I imagine after WWII there were quite a few feeling as we do....

All our beloved "Spru-cans" are being sunk as fodder.

There has to be a better way.
John
heicopters don't fly, they beat the air into submission

NO!!!!! This was the only can I served aboard. I didn't think they'd kill her off so fast. She was a clean and fast ship. Sunk for Canadian target practice.

http://www.news.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=18894
http://www.news.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=18892
Scott

Good luck, hope Trumpeter does it for you. Like to see your dio when it's done to.
John
helicopters don't fly, they beat the air into submission

yeah it all comes in time... my dad warned me that about Marines... he said when you go on liberty and there's a LCpl in your face wanting to kick your $#%, don't worry... it's Sgt all quiet in the corner... that's the one to worry about...


I'll keep ya posted on what I find about the Trumpeter thing... I haven't sent em off yet but will soon... in the meantime I plan to build the 1/700 as it actually isn't too small for the dio I talked about of her sinking...

Doc
His BS will stop the first time an "old" chief gets hold of him. I have hear the same thing from other sevice people(all branch's), think they know it all after basic. They find out different when they get onto the real world.
Knew better myself when I went in and thought my son to. He grew up that summer he went to boot. I had to bring him home on emergency leave after a week of boot, due some surgery I had to have. Spent his first three months in the Navy assigned to the Navy and Marine Corps Reserve center here in Phoenix and the chief there got him ready.
He bought his first car at Norfolk, but drove it home before his Med cruise.
Glad to hear that you got the plans for your ship, hope Trumpeter will use them to make your kit, but save a set for yourself just in case.
Also glad to hear your employer did something for Vet's Day, first year my company did to.
John
helicopters don't fly, they beat the air into submission

haha well he was heading for the Carl Vinson.. it was entertaining to hear the BS he was feeding his family... maybe I was lucky having a chief as a father... I couldnt put anything past him...

of course he put one past me... I owned a 69 Chevelle SS396 in High School... the envy of many a person... my dad talked me into selling it, as "as soon as you are out of your medic school you will be on a ship and you dont want it sitting in a parking lot for 6 months rusting.."

5 yrs later I actually SAW a ship...

which brings to mind another story for later... never sell anything to a biker who's nick name is "Satan"

My dad had to deal with that one himself... sold the car to the guy, next thing he is threatening my life... (literally) luckily my dad was 9 yrs Marine Corps including Viet Nam and his 5'6" (SFC) frame towered over that 6'3" private from Viet Nam that had issues with my car...

Maybe he'll be lucky enough to go through "Wog Day" or "Blue Nose".

Yea, i remember Chevy Chase too, that was back in the days when SNL was at it's best.
Pity that poor boot when he get's to his ship, he will get a rude awakening. Me has a poor Army dogface knew better than call a Navy Corpman a medic.
Ever notice how young they look now when use see a new service person, were we every that young? Think we were a little wiser though.
John
helicopters don't fly, they beat the air into submission