USS Forrestal-July 29,1967

alledan

THE HIGH COST OF FREEDOM On July 29 1967, at 1052 local time, while operating off the coast of Vietnam a faulty electrical circuit caused the premature launch of a Zuni rocket that was loaded on a F-4 Phantom that was preparing to launch on the second strike of the day. The rocket slammed into an A-4 Skyhawk that was behind the Phantom. The resulting fires and explosions came close to doing what our nation's enemies would have like to have done on their own, sink the world's first supercarrier. A CONTRIBUTING CAUSE: Thanks to penny pinching bureaucrats, the ship had been forced to use World War II vintage bombs that had laid around government storehouses for years. Even when new, these bombs were thin skinned. These two factors translated into low `cookoff' temperatures. Many of the men who died on this horrible day did so trying to cool down unexploded bombs with water or were trying to get them over the side as they went off. CASUALTIES: Many died from smoke inhalation before they even realized that some thing was terribly wrong. All toll, one hundred thirty four men died in what is still ranked as the worst carrier disaster in the post war (WWII) era. Another sixty - four are on the official injured list. I say `official' because the count does not include those who suffered from such things as PTSD. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Some thing this horrible does a whole lot more then give "... .a few gray hairs.." to a survivor. Quality of life can be severely compromised for the rest of the individual's life. The suicide rate among PTSD patients is markedly higher then the rest of the population as a whole, even years after the event. DAMAGE: The explosions blew seven holes in the armored flight deck. One described as being as large as an average sized living room. Through these holes flowed spilled fuel along with it's even more volatile vapors. Fires erupted below deck where it was harder to fight for want of elbow room. Flames ate their way through the hanger deck (which has some armor protection, but not nearly as much as the flight deck) on a course for the ship's vitals. In some places it came with in one level (deck) of this critical area. In addition to the ship's engines, this area includes volatile fuels storage and ammunition magazines. Any fires in these areas and the ship would have been a goner. shrapnel from exploding bombs blew holes in the hull below the waterline. Every thing aft of elevator four and from the hanger deck on up had to be rebuilt. All the 5'54" guns were burnt out. Of the air group's aircraft, 21 were destroyed. Most of these where the ones that were parked aft. LESSONS LEARNED As a result of what happened aboard Forrestal, improvements were made in a number of areas. IMPROVED TRAINING: Everyone who is assigned or attached to a carrier, or any organizational entity embarked in a carrier, is now required to be fully qualified to fight fires, including specifically flight deck fires. A carrier command has six months to see that all personnel who have not been through the school for this completes the course or they lose that person. SAFER AMMUNITION: All ammunition now has higher cookoff temperatures, thanks to the use of better materials in manufacturing and thicker outer skins. IMPROVED EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT: Take a look at any post Forrestal fire picture of any of our carriers. What you will see along the catwalks are devices for dumping ammunition over the side by the palette full. In side, shipboard firefighting equipment has been expanded to cover more areas and more backups have been built into the system. Sprinkler systems will cut in automatically in certain compartments when their internal temperature reaches a predetermined point In 1969 a similar fate hit USS Enterprise CVAN-65 while steaming off the coast of Hawaii. Thanks to the lessons learned from Forrestal in the short period of time between the two incidents, her casualties and damage where not nearly as extensive.

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wundudnee

I worked with a little guy in the 80's that was on the Forrestal when that happened. This guy was always smiling even though it seemed he had a cloud over him. He always had a band-aid or a bruise or a cast on him. When he got out of the navy he joined the national guard. One time when he was at Fort Collins Co. for summer camp he got caught in a severe wind storm. He got hit in the head with a helmet. He came back a little bruised and cut but still smiling. I liked that guy!

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"If stupidity got us into this mess, then why can't it get us out?" Will Rogers

oldfriends

I have two cousins that were assigned to the Forrestal at the same time under what was called "brother duty" at the time. One worked on the flight deck, the other was an electrician and worked below decks. The one working the flight deck had left the ship some time before this incident. The electrician was below deck when this happened. He said that there was so much smoke and confusion that it was hard to reach safety. He said that he was crawling on the deck (floor) trying to breath. The smoke was so thick. He said he was about to pass out when he saw a light where someone had opened a hatch. He started to crawl toward the light and felt a pair of leggs. He said he started to crawl up the leggs and passed out. He was carried to a safe area and survived with no physical problems. Both cousins are still kicking and raising hell They had some pretty good stories about life on that ship.

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Life is Tough!It's Tougher if You're Stupid

Miss. Creant

I have seen this story on tv and have always been amazed at the heroism,and misery of the event.

Lowrider

Which was the other carrier that blew up? Early seventies I think. Something about a huffer exhaust setting off a bomb while starting up a jet fighter?Enterprise?Constellation?

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Lord Lowrider the LoquaciousMember:Secret Select Society of Suave Stylish Smoking Jackets She was only a fisherman's daughter,But when she saw my rod she reeled.