USS Saratoga (CV-60)

[Flying Low]

Yesterday I got to fly out to the Sara for one final look. She is being towed to Brownsville, TX to be dismantled. The Sara was my first duty assignment after "A" school. She is not looking good these days but she served her country well. Here are some photos. https://www.flickr.com/photos/smoke13/sets/72157646858763172

 

[webmaster]

Great pics, thanks for sharing!

John

 

[rondebmar]

Yesterday I got to fly out to the Sara for one final look. She is being towed to Brownsville, TX to be dismantled. The Sara was my first duty assignment after "A" school. She is not looking good these days but she served her country well. Here are some photos. https://www.flickr.com/photos/smoke13/sets/72157646858763172

Got a LOT of time on the Sara ...two long (Med) and several short cruises aboard her ...286 traps ...attended her decommissioning at Mayport years ago ...(twenty years ago last Wednesday!!)

 

[Malo83]

Sad to see these proud Ladies cut up, USS Ranger will suffer the same fate, they tried to get her for a floating museum ala (Midway) but No Joy! did 2.5 Westpacs on the TopGun of the Pacific

 

[BusyBee604]

Sad to see these proud Ladies cut up, USS Ranger will suffer the same fate, they tried to get her for a floating museum ala (Midway) but No Joy! did 2.5 Westpacs on the TopGun of the Pacific

Yeah Malo, I survived the '60 & '66 tours on RANGER. Fondly remember the CARDIV band playing "The William Tell Overture" during unrep, with '66 CO CAPT Leo McCuddin proudly displaying his lovely blow-up doll "Cuddles" on the wing of the bridge. With the hootin' and hollerin' from both ships, the unrep sounded like a visit to a topless joint.

Incidentally, RANGER MARU's nickname was "Top Gun" before Tom Cruise was born, or the Fighter Jock School was thought of!

The FORRESTAL & her class SARATOGA, RANGER, and INDEPENDENCE served our country well for over a half century; sad ending for these once proud ladies!

BusyBee just landed airshow tanker during CVA-61/CAG-9 Family Day cruise off the coast of San Francisco. Note the int'l orange flight suit in vogue at that time. 6 November 1959. Some 7 years after this photo, I was deposited at this very same spot on the flight deck, by the RANGER SAR Det SH-3A Helo after being shot down and rescued..

BzB

 

[brownshoe]

Don't laugh, but I got a bit weepy-eyed looking at the photos. I graduated AO"A" school back in 65 and a few of my friends from school got her as a duty station. I wanted sea duty too but I was selected/forced to go to VA-44 instead (even though I begged). I thought those friends blessed, what with all the sea duty they were going to see and experience. I was promised that after I served at 44 I could get the duty of my choice. Well I served my entire enlistment, after training, at VA-44 and when I had only a few months left on my tour I was told that I could choose where I wanted to go, and what I wanted to do, and all I had to do was Ship Over. Assholes... I no longer trusted what I was told and got out. However, I must admit, while at VA-44 I experienced some of the greatest adventures of my life and served with some really great Sailors. A few of them are members here at AW. San Luis anyone?

 

[LFCFan]

I was underway on the TR this weekend and saw her off in the distance. She had been sitting in Newport for a while, within sight of training country, about a mile or so by road. "Carrier runs" (from OCS to Sara) were a common form of PT, but no more. Bummer, it was fun to have something cool to use as your turn-around point. Also a shame that none of the plans to turn it into a museum ever came to fruition.

 

[Alpha_Echo_606]

I just wish all the old conventional carriers could become museums!

 

[rondebmar]

I just wish all the old conventional carriers could become museums!

Got to admit, the US Navy did well in offering the Saratoga to the city of Jacksonville (IIRC, at no cost). There was much talk of where to "park" her ...possibly somewhere within sight of the travelers on I-95 motoring through the city...draw folks into spending some time (and $$$) in Jacksonville.

Rear Admiral Jim Flatley III ...a former CAG-3 staff LSO who waved me for one cruise on Sara...and was then instrumental in the C-130 "landing on the boat" adventure (Forrestal) ...and later commanded the Sara for a tour ...and was CEO of Patriots Point up in Charleston SC, where Yorktown is parked ...was present for the decommissioning of Sara ...and remained in the Jacksonville area spearheading a drive to help keep her here ...all to no avail. City leaders were very concerned re the cost of establishing a location, upkeep, etc.

 

[brownshoe]

Got to admit, the US Navy did well in offering the Saratoga to the city of Jacksonville (IIRC, at no cost). There was much talk of where to "park" her ...possibly somewhere within sight of the travelers on I-95 motoring through the city...draw folks into spending some time (and $$$) in Jacksonville.

Rear Admiral Jim Flatley III ...a former CAG-3 staff LSO who waved me for one cruise on Sara...and was then instrumental in the C-130 "landing on the boat" adventure (Forrestal) ...and later commanded the Sara for a tour ...and was CEO of Patriots Point up in Charleston SC, where Yorktown is parked ...was present for the decommissioning of Sara ...and remained in the Jacksonville area spearheading a drive to help keep her here ...all to no avail. City leaders were very concerned re the cost of establishing a location, upkeep, etc.

To bad, she would have made a great tourist attraction. Sad to see her taken apart and sold for scrap. Ah well, we're getting old, huh?

Anyway, you going to be around over the weekend? If so I'll give you a call... been a few weeks, we need to catch up. Lots to tell on this end.

Steve

 

[cfam]

Another proud old lady headed to the breakers. Nice touch by the towing company keeping everyone updated on her progress.
http://www.foss.com/foss-innovation/uss-constellation-tow-blog/

 

[utswimmer37]

father started on CV-38 (shangri-la) and did a lap of the world and then spent the next 18 months (another round the world) on CV-60 during his aviation supply stint in Vietnam. The stories from Vietnam/Saratoga are just about single-handedly what made me want to join the Navy. I start my journey this Sunday to carry on the legacy, thanks for sharing the pictures.

 

[utswimmer37]

father started on CV-38 (shangri-la) and did a lap of the world and then spent the next 18 months (another round the world) on CV-60 during his aviation supply stint in Vietnam. The stories from Vietnam/Saratoga are just about single-handedly what made me want to join the Navy. I start my journey this Sunday to carry on the legacy, thanks for sharing the pictures.

I did a Med cruise between the 2 round the worlds. Your turn! Good luck, Dad.

 

[wink]

Ranger still used the William Tell Overture for the break away tunes when I was in CAG Two in the 80s. Always loved it.

 

[nittany03]

Ranger still used the William Tell Overture for the break away tunes when I was in CAG Two in the 80s. Always loved it.

Breakaway tunes? Oh, right. That thing that you sleep through after you've figured out to tape a pillow or some other muting device to the 1MC in your stateroom.