Remember The USS Forrestal Fire Today...

[BusyBee604]

29 July, 1967, 46 years ago today, USS Forrestal suffered the devastating flight deck fire that took the life of 134 of our finest Sailors, and injured scores more. I will never forget it, as I was on USS Constellation and we had been relieved on Yankee Station by Forrestal the week prior, and headed to Cubi Pt. for a 12 day R&R. On the 29th, I had met up with my wife in Manila, and we were in our hotel room (on 10 days leave), preparing to fly to Hong Kong, when the phone call came. An emergency all-hands recall, getting underway the next morning to replace Forrestal, which was limping back to Cubi.

When I checked back to the ship, my CO said he was leaving me to ferry a down A-4C back to the ship when it was ready... estimated 2 days. I got off just before Connie left for Yankee. The next day Mrs. Bee 'n' I were up on the hill at the Cubi Club, when the stricken ship limped into Subic Bay, slowly approaching Leyte Pier. The flight was a mess of damaged aircraft, ground equipment, and tangled steel. A sadder sight, I have never seen. No fun was had in the Cubi Club that night. Mrs.Bee headed home, and I headed back to my Ship, the next day.

BTW, there is an interesting thread with the same title as this, posted by BigIron, one year ago today, on this forum.
BzB

 

[BigIron]

Thanks, BZB. Always important to remember this one. Always important to participate in those dreaded flight deck fire drills if you're embarked for this very reason. Sh#t goes sideways real quick up there.


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[feddoc]

The Forrestal was my first, a few years after the fire. Yup, fire drills were a huge part of my indoc.

May God rest their souls.

 

[Redux]

Something most people are ignorant of or brush aside is this was McCains ticket home but he chose to crossdeck instead. The rest is history, I wonder in his heart of hearts if he would rethink that move.

 

[JIMC5499]

Something most people are ignorant of or brush aside is this was McCains ticket home but he chose to crossdeck instead. The rest is history, I wonder in his heart of hearts if he would rethink that move.

If he had, I wonder what he would be doing today? I don't think that he would be a Senator.

 

[BusyBee604]

Something most people are ignorant of or brush aside is this was McCains ticket home but he chose to crossdeck instead. The rest is history, I wonder in his heart of hearts if he would rethink that move.

That is a good question for which IMHO, there is no right or wrong answer. After the trauma of the horrific loss of life/aircraft & his close escape from his burning 'hawk, who would fault him for taking a ticket home? I believe that (then) LCDR McCain felt that after years of attack training for combat, many weps deployments... he was highly qualified to put all his training to use in the Naval Aviator's ultimate test... aerial combat. Then after only 2 or 3 missions, suddenly his Airwing's combat tour is over.

I believe I would have tried to crossdeck also, and I believe the majority would crossdeck under the same circumstances. On the other hand, if this had occurred halfway (or more) through a 2nd combat tour, I think I'd have gladly accepted the 'golden ticket' stateside, but that's just me.

I am sure that the good Senator had many, many days of misgivings, given the horrible treatment he endured. But he hung in there and returned with honor. Personally, I am not a huge fan of Senator John McCain, but I am a great fan of Naval Aviator, then LCDR John McCain. And I agree, had he not achieved the name recognition & notoriety of a courageous POW (incidently, he gave up another free ticket home, when he refused an early release because he was junior in "shootdown date" to many others), he would [probably] not have had a political career.

Under those circumstances, any comments on what path any of Y'all AWs might have considered/taken?
BzB

 

[NCHopeful]

Under those circumstances, any comments on what path any of Y'all AWs might have considered/taken?
BzB

I like to think I would have also chose to crossdeck, because I would want to serve my fair share of time in combat instead of leaving it for someone else to pick up the slack. That said, I'm not even a naval officer yet, and you never know whether someone will take that ticket home until it's right in front of them.

 

[Fallonflyr]

Went to the Forrestal for my TA-4 CQ. Re. McCain... had he not been a POW, he would most likely be a retired airline pilot with 5-6 ex wives.

 

[ltedge46]

My uncle was an AOCM with orders to the Forrestal at the time, he was on his way west when the fire happened and he got turned around. A week earlier and I may never have met him.

 

[BusyBee604]

My uncle was an AOCM with orders to the Forrestal at the time, he was on his way west when the fire happened and he got turned around. A week earlier and I may never have met him.

And as a AOCM, he might well have been on the flight deck when all hell broke loose. Glad you got to meet him!

As I stated in this OP #1, I observed the still smoking Forrestal approaching Leyte Pier at Cubi Pt, and it was a tragic mess. I believe those few days was her only combat experience in the Vietnam air war.
BzB

 

[Catmando]

Once upon a time I CQ'ed aboard the Forrestal (Sometimes irreverently called the 'Forestfire') on the East Coast in F-4s.

 

[Redux]

Went to the Forrestal for my TA-4 CQ. Re. McCain... had he not been a POW, he would most likely be a retired airline pilot with 5-6 ex wives.

If so more power to him, trust me, it's not that hard to rack wives up. Not so sure about him having the AL ticket.... he did have a couple lost aircraft to account for. Having admirals in a direct link helped with the navy, civlant it wouldn't offset. One thing certain, his POW record erased any and and all aww shits that might have been in his past. There isn't a swingin dick on this board that can say how they would have behaved or even if they would have cross decked.

 

[BusyBee604]

If so more power to him, trust me, it's not that hard to rack wives up.

Agree, didn't even break a sweat, and racked up two ex-s.

There isn't a swingin dick on this board that can say how they would have behaved...

Absolutely agree, can only truly find out the hard way. No sims for that!

...or even if they would have cross decked.

With due respect, I disagree re: my post #6. I thought about it at the time, our ship 'Connie' had just been relieved at Yankee by Forrestal when the disaster occured. After all my effort to get my Shooter orders changed to an A-4 Squadron in mid-'65, I have no doubt I'd have cross-decked if I possibly could have, after only a couple of missions in the FIRST line period. I believe most of my fellow Squadronmates would have also. Had it happened more toward the end of the cruise, probably not. A little unsure of my swingin' dick status at this point though!
BzB

 

[helolumpy]

An inauspicious end to a very famous ship:
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/10/23/forrestal-navy-first-supercarrier-sold-for-1-penny/