REMEMBER THE SPIRIT

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Remember The Spirit!

"First in Defense""Forever In Dignity"

On July 29, 1967 the Nation's first Super Carrier, the USS Forrestal was conducting combat operations off the coast of North Vietnam in the Tonkin Gulf on Yankee Station. Forrestal had just came on line to join the USS Oriskany and USS Bon Homme Richard. This was the fifth day of operations and at 10:52am the crew was starting the second launch cycle of the day, an Alpha Strike with all available aircraft participating, when suddenly a zuni rocket accidentally fired from a F-4 Phantom on the starboard side of the ship into a parked and armed A-4 Skyhawk (piloted by LCDR John McCain now a U.S. Senator) . The accidental launch and subsequent impact caused the 400 gallon belly fuel tank and a 1,000 pound bomb on the Skyhawk to fall off, the tank broke open spilling JP5 (jet fuel) onto the flight deck and ignited a fire. Within 90 seconds the bomb was the first to cook-off and explode, this caused a massive chain reaction of explosions that engulfed half the airwings aircraft, and blew huge holes in the 3" thick steel flight deck. Fed by fuel and bombs from other aircraft that were armed and ready for the coming strike, the fire spread quickly, many pilots and support personnel were trapped and burned alive. Fuel and bombs spilled into the holes in the flight deck igniting fires on decks further into the bowels of the ship. The crew heroically fought the fire and carried armed bombs to the side of the ship to throw them overboard for 13 hours.
 

        Once the fires were under control, the extent of the devastation was apparent. Most tragic was the loss to the crew, 134 had lost their lives, while an additional 64 were injured, this was and still remains the single worst loss of life on a navy vessel since World War II.
 

The ship proceeded back to Subic Bay in the Philippines for temporary repairs. In only eight days enough repairs were made that she could start the long trip back to her home port of Norfolk, Virginia for permanent repairs. On her way home she was capable of operating aircraft if needed.


 

        Forrestal would spend seven months in the yards being repaired, she was re-built from the hanger up and forward to aircraft elevator number four, this accounts for about 1/5 the ships length and 5 decks. On April 8, 1968 Forrestal was once again ready to take her place in the fleet, she was never to return to Vietnam.

        With over a dozen major detonations from 1,000 and 500 lb. bombs and numerous missile, fuel tank, and aircraft explosions no ship has ever survived the pounding Forrestal underwent that day, before or since. She and her crew proved the toughness and dangers associated with the operation of super-carriers, this is one of her greatest legacies.

        The USS Forrestal would go on to serve the United States for another 26 years during the height of the Cold War and see it through to its demise. She and her crew were always ready to go into battle again, the call never came, she served in war for 4 1/2 days but served to ensure peace for over 13,860. Forrestal had truly served her purpose as 'First in Defense'.


 

List of those who lost their lives onboard USS Forrestal - 29 July 1967
(As listed on panel 24E on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (the wall) in Washington, D.C.)

 

 

Not to be forgotten...
 

If anyone is planning to visit Arlington National Cemetary while in Washington D.C. please be sure to visit the common grave of 18 of our shipmates lost on July 29, 1967. The large headstone is in section 13 (see map), near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, between Audie Murphy's gravesite and the mast of the USS Maine.


 

The Captain's Prayer
 

Our heavenly Father, we see this day as one minute and yet a lifetime for all of us. We thank you for the courage of those who gave their lives in saving their shipmates today. We humbly ask You to grant them peace and to their loved ones the consolation and strength to bear their loss. Help us to renew the faith we have in You. We thank You for our own lives. May we remember You as You have remembered us today. From our hearts we turn to You now, knowing that You have been at our side in every minute of this day. Heavenly Father, help us to rebuild and to reman our ship, so that our brothers who died today may not have made a fruitless sacrifice.

Offered by Captain John K. Beling, Commanding Officer, USS Forrestal, 29 July, 1967


 

LCDR Herb Hope, whose A-4 Skyhawk had been farthest aft on the portside, the section of Forrestal where damage was greatest said. "There was no panic, " Hope said. "A lot of people looked confused like they wondered what in the hell was going on, but in five minutes everyone on this ship became a man. There wasn't a punk kid to
be found anywhere".