Sunday July 29th, 10:52 A.M.

[jedr]

Is the 40th anniversary of the fire aboard the U.S.S. Forestall on Yankee Station , Vietnam. Average age of the crew was 20 yrs old. Capt. John Beiling commented that all became men that day. 139 of my shipmates gave their lives that day and kept the first super carrier from going to the bottom. Please remember these men in your heart.

[Olney Blue]

1. I will remember.

[virgdem]

2. Thank you for reminding me...

I saw that film in indoc into the Naval Reserve in 1984. I will never forget that film. One of our Chief Petty Officers served on the Forestall and went through that hellish experience.

[teamster633]

3. Wasn't McCain a pilot on your ship?

[jedr]

5. Yes

can't remember if it was his aircraft or the one next to him who's belly tank was ruptured by the rocket that caused the fire.

[Usrename]

21. It was his,

A rocket from across the deck launched, somehow, and hit his fuel tank.

And then he climbed out (over the nose) and started fighting the blaze. A deck camera capured the whole sequence.

[Rick Myers]

4. We will remember!

:kick: A salute from an Air Force brother. :kick:

[jedr]

6. thanks....

:toast:

[jedr]

7. Forgot to say that July 28th at 10:52 A.M.;

there will be a ceremony at the Wall in D.C. followed by a ceremony at Arlington at the marker for lost dead. ...all are welcome.

[billyoc]

8. No Navy man will every forget that footage. n/t

[lonestarnot]

9. Tell me about the fire.

:patriot:

[jedr]

10. Too much to tell,

and I'm not good with links. Goggle it, or perhaps someone can give me a hand with a link.

[lonestarnot]

11. This is what started it. Damn! Yikes!

"Eight months after the Oriskany fire, there was an accident on the USS Forestall. A ZUNI rocket was fired accidentally from an aircraft being readied for a mission on July 29, 1967. The rocket screamed across the flight deck, struck another aircraft and ignited a fuel fire. The initial fire could have been contained, but 90 seconds after the fire started a bomb detonated, killing or seriously wounding most of the fire fighters."

http://www.ordnance.org/mishaps.htm

[jedr]

14. Radhaz....

Differences in high power microwaves can cause an electrical charge to be released. This caused a rocket pod to discharge and struck the belly tank of an aircraft and ignited the fuel. The fire in turn detonated 6 -1,00lb Korean War vintage bombs in rapid fire causing the destruction of an alpha strike about to be launched. A book named " Sailors to The End" was written that detailed much of what occurred.

[Radio_Lady]

12. K & R. Thank you for your brave service.

[Posteritatis]

13. Were you there at the time?

Thanks for the reminder; I remember reading about that a few times before and boggling that a ship could survive that kind of thing.

[jedr]

15. flight deck, amidships

[bleever]

16. Thank you.

I salute them, and their families.

[hootinholler]

17. The boot camp firefighting training film when I went through.

Eternal Father, Strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bid'st the mighty Ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
O hear us when we cry to thee,
for those in peril on the sea.

O Christ! Whose voice the waters heard
And hushed their raging at Thy word,
Who walked'st on the foaming deep,
and calm amidst its rage didst sleep;
Oh hear us when we cry to Thee
For those in peril on the sea!

Most Holy spirit! Who didst brood
Upon the chaos dark and rude,
And bid its angry tumult cease,
And give, for wild confusion, peace;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee
For those in peril on the sea!

O Trinity of love and power!
Our brethren shield in danger's hour;
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect them wheresoe'er they go;
Thus evermore shall rise to Thee,
Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.


-Hoot

[jedr]

18. My friends father was a Lt Jg on a can in WWII

they played that at his funereal, thought it was sappy at that time...now I think I will request it for mine when it comes.

[hootinholler]

19. I want it played on the pipes for mine, right before the lament.

It's a beautiful song, but, I'm not that religious. No amazing grace for this kid!

I can't imagine the shitstorm that must have been! Even after being on board a ship which suffered a void explosion in drydock that lifted 16 tons of steel higher than a 90' mast, I can't imagine.

Peace from a bubblehead.

-Hoot

[jedr]

20. thank you all

:toast:

[madokie]

22. Thank you

my first day in the Navy was on the seventh of September soon after and they showed us in firefighting school some footage of that and how for the most part everybody did what they were trained to do, how they very well could have lost the ship. Although I never made it to a ship I have two brothers who were in the Navy the same time as I was, I joined first, older brother a couple months later and younger brother another couple months, Jack, two years older, was stationed on the Ranger while Jess, four years younger was on a small sub tender of which the name escapes me this morning but we all joined thinking we were doing what was right. Myself I was a landlubber, After boot, I was stationed at Warner Springs Survival Training School S.E.R.E. then off to Cam Rahn Bay Vietnam.