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Google Search on "McCain Forrestal":
http://www.google.com/search?q=McCain+Forrestal&sourcei... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McCain http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1967_USS_Forrestal_fire The rocket flew across the flight deck, striking a wing-mounted external fuel tank on an A-4 Skyhawk, either Aircraft No. 405 piloted by LCDR Fred D. White<1> or No. 416 piloted by future Arizona Senator, LCDR John McCain,<4> which were waiting to launch.<3> The warhead's safety mechanism prevented it from detonating, but the impact tore the tank off the wing and ignited the resulting spray of pressurized fuel, causing an instantaneous conflagration. The heat caused additional fuel tanks to overheat, rupture and spew volatile jet fuel onto the deck, feeding the flames. Huge gusts of fire shot into the air along the flight deck, trapping pilots in their aircraft with no recourse but to escape through the flames or be incinerated in their cockpits. LCDR Fred D. White, waiting to launch in Aircraft No. 405, leaped out of his burning Skyhawk in an attempt to escape the inferno, but was killed instantly (along with many firefighters) by the cooking off of the first bomb. LCDR Herbert A. Hope of VA-46 (and operations officer of CVW-17) jumped out of the cockpit of his Skyhawk between explosions, rolled off the flight deck and into the starboard man-overboard net. Making his way down below to the hangar deck, he took command of a firefighting team. "The port quarter of the flight deck where I was" he recalled, "is no longer there."<3>
With his aircraft surrounded by flames, McCain escaped by climbing out of the cockpit, walking down the nose and jumping off the refueling probe.http://www.godlikeproductions.com/forum1/message503422/... The claim has been made:
"Surviving crewmen and those who investigated the Forrestal fire case reported that
McCain deliberately 'wet-started' his A-4E Skyhawk to shake up the guy in the F-4 Phantom behind his A-4.
'Wet-starts', done either deliberately (the starter motor switch allowed kerosene to pool in the engine and give a wet start)
or accidentally, shoot a large flame from the tail of the aircraft.
"134 sailors were killed on the USS Forrestal in 1967.
It is believed by many crewmen and investigators that John McCain deliberately 'wet-started' his A-4E to shake up the guy in the plane behind his A-4. 'Wet-starts' shoot a large flame from the tail of the aircraft.
In McCain's case, the 'wet-start' apparently 'cooked off' and launched the Zuni rocket from the rear F-4 that touched off the explosions." http://tekgnosis.typepad.com/tekgnosis/2008/02/john-mcc... Incompetence Or A Stunt
'Wet-starts', done either deliberately (the starter motor switch allowed kerosene to pool in the engine and give a wet start) or accidentally, shoot a large flame from the tail of the aircraft.
'Wet starting' was a common practice among young 'hot-dog' pilots.Zuni Rockets Were Volatile Design
In McCain's case, the 'wet-start' 'cooked off' and launched the M34 Zuni rocket from the rear F-4 that punctured the Skyhawk's fueltank, knocked the M-65 1000 lb bomb off it's 500 lb rated mount, and touched off the explosions and massive fire.
McCain Was Shufled Out In A Hurry
The F-4 pilot was reportedly killed in the conflagration, along with 167 of his fellow Forrestal shipmates.
McCain was quickly (they were still counting the Forrestal dead) transferred to the USS Oriskany (the only Forrestal crewman to be immediately transferred).
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