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{|{{Infobox ship begin|infobox caption=USS ''Forrestal'' (CV-59)}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=[[Image:USS Forrestal (CVA-59) underway at sea on 31 May 1962 (KN-4507).jpg|300px|border]]
|Ship caption=USS ''Forrestal''
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{USN flag|1993}}
|Ship name=USS ''Forrestal''
|Ship namesake=[[James Forrestal]], first [[United States Secretary of Defense]]
|Ship ordered=12 July 1951
|Ship builder=[[Northrop Grumman Newport News|Newport News Shipbuilding]]
|Ship laid down=14 July 1952
|Ship launched=11 December 1954
|Ship acquired=29 September 1955
|Ship original cost=US$217&nbsp;million<ref name="Popular Science August 1954">{{cite news|url={{google books|ziADAAAAMBAJ|page=12|plainurl=yes}} |title=Biggest Ship Ever Built |date=August 1954 |publisher=Popular Science |author=Henry B. Comstock |page=129}}</ref>
|Ship commissioned=1 October 1955
|Ship reclassified=CVA to CV-59 on 30 June 1975
|Ship decommissioned=11 September 1993
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck=11 September 1993
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship honors=
|Ship fate=Sold for scrap on 22 October 2013
|Ship status=Scrapped.
|Ship identification=*Radio Call Sign:
*November–Juliet–Victor–Foxtrot<ref name=navsource>{{cite web|url=http://www.navsource.org/archives/02/59.htm |title=Aircraft Carrier Photo Index: USS FORRESTAL (CVA-59) |publisher=Navsource.org |date= |accessdate=2012-08-15}}</ref>
|Ship motto=''First in Defense''
|Ship nickname =*Forest Fire
*Firestal
*Zippo
*The FID / FID <small>(most common)</small>
*('''F'''irst '''I'''n '''D'''efense or
*'''F'''idelity '''I'''ntegrity '''D'''ignity)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://forrestal.org/fidfacts/page11.htm |archive-url=https://archive.is/20120710044533/http://forrestal.org/fidfacts/page11.htm |dead-url=yes |archive-date=2012-07-10 |title=USS Forrestal Ship's nickname "FID" |publisher=Forrestal.org |date= |accessdate=2012-08-15 }}</ref>
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class={{Sclass-|Forrestal|aircraft carrier}}
|Ship displacement=* {{convert|59650|LT|t}} standard
* {{convert|81101|LT|t}} full load

|Ship length=* {{convert|990|ft|m|abbr=on}} at waterline
* {{convert|1067|ft|m|abbr=on}} overall

|Ship beam=* {{convert|129|ft|4|in|m|abbr=on}} at waterline
* {{convert|238|ft|m|abbr=on}} extreme width

|Ship draught=
|Ship draft={{convert|37|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=*Steam turbines, 4 shafts;
*{{convert|260000|shp|MW|abbr=on}}
|Ship speed={{convert|33|kn|km/h}}
|Ship range=
|Ship complement=552 officers, 4,988 enlisted
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*8 × [[5"/54 caliber Mark 42 gun|5"/54 Mk 42 guns]] (removed)
*Mk&nbsp;29 NATO Sea Sparrow,
*Mk&nbsp;15 [[Phalanx CIWS]]
|Ship armour=
|Ship armor=
|Ship aircraft= approx. 85 aircraft (F-14, F-4, A-4, A-7, A-6, E-2,S-3B, EA-6B, C-2, SH-3, A-3B, KC-130 (test flight))
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

'''USS ''Forrestal'' (CV-59)''', formerly '''AVT-59''' and '''CVA-59''', was a [[supercarrier]] named after the first [[Secretary of Defense]] [[James Forrestal]]. Commissioned in 1955, she was the first completed supercarrier, and was the [[lead ship]] of [[Forrestal-class aircraft carrier|her class]]. Unlike the successor {{sclass-|Nimitz|aircraft carrier|4}}, ''Forrestal'' and her class were conventionally powered. The other carriers of her class were {{USS|Saratoga|CV-60|6}}, {{USS|Ranger|CV-61|6}} and {{USS|Independence|CV-62|6}}. She superseded the [[World War II]] Japanese carrier {{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Shinano||2}} as the largest aircraft carrier ever built in terms of full load displacement and was the first to specifically support jet aircraft.

The ship was affectionately called "The FID", because [[James Forrestal]] was the first ever Secretary of Defense, FID standing for "'''F'''irst '''I'''n '''D'''efense". This is also the slogan on the ship's insignia and patch. She was also informally known in the fleet as the "USS [[Zippo]]" and "Forest Fire" or "Firestal" because of a number of highly publicized fires on board, most notably [[1967 USS Forrestal fire|a 1967 incident]] in which 134 sailors died and an additional 161 were injured.

''Forrestal'' served for nearly four decades in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Pacific. She was decommissioned in 1993, and made available as a museum. Attempts to save her were unsuccessful, however, and in February 2014 she was towed to [[Brownsville, Texas]], to be scrapped. Scrapping was completed in December 2015.

==Construction and commissioning==
''Forrestal'''s keel was laid down at [[Newport News Shipbuilding]] on 14 July 1952.<ref>Polmar, p. 98</ref> During construction, her design was adjusted several times—the original telescoping bridge, a design left over from the canceled [[USS United States (CVA 58)|USS ''United States'']], was replaced by a conventional island structure, and her flight deck was modified to include an angled landing deck and steam catapults, drawing on British innovations.<ref>Polmar, p. 136</ref> She was launched on 11 December 1954, and commissioned into service on 1 October 1955.<ref>Polmar, p. 474</ref>

==Design features==
''Forrestal'' was the first American aircraft carrier to be constructed with an [[angled flight deck]], [[steam catapult]], and an [[optical landing system]], as opposed to having them installed after launching.<ref name=Hobbs6>David Hobbs, 2007, ''HMAS ''Melbourne'' (II) – 25 Years On'', p 6</ref>

The original design—{{USS|United States|CVA-58|6}}—provided for the island to retract flush with the deck during flight operations, but that was found to be too complicated. Another solution was considered where the two masts were to fold down, in lieu of the retractable island, to allow the carrier to pass under the [[Brooklyn Bridge]]. The larger center mast was to fold to the side and rest on the flight deck, and the smaller mast was to fold toward the stern.<ref name="Popular Science November 1954">{{cite news |url={{google books|qyADAAAAMBAJ|page=81|plainurl=yes}} |title=Our Navy's Mightiest Carrier |publisher=Popular Mechanics |date=November 1954 |pages=81–85}}</ref>

==1956–1962==
[[File:USS Forrestal (CVA-59), starboard view, 1955.jpg|thumb|left|''Forrestal'' in 1955, shortly after commissioning]]
From her home port, [[Naval Station Norfolk]], [[Norfolk, Virginia]], ''Forrestal'' spent the first year of service in intensive training operations off the [[Virginia Capes]] and in the [[Caribbean]]. An important assignment was training aviators in the use of her advanced facilities. During this time she often operated out of [[Naval Station Mayport]], Florida. On 7 November 1956, she put to sea from Mayport to operate in the eastern [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]] during the [[Suez Crisis]], ready to enter the [[Mediterranean Sea]] should it be necessary. She returned to Norfolk on 12 December to prepare for her first deployment with the [[U.S. 6th Fleet|6th Fleet]] in the Mediterranean, for which she sailed on 15 January 1957.{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}

On this, as on her succeeding tours of duty in the Mediterranean, ''Forrestal'' visited many ports to "show the flag" and take on board dignitaries and the general public. For military observers, she staged underway demonstrations to illustrate her capacity to bring air power to and from the sea in military operations on any scale. She returned to Norfolk on 22 July 1957 for exercises off the [[North Carolina]] coast in preparation for her first [[NATO]] operation, [[Operation Strikeback]] in the [[North Sea]]. This deployment, between 3 September and 22 October, found her visiting [[Southampton]], UK, as well as drilling in the highly important task of coordinating United States naval power with that of other NATO nations.

The next year found ''Forrestal'' participating in a series of major fleet exercises as well as taking part in experimental flight operations. During the [[Lebanon crisis of 1958|Lebanon Crisis]] of summer 1958, the carrier was again called upon to operate in the eastern Atlantic to back up naval operations in the Mediterranean. She sailed from Norfolk on 11 July to embark an air group at Mayport two days later, then patrolled the Atlantic until returning to Norfolk on 17 July.
[[Image:USS Forrestal (CVA-59) underway at sea in 1957.jpg|thumb|left|220px|''Forrestal'' in the Mediterranean in 1957 during her first deployment to the Sixth Fleet.]]
On her second tour of duty in the Mediterranean, from 2 September 1958 to 12 March 1959, ''Forrestal'' again combined a program of training, patrol, and participation in major exercises with ceremonial, hospitality and public visiting. Her guest list during this cruise was headed by [[United States Secretary of Defense]] [[Neil McElroy|N. H. McElroy]]. Returning to Norfolk, she continued the never-ending task of training new aviators, constantly maintaining her readiness for instant reaction to any demand for her services brought on by international events. Visitors during the year included [[Hussein of Jordan|King Hussein of Jordan]].
[[File:Gannet AEW3 of 849 NAS on USS Forrestal (CVA-59) c1962.jpg|thumb|[[Fairey Gannet AEW.3|Fairey Gannet]] of [[849 Naval Air Squadron]] aboard ''Forrestal'' in 1962]]
[[File:F-8 over CVA-59 1962.jpg|thumb|An [[Vought F-8 Crusader|RF-8A and a pair of F-8C Crusaders]] overfly ''Forrestal'' during her 1962–63 Mediterranean cruise ]]
''Forrestal'' again went to the 6th Fleet between 28 January 1960 and 31 August, visiting the ports typical of a Mediterranean deployment as well as [[Split, Croatia|Split]], [[Croatia]] (then part of [[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|Yugoslavia]]). Again she was open for visitors at many ports, as well as taking part in the patrol and training schedule of the 6th Fleet. She completed another deployment to 6th Fleet January 1961 to August 1961, after which she entered a yard period at Norfolk Naval Shipyard where the six arresting wires were replaced with four, freed 03 level spaces were converted to berthing areas, and the right side flight deck mirror landing system was replaced with a permanent Fresnel lens in the port catwalk, among other updates. She conducted a shakedown cruise to Guantanamo Bay in January 1962 with port calls in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and Port of Spain, Trinidad. She then acted as the defending carrier in an amphibious force landing exercise on Vieques Island; it was the largest assembled naval force since the Korean War. ''Forrestal'' with Vice-President Lyndon B. Johnson aboard, and ''Enterprise'' with President John F. Kennedy aboard hosted many foreign ambassadors, military attaches, and other diplomats for a Naval Air Power demonstration off the Virginia capes in June 1962.

''Forrestal'' deployed to the Mediterranean again on 3 August 1962 to 2 March 1963 as [[flagship]] for [[Commander Carrier Division Four (ComCarDiv 4)]] participating in NATO exercises in the Atlantic and western Mediterranean with {{USS|Enterprise|CVN-65|2}}, British and French carriers. Cross deck operations were conducted with {{HMS|Ark Royal|R09|6}}.

==1963–1967==
[[Image:Lockheed KC-130F Hercules aboard USS Forrestal (CVA-59) on 30 October 1963.jpg|upright|thumb|left|A [[Lockheed C-130 Hercules|C-130 Hercules]] on the deck of ''Forrestal'', 1963.]]

''Forrestal'' made history in November 1963 when, on the 8th, 21st and 22nd, LT [[James H. Flatley III]] and his crew members, LCDR "Smokey" Stovall and Aviation Machinist's Mate (Jet) 1st Class Ed Brennan, made 21 full-stop landings and takeoffs in a [[Lockheed C-130 Hercules|C-130 Hercules]] aboard the ship. The tests were conducted {{convert|500|nmi|km}} out in the [[Atlantic Ocean|North Atlantic]] off the coast of [[Massachusetts]]. In so doing, ''Forrestal'' and the C-130 set a record for the largest and heaviest airplane landing on a Navy aircraft carrier. The Navy was trying to determine whether the big Hercules could serve as a "Super-COD", or "[[Carrier onboard delivery|Carrier Onboard Delivery]]" aircraft. The problem was there was no aircraft which could replenish a carrier in mid-ocean. The Hercules was stable and reliable, and had a long cruising range and high payload.

The tests were more than successful. At {{convert|85000|lb|kg}}, the KC-130F came to a complete stop within {{convert|267|ft|m}}, and at the maximum load, the plane used only {{convert|745|ft|m}} for take-off. The Navy concluded that, with the C-130 Hercules, it would be possible to lift {{convert|25000|lb|kg}} of cargo {{convert|2500|mile|km}} and land it on a carrier. However, the idea was considered too risky for routine COD operations. The aircraft was also too large to fit on the carrier's elevators or in her hangars, severely hampering operations. The [[Grumman C-2 Greyhound|C-2 Greyhound]] program was developed and the first of these planes became operational in 1965. For his effort, the Navy awarded LT Flatley the [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)|Distinguished Flying Cross]]. The Hercules used, BuNo 149798, was retired to the [[National Naval Aviation Museum]] at [[Naval Air Station Pensacola]], Florida, in May 2003.

In 1964, in what was known as [[1964 Brazilian coup d'état|Operation Brother Sam]], U.S. president [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] sent ''Forrestal'' in response to a military [[coup d'état]] against [[Brazil]]ian president [[João Goulart]]. The coup was successful and led to a 20-year-long [[Brazilian military government|military dictatorship in Brazil]].<ref group="note">[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?cstdy:1:./temp/~frd_CJYU:: "Brazil: The Military Republic, 1964–85, Library of Congress Country Studies"] [...] ''The role of the United States in these events was complex and at times contradictory. An anti-Goulart press campaign was conducted throughout 1963, and in 1964 the Johnson administration gave moral support to the campaign. Ambassador Lincoln Gordon later admitted that the embassy had given money to anti-Goulart candidates in the 1962 municipal elections and had encouraged the plotters; that many extra United States military and intelligence personnel were operating in Brazil; and that four United States Navy oil tankers and the carrier Forrestal, in an operation code-named Brother Sam, had stood off the coast in case of need during the 1964 coup. Washington immediately recognized the new government in 1964 and joined the chorus chanting that the coup d'état of the "democratic forces" had staved off the hand of international communism. In retrospect, it appears that the only foreign hand involved was Washington's, although the United States was not the principal actor in these events. Indeed, the hard-liners in the Brazilian military pressured Costa e Silva into promulgating the Fifth Institutional Act on December 13, 1968. This act gave the president dictatorial powers, dissolved Congress and state legislatures, suspended the constitution, and imposed censorship."</ref>

On March 15, 1966, Forrestal again was a witness to history when she and various other units of the Sixth Fleet made a brief stopover at Palomares, Spain, (site of an underway nuclear disaster cleanup and H-bomb recovery effort) ostensibly to deliver personnel, material support, or both. The carrier dropped anchor at 0903, departed at 1219, and resumed flight operations.<ref>NAVPERS-719 DECK LOG – REMARKS SHEET USS Forrestal CVA-59 dated Tuesday, 15 March 1966, 08–12 watch and 12–16 watch, and obtained from the National Archives and Records Administration in July, 2015.
</ref>

==1967 fire==
[[Image:USS Rupertus;025916.jpg|thumb|{{USS|Rupertus|DD-851|6}} aiding firefighting efforts on ''Forrestal'' during the 1967 fire.]]
{{Main|1967 USS Forrestal fire}}
In June 1967, ''Forrestal'' departed Norfolk for duty in waters off [[Vietnam]]. In the [[Gulf of Tonkin]] on 29 July, ''Forrestal'' had been launching aircraft from her flight deck. For four days, the planes of [[CVAG-17|Attack Carrier Air Wing 17]] flew about 150 missions against targets in [[North Vietnam]] from the ship. On 29 July 1967, during preparation for another strike, a [[Zuni (rocket)|Zuni rocket]] installed on an F-4 Phantom (#110), misfired, impacting an armed A-4 Skyhawk, side #405, parked on the port side (U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General Investigation Report of USS FORRESTAL Incident). The rocket's impact dislodged and ruptured the Skyhawk's 400-gallon external fuel tank. Fuel from the leaking tank caught fire, creating a serious [[conflagration]] that burned for hours, killing 134, injuring 161, destroying 21 aircraft and costing the Navy US$72&nbsp;million. On the flight deck that day was Lieutenant Commander (later Senator) [[John McCain]].<ref name=DCFP>{{cite book |last1=Brown |first1=Robert M. |editor-last=Tucker |editor-first=Spencer C. |title=The Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History |url={{google books|qh5lffww-KsC|page=379|plainurl=yes}} |publisher=ABC-CLIO, LLC |date=2011 |isbn=978-1-8510-9961-0 |access-date=24 March 2015}}</ref>

==1968–1975==
''Forrestal'' was deployed to Mediterranean waters four times between 1968 and 1973. She also sped to [[Tunisia]] for rescue operations in the flooded [[Medjerda River]] Valley near [[Tunis]].
[[File:USS Forrestal (CVA-59) and HMS Ark Royal (R09) underway in the Mediterranean Sea c1973.jpg|thumb|left|''Forrestal'' (foreground) cruising in the Mediterranean with {{HMS|Ark Royal|R09|6}} in 1973]]
The ship logged three more Mediterranean deployments between 1973 and 1975. On 22 July 1974, as a result of the [[Turkish invasion of Cyprus]], the U.S. Ambassador to Cyprus [[Roger Davies (ambassador)|Roger Davies]] requested the evacuation of U.S. citizens from that island nation. In a joint Navy-Marine Corps effort, HMM-162 from the [[U.S. 6th Fleet|6th Fleet]] [[amphibious assault ship]] {{USS|Inchon|LPH-12|6}} evacuated 466 people, 384 of them U.S. citizens, in only five hours. ''Forrestal'' provided air cover for that operation.

In October 1968, a routine night launch of an [[E-2 Hawkeye|E-2A]] from [[VAW-123]] led the way for all launches aboard ''Forrestal''. The crew members were LCDR Paul Martin Wright (Operations Officer), LCDR James Leo Delaney (Maintenance Officer), LTJG Howard Booth Rutledge (Personnel Officer), LTJG Frank J. Frederick (Asst. Maintenance Officer), and AT1 David E. Carpenter (Avionics Dept). The flight was routine and all aircraft recovered as usual until the VAW-123 E-2A, which was the last plane to recover. The aircraft [[Bolter (aviation)|boltered]] and went off the angled deck and into the water, nose first. When it hit the water, the aircraft flipped over onto its back, breaking its radar dome off and sank within minutes. The dome floated and was recovered. Immediately, helicopters moved into the area for search and rescue operations. AT1 David E. Carpenter and LTJG Frank J. Frederick were rescued without serious injury. Lost at sea were LCDR Wright, LCDR Delaney, and LTJG Rutledge.

On 10 July 1972, while moored at Pier 12, Norfolk, ''Forrestal'' was once again the scene of a catastrophic fire. This fire, which was set by a crewmember, was in an O-3 level computer room (just under the flight deck). A hole was cut in the flight deck to reach the fire from above and hundreds of gallons of water were pumped into the space. This ruined all of the computer equipment and the ship took on an exaggerated list, prompting concern that she might capsize. The ship returned to the yards at [[Portsmouth Naval Shipyard|Portsmouth]] and three months later was at last able to relieve {{USS|John F. Kennedy|CV-67|6}}, which had to serve an extended Mediterranean deployment while the ''Forrestal'' was being repaired. [[Electrician's Mate]] Robert Horan, who was aboard at the time, recalls in a memoir "[The fire did] over seven million dollars in damage. The news videos...show[ed] the flight deck glowing red. We went back to Portsmouth for repairs and I believe we got most of the CIC and electronics equipment that was supposed to go on board the {{USS|Nimitz|CVN-68|6}}, then under construction."<ref name="davfl70">{{cite web | url=http://davfl70.org/Forrestal.html | title=U.S.S. Forrestal (CVN-72) | publisher=Disabled American Veterans Florida Chapter #70 | accessdate=16 April 2015 | last=Horan | first=Robert}}</ref>

In June 1974, ''Forrestal'' sent a contingent of 34 sailors and two officers to represent the U.S. Navy at the 30th anniversary of D-Day at Normandy, France. The group marched in various parades at the Normandy Beaches on 6 June 1974 as well as Cherbourg, France and was well received by the locals. The group was passed in review by retired [[General of the Army]] [[Omar Bradley]]. This contingent of sailors were flown off of ''Forrestal'' by SH-3 Sea Kings of HELANTISUBRON 3 (HS-3) onto the deck of USS ''Milwaukee'' (AOR-2), then taken to [[Naval Station Rota]], Spain. After a few days of refresher "marching", they were flown to Cherbourg, France in a C-130. Following the celebrations, the group reunited with ''Forrestal'' at the island of Crete in mid June.

==1975–1980==
[[Image:USS Forrestal (CV-59) island and masts.jpg|thumb|''Forrestal''{{'}}s island, c. 1989.]]
On 30 June 1975, ''Forrestal'' was reclassified a "Multi-purpose Aircraft Carrier", '''CV-59'''. Also in 1975 ''Forrestal'' was selected to be host ship for the [[Bicentennial Naval Review|International Naval Review]] in New York City on the nation's [[United States Bicentennial|Bicentennial]]. On 4 July 1976, on ''Forrestal''{{'}}s flight deck, President [[Gerald Ford]] rang in the Bicentennial and reviewed over 40 [[tall ship]]s from countries around the world.<ref name="NHC">{{cite web |website=Naval Historical Center |url=http://www.navy.mil/navydata/nav_legacy.asp?id=64 |title=A Brief History of U.S. Navy Aircraft Carriers: USS Forrestal (CV-59) |date=15 June 2009}}</ref>

Shortly after the review, ''Forrestal'' participated in a special shock test. It involved the detonation of high explosives near the hull to determine if a capital ship could withstand the strain of close quarter combat and still remain operational.<ref name="NHC"/>

In September 1977, following a nine-month overhaul, ''Forrestal'' departed Norfolk and shifted her homeport to Mayport. The carrier left Mayport on Friday, 13 January 1978 for a three-week at-sea period in the [[Atlantic Fleet Weapons Training Facility]] (AFWTF) of the [[Roosevelt Roads Operating Area]] to complete the third phase of Type Commander's Training (TYT-3), and to undergo the Operational Readiness Evaluation (ORE). Tragedy struck ''Forrestal'' on the evening of 15 January 1978 as an [[A-7 Corsair II]] from [[Attack Squadron 81 (U.S. Navy)|VA-81]] crashed on the flight deck, killing two deck crewmen and injuring 10 others.<ref name="NHC"/> The pilot was operating without communication gear due to an onboard malfunction, and as he was making his approach, he saw that the "ball" was lit (signalling that it was permissible to land). The pilot ejected safely after seeing that the deck was covered with parked and moving aircraft, by which time it was impossible to pull up.{{Citation needed|date=March 2008}} He was recovered, suffering only minor injuries, but his Corsair struck another A-7 and an [[EA-6 Prowler|EA-6B]] before careening across the deck in a ball of flames. A small fire on the aft portion of the deck, caused by fuel spilled during the crash, was extinguished within seconds. At the time of the accident, ''Forrestal'' was operating about {{convert|49|mile|km}} off [[St. Augustine, Florida]]. A memorial service for the dead was held on board on 19 January. The ship returned to Mayport on 3 February.<ref name="NHC"/>

''Forrestal'' left Mayport for the Mediterranean on 4 April 1978. At 22:00 on 8 April, just minutes after the ship had finished a general quarters drill, the crew was called to G.Q. again, but this time it was not a drill; a fire had broken out in the Number Three Main Machinery Room. Freshly painted [[thermal insulation]] in Three Main engine room had been set smoldering by hot steam lines. Watch-standers within the space activated an extinguishing system and had the fire out within seconds.<ref name="NHC"/>

Three days later, the crew again was called to respond to another emergency G.Q. At midnight on 11 April, a fire was discovered in a catapult steam trunk in the forward part of the ship at about the [[01 level]], and another fire was found in an adjoining storeroom minutes later. The at-sea fire brigade, working with area repair lockers, had the fires out within the hour.<ref name="NHC"/>

On 10 May 1978 while in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, flooding, which began in a pump room in the aft portion of the ship, rose to a height of {{convert|20|ft|m}} before it was controlled. The flood spread into food storage rooms, destroying most of the ship's stocks of fresh milk and produce. Divers from the ship's Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team dropped into the pump room to plug the leak. Total damage from the flooding was estimated at $30,000.<ref name="NHC"/>

From 19 to 29 May 1978, ''Forrestal'' participated in [[Operation Dawn Patrol]], the first of three NATO exercises the ship would be involved in during the deployment. Dawn Patrol involved air and ground forces and over 80 ships from six NATO countries. ''Forrestal''{{'}}s role during the exercise included protecting a Turkish amphibious task group and working with {{USS|Nimitz|CVN-68|6}} and the [[French aircraft carrier Foch (R99)|French aircraft carrier ''Foch'']] to defend against simulated "enemy" ships and aircraft.<ref name="NHC"/>

During this sea period, two separate air crashes on successive days left one pilot dead and another injured. On 24 June 1978, LCDR T.&nbsp;P. Anderson, Operations Officer for Carrier Air Wing Seventeen, was killed when his A-7E Corsair&nbsp;II crashed into the sea during a practice bombing mission. Before the crash, the pilot ejected while the plane was inverted in less than ideal weather conditions. On 25 June, a pilot from [[Attack Squadron 83 (U.S. Navy)|VA-83]], also flying an A-7E, ejected shortly after takeoff due to a catapult malfunction, suffering minor injuries. He could be seen swimming away from the side of the ship as it passed near him. A rescue crew aboard an [[H-3 Sea King|SH-3D Sea King]] helicopter from HS-3 recovered the pilot and returned to the ship within eight minutes after the crash. Both accidents occurred as the ship was operating in the [[Ionian Sea]], east of [[Sicily]].<ref name="NHC"/>

From 4 to 19 September 1978, ''Forrestal'' participated in the massive NATO exercise [[Northern Wedding]], which included over 40,000 men, 22 submarines, and 800 rotary and fixed-wing aircraft from nine NATO countries. Northern Wedding, which took place every four years, practiced NATO's ability to reinforce and resupply Europe in times of tension or war. During the exercise ''Forrestal'' and the British aircraft carrier {{hms| Ark Royal|R09|6}} headed separate task groups, steaming in a two-carrier formation to gain sea control and deploying their aircraft in support of mock amphibious landings in the [[Shetland Islands]] and [[Jutland]], Denmark.<ref name="NHC"/>

From 28 September to 10 October, ''Forrestal'' participated in [[Display Determination]], the third and final NATO exercise of the deployment. The operation, involving ships, aircraft, and personnel from eight NATO countries, was designed to practice rapid reinforcement and resupply of the southern European region in times of tension or war. ''Forrestal'' arrived in [[Rota, Cádiz|Rota, Spain]], on 11 October for the last overseas port stop of the deployment.<ref name="NHC"/>

On 13 October 1978, the ship put to sea to conduct a one-day exercise with a task group of deploying U.S. ships headed by the aircraft carrier {{USS|Saratoga|CV-60|6}}. Air Wing Seventeen's planes conducted mock attacks on the task group to allow the ships to practice anti-air warfare. ''Forrestal'' returned to Rota late in the evening on the 13th.<ref name="NHC"/>

Before dawn on 15 October, ''Forrestal'' departed Rota and outchopped from the Sixth Fleet, having been relieved by ''Saratoga''. On the homeward transit, ''Forrestal'' took an extreme northerly course as part of a special operation code-named Windbreak. Commander Second Fleet, Vice Adm. [[Wesley L. McDonald]], embarked in ''Forrestal'' for the exercise. Windbreak was designed to introduce U.S. sailors and equipment to relatively unfamiliar waters and conditions, and to gauge [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] interest in U.S. ships in transit to and from the Mediterranean. During the exercise, ''Forrestal'' traveled as far north as 62 degrees latitude, {{convert|150|mile|km}} south of [[Iceland]], encountering seas to {{convert|34|ft|m}}, winds in excess of {{convert|70|kn|km/h}}, and a wind chill factor that drove the temperature as far down as {{convert|0|F|C}}. The waves were high enough to crash over the flight deck as the ship drove west. Also participating in Windbreak were the guided missile cruiser {{USS|Harry E. Yarnell|CG-17|6}} and the destroyer {{USS|Arthur W. Radford|DD-968|6}}.<ref name="NHC"/>

''Forrestal'' returned to Mayport on 26 October 1978. On 13 November, ''Forrestal'' commenced a four-month period of upkeep and repair known as an [[Extended Selected Restricted Availability]] (ESRA), to be conducted as the ship was moored alongside the carrier pier in Mayport. ''Forrestal'' ended 1978 as she had started it, moored to the carrier pier in Mayport.<ref name="NHC"/>

On 27 August 1979 ''Forrestal'' had to make an emergency deployment due to [[Hurricane David]]. It was feared the ship could be damaged and in turn damage the carrier pier as the storm surge from the hurricane thrust inland. ''Forrestal'' traveled through the main part of the storm and emerged in the eye briefly before coming out of the opposite side as the storm moved northwest along the east coast. The ship was manned with a skeleton crew and no aircraft.{{citation needed|date=December 2015}}

After completing two more Mediterranean cruises, she celebrated her silver anniversary in October 1980.<ref name="NHC"/>

==1981–1987==
[[Image:USS Forrestal (CV-59) aerial starboard quarter.jpg|thumb|''Forrestal'' c. 1982.]]
On 2 March 1981, ''Forrestal'' began her 16th Mediterranean deployment and second quarter century of naval service. During the [[Operation Mole Cricket 19#1981 SAM crisis|Syria/Israel missile crisis]], ''Forrestal'' maintained a high state of readiness for 53 consecutive days at sea. In a [[Gulf of Sidra]] exercise, two [[Libya]]n aircraft were shot down after firing on [[F-14]]s from ''Nimitz'' over international waters. ''Forrestal'' aircraft made more than 60% of all the intercepts of Libyan planes. After departing the Mediterranean she operated above the [[Arctic Circle]] as part of NATO [[Ocean Venture '81]].

After a repair period, ''Forrestal'' deployed for her 17th Mediterranean cruise on 8 June 1982, and operated in the eastern Mediterranean in support of the [[Lebanon Contingency Force]] of 800 U.S. Marines in [[Beirut]]. On 12 September 1982, after transiting the [[Suez Canal]] for the first time in her 28-year history, she entered the Indian Ocean. This marked the first time that ''Forrestal'' had operated with [[U.S. 7th Fleet|7th Fleet]] since the 1967 Vietnam cruise.

''Forrestal'' completed the five and one-half-month deployment with a nighttime arrival at Mayport on 16 November and immediately began preparing for the [[Service Life Extension Program]] (SLEP). The ship shifted homeport to [[Philadelphia Naval Shipyard]], [[Philadelphia]] on 18 January 1983, and embarked on the 28-month, $550&nbsp;million SLEP, designed to extend the life of U.S. aircraft carriers another 15 to 20 years.

During ''Forrestal''{{'}}s SLEP, the ship was completely emptied and most major equipment was removed for rework or replacement. ''Forrestal''{{'}}s successful SLEP period was completed on time when the ship left Philadelphia on 20 May 1985. After completing a four-day transit to her homeport of Mayport, ''Forrestal'' immediately began a workup cycle in preparation for her first deployment in over four years.

''Forrestal'' departed Mayport on 2 June 1986, on her 18th deployment. During this cruise, ''Forrestal'' aircraft frequently operated in the international airspace of the [[Tripoli]] Flight region, the international air traffic control sector of Libya. ''Forrestal'' also participated in [[Operation Sea Wind]] a joint U.S.-[[Egypt]]ian training exercise and Display Determination, which featured low-level coordinated strikes and air combat maneuvering training over [[Turkey]].

In 1987, ''Forrestal'' went through yet another period of pre-deployment workups. This included refresher training, carrier qualifications, and a six-week deployment to the North Atlantic to participate in [[Ocean Safari '87]]. In this exercise, ''Forrestal'' operated with NATO forces in the [[fjord]]s of Norway.

==''Forrestal'' in New Orleans==
{{Unreferenced section|date=September 2009}}
The ship and crew performed so well in Ocean Safari '87 that ''Forrestal''{{'}}s commanding officer, CAPT John A. Pieno Jr., recommended that the ship be granted a special liberty call in the United States as a reward. Special liberty calls serve to reward Navy personnel with a trip to other parts of the U.S. and provides Americans who would normally never see warships and planes an up close look at life in the United States Navy. CAPT Pieno being a native of [[New Orleans|New Orleans, Louisiana]], decided that New Orleans, during her [[Mardi Gras]] celebration, would be the perfect location to show off his pride and joy. During her trip to New Orleans ''Forrestal'' broke another record by becoming the largest ship to sail on the [[Mississippi River]]. Also during her four days in New Orleans she accommodated tours for over 40,000 visitors. The tour included viewings and descriptions of all her aircraft, damage control demonstrations, and the crowd's favorite, a ride on one of her four aircraft elevators.

==1988–1993==
[[Image:USS Forrestal (CV-59) Suez canal 108 days at sea.jpg|thumb|''Forrestal'' transiting the Suez Canal, August 1988. The crew forms 108 to represent the 108 consecutive days at sea.]]
''Forrestal'' departed on her 19th major deployment on 25 April 1988. She steamed directly to the North [[Arabian Sea]] via the Suez Canal in support of America's [[Operation Earnest Will|Earnest Will]] operations in the region. She spent 108 consecutive days at sea before her first liberty port. During the five and one-half month deployment, ''Forrestal'' operated in three ocean areas and spent only 15 days in port. She returned on 7 October 1988, and received the [[Meritorious Unit Commendation]] for her superior operational performance during the deployment.

After a brief stand down period followed by local operations, ''Forrestal'' participated in New York City's [[Fleet Week]] in May 1989, and then commenced preparations for her next deployment. Also in 1989, she won the [[Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award]] for the Atlantic Fleet.

[[Image:USS Forrestal (CV-59) under Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.jpg|thumb|left|''Forrestal'' passes under the [[Verrazano-Narrows Bridge]] for Fleet Week 1989.]]
''Forrestal''{{'}}s departure for her 20th major deployment was delayed when a fire caused major damage to a primary command and control trunk space. Through the efforts of the ship's crew and civilian contractors, ''Forrestal'' was able to depart for her deployment on 6 November 1989, completing the necessary repairs well ahead of projections. The 9 October 1989 fire caused around $2.5&nbsp;million in damage and injured 11 sailors.<ref>{{cite news |title=Navy points to arson in carrier fire |newspaper=Pacific Stars And Stripes |location=Tokyo, Japan |date=21 January 1990 |page=1}}</ref>

The final two months of 1989 proved exciting. Beyond the "routine" exercises and training initiatives, ''Forrestal''{{'}}s crew became part of history, as they provided support to President [[George H. W. Bush]] during his [[Malta Summit]]. The support included a three-hour Presidential visit to the ship. ''Forrestal'' participated in numerous exercises during this deployment including [[Harmonie Sud]], [[Tunisian Amphibious]] and [[National Week]]. She returned to Mayport on 12 April 1990, ending a deployment which had included nine port visits in seven different countries. After a post deployment stand down, ''Forrestal'' completed a drydocking selected restricted availability at Mayport from 14 May 1990 – 27 August 1990.<ref name="DANFS">{{cite DANFS | title=USS Forrestal (CV-59) |url=http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/f/forrestal-cva-59.html |date=18 November 2014 |accessdate=21 March 2015}}</ref>

From September to November 1990, ''Forrestal'' underwent repairs at [[Norfolk Naval Shipyard]]. Repairs included work on the catapult system, hull and other changes to accommodate the F/A-18 Hornet.<ref>{{cite news |title=Forrestal Work to Help Keep Shipyard Busy; Facility Faces Lean Season |newspaper=Virginian-Pilot |date=5 September 1990 |page=D4 }}</ref> ''Forrestal'' returned to Mayport 21 November 1990.<ref name="DANFS"/>

One source reports that in 1990,{{When|date=January 2010}} ''Forrestal'' took part in [[Operation Pokeweed]] in which [[SEAL Team Six]] was deployed off the coast of [[Panama]] to apprehend Colombian drug lord [[Pablo Escobar]].<ref name="GlobalSecurity">{{cite web |url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/navy/nswdg.htm |title=Naval Special Warfare Development Group |website=globalsecurity.org}}</ref><!--We need to find better, more detailed references for this statement, see talk. There isn't much time in 1990 that this could have happened as the ship was in Mayport and Norfolk following deployment to the Med.--> However, the ship's history does not show that ''Forrestal'' was operating near Panama in 1990.<ref name="DANFS"/>
[[File:Principe-de-Asturias Wasp Forrestal Invincible 1991 DN-ST-92-01129s.jpg|thumb|''Forrestal'' in 1991 during Exercise ''Display Determination''; the other ships are (bottom to top) {{ship|Spanish aircraft carrier|Príncipe de Asturias||2}}, {{USS|Wasp|LHD-1|2}} and {{HMS|Invincible|R05|2}}]]
The year of 1991 was one of anticipation and change for ''Forrestal'' and her crew, as she spent the first five months maintaining combat readiness as the east coast ready carrier. Maintaining a hectic and challenging period of at-sea operations, ''Forrestal''{{'}}s anticipated deployment in support of [[Operation Desert Storm]] was not to be, and orders to deploy were canceled twice during the conflict. The call to deploy finally came and ''Forrestal'' commenced the 21st and final operational deployment on 30 May 1991.

No less challenging than the months of maintaining readiness for combat, ''Forrestal''{{'}}s deployment was repeatedly referred to as "transitional." During the ensuing six months, ''Forrestal'' was called upon to provide air power presence and airborne intelligence support for [[Operation Provide Comfort]], and to initiate, test and evaluate a wide range of innovative [[U.S. 6th Fleet|Sixth Fleet]] battle group tactics and new carrier roles.

The year ended with ''Forrestal'' making advanced preparations for a change of homeport to [[Naval Air Station Pensacola]], Florida, and the transition into a new role as the Navy's training carrier, replacing {{USS|Lexington|AVT-16|6}}. ''Forrestal'' was redesignated '''AVT-59''' and arrived in Pensacola on 4 February. The ship and crew returned to New Orleans for a visit in May, 1992. ''Forrestal'' arrived in Philadelphia on 14 September 1992 to begin a 14-month, $157&nbsp;million complex overhaul prior to assuming duties as a training carrier. In early 1993, however, the Navy decided to decommission ''Forrestal'' and leave the Navy without a dedicated training carrier.

==Decommissioning and fate==
[[Image:Saratoga.jpg|thumb|left|''Forrestal'' (left) and {{USS|Saratoga|CV-60|2}} (right) at NAVSTA Newport; Pier Two [[Middletown, Rhode Island]], awaiting their respective fates.]]
After more than 37 years of service, ''Forrestal'' was decommissioned on 11 September 1993 at Pier 6E in Philadelphia, and was stricken from the [[Naval Vessel Register]] the same day. After being stricken, ex-''Forrestal'' was heavily stripped to support the rest of the carrier fleet. Two 30 ton anchors were transferred to {{USS|John C. Stennis|CVN-74|2}}, while the ship's four nearly new bronze propellers were installed on {{USS|Harry S. Truman|CVN-75|2}}, then under construction. On 16 June 1999, the Navy announced that the ship would be available for donation to an eligible organization for use as a museum or memorial. The USS ''Forrestal'' Museum Inc. began a campaign to obtain the ship from the Navy via donation, for use as a museum, to be located in [[Baltimore]], but this plan was not successful. No other viable applications were received and the vessel was removed from donation hold in December 2003 and redesignated for disposal.<ref name="NSSC">{{cite press release| url=http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=77193 |title=Navy Awards Contract for ex-Forrestal Scrapping| last=Naval Sea Systems Command Office of Corporate Communication |date=22 October 2013 |accessdate=20 March 2015}}</ref> According to the NVR, efforts were made to determine her viability to be "donated for use as fishing reef." In 2007, the ship was environmentally prepared for sinking as an [[artificial reef]] as was [[USS Oriskany (CV-34)#2004 – artificial reef|USS ''Oriskany'']].<ref>{{cite press release |last=Naval Sea Systems Command Public Affairs |url=http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=23692 |title=Navy Ex-Aircraft Carrier Sunk, ‘Reefed’ off Pensacola |date=17 May 2006 |accessdate=2012-08-15}}</ref> Due to elements of the ''Forrestal'' design having led directly to current aircraft carrier design, it was intended that the ship be donated to a state and sunk to become a deep water reef, for fishery propagation and not be accessible to divers.<ref name="sinklist">{{cite news| url=http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/navy_shipdisposal_080223w/| last = Peterson| first = Zachary M.| title = Navy sink list includes Forrestal, destroyers| publisher = NavyTimes| date = 26 February 2008| accessdate = 7 September 2008}}</ref> That plan never materialized.

On 15 June 2010, ''Forrestal'' departed [[Naval Station Newport]] in [[Newport, Rhode Island]], where she had been stored since 1998, under tow for the inactive ship storage facility in Philadelphia and tied up at Pier 4, next to ex-{{USS|John F. Kennedy|CV-67}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.projo.com/ri/middletown/content/FORRESTAL_LEAVES_RI_06-16-10_1AISP2J_v11.14cc174.html |title=Providence Journal &#124; Rhode Island news, sports, weather & more – Providence Journal |publisher=Projo.com |date= |accessdate=2012-08-15}}</ref><ref>[http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/20100618_USS_Forrestal_arrives_in_Phila__to_await_fate.html USS Forrestal arrives in Phila. to await fate, Philly.com on-line, June 18, 2010]</ref>
[[File:USS Forrestal at Brownsville.JPG|thumb|''Forrestal'' at the shipyard in Brownsville being broken up]]
On 26 January 2012, the Navy's Naval Sea Systems Command posted a notice of solicitation for the towing and complete dismantlement of multiple CV-59/CV-63 Class aircraft carriers in the United States, to include ex-''Forrestal'' (CV 59), ex-{{USS|Independence|CV-62}}, ex-{{USS|Saratoga|CV-60}}, and ex-{{USS|Constellation|CV-64}}.<ref name="NSSC"/><ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=ce6de50e17d6f1e16841b33603f8ee26&tab=core&_cview=0 |title=J-Towing and complete dismantlement of multiple CV-59/CV-63 Class Aircraft Carriers in the United States |publisher=Department of the Navy |date=26 January 2012 |accessdate=2012-08-15}}</ref> These solicitations were posted in May 2012 and subsequently awarded to three successful offerors, pending their receipt of the facility security clearance required as part of the contract award. After the initial award of one carrier to each successful offeror, this contract provides the Navy with the capability to scrap other decommissioned conventionally-powered aircraft carriers over a five-year period.<ref name="NSSC"/>

In October 2013, it was announced ''Forrestal'' would be scrapped by All Star Metals in [[Brownsville, Texas]] at a cost of 1 cent.<ref name="NSSC"/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.navytimes.com/article/20140204/NEWS04/302040030/Ex-Supercarrier-Forrestal-headed-scrapyard |title=Ex-Supercarrier Forrestal headed to the scrapyard |work=Navy Times |date=14 February 2014 |accessdate=8 May 2014}}</ref> She left the Philadelphia Naval Yard via a team of [[tugboat]]s at 5:00AM on 4 February 2014.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gambardello |first= Joseph A. |date=5 February 2015 |url=http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20140204_Departure_time_set_for_USS_Forrestal.html |title=Departure time set for USS Forrestal| work=Philadelphia Inquirer |accessdate=3 February 2014}}</ref> She arrived at All Star Metals in Brownsville on 18 February 2014 for final scrapping.<ref>{{cite news |title=Navy Supercarrier Arrives at Scrapyard |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=The New York Times |date=18 February 2014 |accessdate=21 March 2015}}</ref> According to the Naval Vessel Register, scrapping was completed December 15, 2015.<ref>{{cite news |url={{NVR url|id=AVT59}}|title=USS Forrestal(AVT-59)}}</ref> Her stern plate was saved and restored and now is in the hands of the National Naval Aviation Museum Pensacola, Florida.

==See also==
{{Portal|United States Navy}}
* [[List of aircraft carriers]]
* [[List of aircraft carriers of the United States Navy]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
===Notes===
{{Reflist}}
===Bibliography===
*{{cite book|last=Polmar|first=Norman|title=Aircraft Carriers: A History of Carrier Aviation and its Influence on World Events, Volume II 1946–2006|publisher=Potomac Books|location=Dulles, VA|year=2008|isbn=9781574886658}}

* {{Cite journal |last=Hobbs |first=Commander David |date=October 2007 |title=HMAS ''Melbourne'' (II) – 25 Years On |journal=The Navy |volume=69 |issue=4 |pages=5–9}}
{{DANFS}}

==Further reading==
* Freeman, Gregory A. ''Sailors to the End: The Deadly Fire on the USS Forrestal and the Heroes Who Fought It''. New York: William Morrow, 2002. ISBN 0-06-621267-7, ISBN 0-06-093690-8.
* Capt Terrence Riley Medical Corps, US Navy. "Ship's Doctor" Annapolis Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-721-X

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.uss-forrestal.com USS ''Forrestal'' Association homepage]
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-f/cva59.htm Navy photographs of ''Forrestal'' (CVA-59)]
* [http://www.navysite.de/cvn/cv59.htm ''USS Forrestal'' webpage]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160304185813/http://www.virtualwall.org/units/forrestal.htm Memorial to the men who died in the ''Forrestal'' fire]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0_45G8vwyo USS ''Forrestal'' Construction – Youtube]
* {{Internet Archive film clip|id=1955-09-01_USS_Forrestal|description="USS ''Forrestal'', 1955/09/01 (1955)"}}
* {{Internet Archive short film|id=gov.dod.dimoc.24148|name="USS ''Forrestal'' – CVA-59 (1955)"}}
* {{Internet Archive short film|id=gov.archives.arc.38198|name="USS ''Forrestal'' (1956)}}
* {{Internet Archive short film|id=CarrierFlightDeckSafety|name="Carrier flight deck safety (1967)"}}
* {{Internet Archive short film|id=DisastersDontJustHappen|name="Disasters Don't Just Happen (1971)"}}
* {{Internet Archive short film|id=gov.ntis.ava19833vnb1|name="Trial by Fire: A Carrier Fights for Life (1973)"}}

{{Forrestal class aircraft carrier}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Forrestal (Cva-59)}}
[[Category:Forrestal-class aircraft carriers]]
[[Category:1954 ships]]
[[Category:Cold War aircraft carriers of the United States]]
[[Category:Vietnam War aircraft carriers of the United States]]
[[Category:Ships built in Newport News, Virginia]]

Revision as of 06:50, 29 April 2017

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