USS Forrestal Memorial July 29, 1967

YouTube Video ^ | 5/30/08 | Revski

[Revski]

Today is Memorial Day, May 30, 2008 and this video in my heart of hearts had to be “REDONE”, to express the moment of that day and the memory of sacrifices made aboard the Naval carrier USS Farrestal - CVA-59 on July 29, 1967 in North Vietnam – Gulf of Tonkin, South China Sea, at or about 10:50 AM. The results of the disaster were, fatalities 134 and as many as 70 or more men wounded. The song in this video is sung by the Five Blind Boys of Alabama, “I’m on the Battle Field’ and color pictures are contributed by Bill Mason, PH2-US Navy. In the video is the actual voice of Captain John Beling, recorded during the beginning of the fires and disaster.

[A.A. Cunningham]

[magslinger]

SONOBUOY PING!

Click on pic for past Navair pings.

Post or FReepmail me if you wish to be enlisted in or discharged from the Navair Pinglist.
This is a medium to low volume pinglist.

[magslinger]

A good book. It explains quite a bit that I didn’t understand when I was in the Navy a few years after it happened. It also reinforces my belief that tragedies like this are not usually not the result of one factor, but several failures, mechanical and/or human, added in together.

[neodad]

They never gave up the ship.

[LonePalm]

One of my OCS classmates was the guy who went out and picked up the hose when the first firefighting crew was killed.

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

[magslinger]

One of my fire fighting instructors (I took no less than three fire fighting courses when I was in) was on the Forrestal at the time. He wanted to make sure none of the mistakes they made at the time were ever repeated. Not to take away anything from the bravery of the men who fought the fire, they simply weren't trained to even the relatively low level that I was.

Most of the mistakes were made long before that Zuni fired, including the one that allowed that to happen in the first place.

[squirt]

My brother was a plank holder on the Forrestal.

[Non-Sequitur]

How long before someone comes along as repeats the old lie that it was all McCain’s fault?

[babyfreep]

ping

[Revski]

Not to long because I received comments on my old file of the Forrestal disaster and when they claimed that John McCain tried to start his aircraft out procedure that is what caused the fire. I went to his page on YouTube and checked him out and he was in his 20’s and didn't know Sh*t about anything. Thanks for your comment.

[Revski]

Amen! I hear all the time that we didn't fight the fires right and I think it is because them who say this, never has been in a place ware you have just a few minutes to make a decision what to do. The ship did not sink because men gave there best to save her. Thanks a million for a wonderful comment.

[Non-Sequitur]

I went to his page on YouTube and checked him out and he was in his 20’s and didn't know Sh*t about anything. Thanks for your comment.

McCain was, in fact, 31 and a lieutenant-commander with several squadron tours behind him when the Forrestal fire occured. His aircraft was the one hit by the Zuni rocket which accidentally fired from an F-4 parked accross the flightdeck. Nothing McCain did caused the accident. But hey, don't let facts get in the way of a good email urban legend.

[Revski]

I do not know your brother but I can tell you that he was well learned in what to do on a US carrier and most likely is a honorable man.

[Revski]

Thanks.

[Tainan]

Rest with the Lord Good Sailors All....Amen

[Revski]

And Amen.