USS Forrestal July 29, 1967

Revski's Youtube Ministry ^ | 1/7/2017 | Revski

[Revski]

This memorial of the USS Forrestal,CVA 59; it will be 50 years ago this July 29-Th; has actual pictures and the voice of Captain John K. Beling at the time of the fires. The Hymn played is, Pass Me Not Oh Gentle Savior, with mandolin and verse sung was covered by me, o7jimmy – (Revski).

[rlmorel]

May those men rest in peace, so many cut down in youth.

The Forrestal fire is a vivid illustration of why carrier operations are inherently dangerous.

[Gay State Conservative]

This happened when I was still in High School and,quite frankly,I don't recall having heard about it at the time.However,having now served in the Army I find this story to be incredibly tragic.So many damn fine Sailors lost their lives that day.

[Yo-Yo]

Wasn't a young Ensign McCain on the Forrestal that day?

[ez]

One of my best friends’ brother died on the Forestal. John Lilla. The Manning-Lilla American Legion Post is named in his honor. Just felt like he deserved a mention here tonight.

[rlmorel]

Very nice tribute by you to those men, Revski. Very nice job.

[DJ Taylor]

Would you believe they once landed a C-130 Hercules on the Forrestal? Check it out here:

http://www.wearethemighty.com/articles/this-c-130-landing-on-an-aircraft-carrier-will-make-you-rethink-physics

[Blood of Tyrants]

In the Navy, we were shown Trial by Fire, a documentary of this event, at our yearly fire fighting training.

[Duchess47]

Wasn’t a young Ensign McCain on the Forrestal that day?

Yes, he was.

[YogicCowboy]

Yes... and, according to some, he was busy causing the deadly disaster through deliberate recklessness... which was then covered up thanks to his familial Admirals.

[Yo-Yo]

After a bit of reading, it turns out that it was a less-young Lieutenant Commander McCain that day.

[rlmorel]

Stop right now. I dislike McCain as much as anyone, but let’s give it to him for what he deserves. He has nothing at all to do with the fire on the Forrestal.

So just stop with it, okay?

[rlmorel]

The naval pilot who flew that C-130 was the CAG of my group for a while when was in. (CDR James Flatley)

[rlmorel]

McCain was the CO of my squadron for a few months while I was in training.

[Portcall24]

This past year our American Legion Post here in Virginia lost a patriot who was there. His CPO order him to secure a bulkhead with fellow sailors on the other side. He heard their screams until his passing.

[rlmorel]

Ugh. Shipboard fire and flooding. Just awful. For me, reading Neptune's Inferno: The US Navy at Guadalcanal by James Hornfischer really made think on that subject. The carnage was appalling, explosions, fire, flooding, and...worse. And for every Marine or soldier who died on Guadalcanal, three sailors will killed in the warfare at sea.

Having spent some time on a warship (as you sound like you have) you can almost imagine it. Almost.

[Wizdum]

The investigation revealed that the rocket (fired) because a freak surge of electricity jumped through the plane's system at the moment the pilot switched from the outside electrical generator to the plane's internal power system.
The voltage surged through five sequential safety devices designed to prevent just such a stray charge from reaching the rockets.

[rlmorel]

Truth is, it was wartime, and they found a shortcut (removing the safety pin) that saved an important amount of time and they decided up the chain (approved) that it was a risk worth taking for that time savings.

Remember, they were running high tempo combat operations; and that time saved by omitting that step counted when you were launching that many planes.

It just didn’t work out, and it cost them.

[rlmorel]

Read your Freeppage, don’t sound like you spent much time at sea...:)

OTOH, being in a plane on fire is similar to being on a ship on fire, I would guess, but perhaps in its own dimension.

[rlmorel]

oops...that reply at post#:19 was meant for you...not me...:)