I as on an earlier CVA in the early ‘60s. The FDR was a sister ship to the Midway and the Coral Sea.
They were designed for 3600 crew, but we carried about 5000 during the Cold War. Was crowded!
Around the early ‘70s, my mom sent me a clipping from the newspaper showing a pic of my ship and saying it was to be scrapped. ...That caused sadness like when you find out your long-time friend from your school days passed away.
I know the feeling. Even now, during Biden’s PC Admin. there are still areas of the military that remain ruled by linear, strictly business thinking, give or take a smidgen of cronyism.