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Mississippi Vying to Sink Aircraft Carrier as Reef
WLOX (Biloxi, MS) ^
| 12/13/03
| AP
Posted on 12/16/2003 6:45:58 AM PST by bourbon
Mississippi is one of five states that has proposed a site in a competition to become the watery grave for an aircraft carrier. The 888-foot USS Oriskany is a veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars.
It will be the largest vessel deliberately sunk as an artificial reef in the United States, probably in August or September 2004.
The Oriskany will be the first to go down in a new Navy program to get rid of obsolete warships by sinking them as a cheaper alternative to the scrap yard.
Mississippi is competing with Florida and Texas for the site, along with South Carolina and Georgia, which have proposed a joint site in the Atlantic Ocean off their shared border.
The Gulf Coast states see the Oriskany as an economic magnet attracting divers and anglers. The Atlantic site, however, would be a marine sanctuary, with diving and bottom fishing banned, to restore over-stressed species such as the snowy grouper.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Mississippi
KEYWORDS: aircraft; carrier; costalenvironment; environment; reef; ship
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1
posted on
12/16/2003 6:45:59 AM PST
by
bourbon
To: WKB; MagnoliaMS; MississippiMan; vetvetdoug; NerdDad; Rebel Coach; afuturegovernor; mwyounce; ...
(((MS PING)))
2
posted on
12/16/2003 6:46:58 AM PST
by
bourbon
(I brought all this so you can survive when law is lawless.)
To: bourbon
Why don't they turn it into a casino?
3
posted on
12/16/2003 6:48:44 AM PST
by
Jim Cane
To: bourbon
Put Howard Dean or Kerry in a flight suit, put them on the ship, and tell them this will be an opportunity to counter the President's flight to the Abraham Lincoln. Then let them bloviatee, which should surely sink it. Solves two problems at once.
To: bourbon
SCUBA diving banned to protect a grouper.....sheesh....how lame
5
posted on
12/16/2003 6:57:47 AM PST
by
joesnuffy
(Moderate Islam Is For Dilettantes)
To: bourbon
The Atlantic site, however, would be a marine sanctuary, with diving and bottom fishing banned, to restore over-stressed species such as the snowy grouper. Heaven forfend anybody actually have any fun... Gotta protect that snowy grouper...
6
posted on
12/16/2003 6:59:59 AM PST
by
gridlock
(Friends don't let friends subscribe to AOL)
To: joesnuffy
Groupers are tasty...
7
posted on
12/16/2003 7:00:27 AM PST
by
Tallguy
(I can't think of anything to say -- John Entwistle in "The Kids are Alright")
To: Jim Cane
Anyone here remember "The Bridges at Toko-Ri"??
Most of the flight deck scenes were filmed on Oriskany.
To: bourbon
We as a State must be willing to sacrifice for the snowy grouper.
9
posted on
12/16/2003 7:32:40 AM PST
by
WKB
(3!~ A fine is a tax for doing wrong.; A tax is a fine for doing well.)
To: Pukin Dog
What an insult to a fine ship.
10
posted on
12/16/2003 7:33:39 AM PST
by
IGOTMINE
(All we are saying... is give guns a chance!)
To: SpinyNorman
"Put Howard Dean or Kerry in a flight suit . . ."LOL! A diving suit would be more apropos. Let them land on the deck of a sunken ship.
To: bourbon
Navy pilot Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Denny Earl, with both legs shattered by North Vietnamese anti-aircraft fire, successfully lands his A-4 "Skyhawk" attack plane aboard the Oriskany in the Gulf of Tonkin, 20 October 1967. The nylon emergency barrier assures the wounded pilot that he will not have to make more than one attempt to land his plane.
12
posted on
12/16/2003 7:54:19 AM PST
by
aomagrat
(IYAOYAS)
To: bourbon
13
posted on
12/16/2003 8:06:10 AM PST
by
deport
To: deport
That photo just broke my heart. I'm an old Navy airedale and, even though I never served aboard a Navy ship, the carriers, in particular, are near and dear to my heart. I hate seeing a great old ship like the Oriskany looking like an unkempt derelict, she deserves better.
If no one wants to keep her in some kind of reputable condition, go ahead and sink her so that she is still serving in some capacity. Better that, than to remain looking like the derelict she currently appears or to be relegated to the worst waste of tax payer money, the US Naval Ship Reserve Fleet. This is a collection of old, retired ships that are being maintained in a boneyard just in case they are needed for a future war. The cost to update and outfit just one of them would be greater than the cost to build and outfit a new ship. Scrap'em all, or sink them with dignity in a way that lets them continue to serve the sea.
14
posted on
12/16/2003 8:19:10 AM PST
by
DustyMoment
(Repeal CFR NOW!!)
To: bourbon
Would someone please call Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's office and have them check her calendar for any military visits next year ? That would be an ignominious way to leave this cruel world....
15
posted on
12/16/2003 8:24:58 AM PST
by
Zaxis
(There's no ism like Coulterism!)
To: bourbon
If the can't get the Oriskany, they can bid on this one:
I hear the French don't have much use for the DeGualle.
16
posted on
12/16/2003 10:18:55 AM PST
by
TomB
To: bourbon
Why not bid on the French aircraft carrier?
It's not being used anyway...
17
posted on
12/16/2003 10:25:20 AM PST
by
BlueLancer
(Der Elite Møøsenspåånkængrüppen ØberKømmååndø (EMØØK))
To: TomB
No fair!!! No fair!!! You cheated!
18
posted on
12/16/2003 10:29:48 AM PST
by
BlueLancer
(Der Elite Møøsenspåånkængrüppen ØberKømmååndø (EMØØK))
To: bourbon
I hope MS gets the Oriskany. That would make one heck of a fishing hole.
It's sad to see the shape she's in now.
19
posted on
12/16/2003 12:18:54 PM PST
by
dixiechick2000
(President Bush is a mensch in cowboy boots.)
Comment #20 Removed by Moderator
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