USS Enterprise: The aircraft carrier that changed everything turns 50

Daily Press ^ | September 24, 2010 | Peter Frost

[married21]

Thank you for all that background.

[American Constitutionalist]

USS YORKTOWN in Charleston S.C.

[Haiku Guy]

Somebody should ask Betty Ford if she would not mind, terribly, if her late husband’s name was bumped pack one place in line when it comes time to name our next Supercarrier...

[tanknetter]

Surely there must be an oceanside harbor smart enough to house one of the most famous ships in US Navy history.

The ship has eight extremely old nuclear reactors buried deep inside her, and is basically a 30+knot capable SuperFund site.

The only nuclear-powered ship that the Navy has EVER allowed to become a museum is Nautilus. Being a small submarine her reactor was easy to yank for disposal, yet the Navy still retains ownership/custodianship of her and she's docked at the Groton sub base so she can be monitored for radiation levels.

Most of Enterprise's hull below the waterline is going to have to be cut out to get to those reactors. There's no way that the USN is then going to pay to patch her back together so she can be saved.

Maybe they'll find a way to save her island. But that's going to be about it.

[Haiku Guy]

I remember, back in the early 80’s, the Enterprise was returning to Alameda, and it ran aground in the mud. The San Francisco Chronicle had a picture on the front page where every available crewman was standing on the port bow corner of the flight deck to rock the boat out of the mud.

It was a great picture that I have never seen again.

Needless to say, the ship’s engines were more than up to the task of freeing her. I am sure somebody’s file got a career-ending note inserted.

[DFG]

Star Trek IV

[Tanniker Smith]

“Vere do you keep the nucwear wessels?”

[tanknetter]

I am sure somebody’s file got a career-ending note inserted.

Saying at the time about the Enterprise's captain: "He grounds the warship he walks on".

[albie]

I was just at the Yorktown 3 months ago! We stayed at the Harbor Resort next to it and I went on a tour of that ship while my wife and daughters shopped. It was awesome! I was bothered though by the lack of interest the employees had in their jobs. They didn’t show any enthusiasm for their jobs. I’d be psyched to work there!

[headstamp 2]

“The ship has eight extremely old nuclear reactors buried deep inside her, and is basically a 30+knot capable SuperFund site.

The only nuclear-powered ship that the Navy has EVER allowed to become a museum is Nautilus. Being a small submarine her reactor was easy to yank for disposal, yet the Navy still retains ownership/custodianship of her and she’s docked at the Groton sub base so she can be monitored for radiation levels.

Most of Enterprise’s hull below the waterline is going to have to be cut out to get to those reactors. There’s no way that the USN is then going to pay to patch her back together so she can be saved.

Maybe they’ll find a way to save her island. But that’s going to be about it. “

I know what you are talking about. My dad’s ship the USS Howard W. Gilmore AS-16 had the whole center cut out of it due to it servicing nuclear subs in it’s lifetime. Saw the pictures on the internet of her. She was towed down the James to the scrapyard about 4-5 years ago.

[the_devils_advocate_666]

which required 915 designers and more than 16,000 construction drawings — each done by hand with mechanical pencils and based on calculations done with sliderules.

Ahh, the good old days.

[Pollster1]

But Shatner/Roddenberry's show only premiered 44 years ago.

[VR-21]

What you say is probably quite true tanknetter. She was frequently called ‘Showboat’ by sailors when I was in. Perhaps it’s like the Kitty Hawk, who had a few names (-bird, -kitty come to mind). Hell, I was an airdale (AT) so you probably ought to just consider the source. I boarded her back in the early 70’s at Cubi Pt. (visiting a friend) and she was spit shined then. I did also hear the term “Big-E” but usually (I think) in reference to the Enterprise of WWII. Take Care.

[tanknetter]

I know what you are talking about. My dad’s ship the USS Howard W. Gilmore AS-16 had the whole center cut out of it due to it servicing nuclear subs in it’s lifetime. Saw the pictures on the internet of her. She was towed down the James to the scrapyard about 4-5 years ago.

John Warner, who at the time was a Senator - he was also a former CNO - and had more power over naval affairs then the SecNav did, tried to get the USS Virginia (nuclear-powered cruiser) for Nauticus in Norfolk. Navy didn't just say no, they said "Hell NO, and don't ask again. Ever." Same things happened to other Senators and Representatives that have tried to get LA/688-class subs for display in their namesake cities. Including that one nutjob from Kentucky (state rep, not US House) who wanted to bring the USS Louisville home but keep her fully operational so she could sink gambling riverboats on the Ohio River ... then take out the gambling company's headquarters using Tomahawks ...

[meyer]

The Navy was stupid enough to junk the last Enterprise, the single carrier that was at one time all that stood between the USA and the Imperial Japanese Navy.

I agree - they should have kept that one. It has significant history.

[Free Vulcan]

It was ST IV. ‘And captain, it’s the Enterprise...’

Always gives me goosebumps.

[Ratman83]

They were trying to get whales to bring back to earth in thier time to save the world I think from VEGER.

[B Knotts]

VGER was ST I. In ST IV, they were trying to save the earth from a giant can of soda.

[Ratman83]

I, IV, XX I wa close.

[B Knotts]

To be fair, it might have been a can of beer. Or a Red Bull.

And it just happened to speak whale.

It was the most stupid premise of all the Star Trek movies, except, of course, V.