Posted on 12/01/2012 7:09:10 PM PST by smoothsailing
December 1, 2012
Rick Moran
For five decades, the nuclear powered aircraft carrier Enterprise plowed the seven seas to protect the freedoms of American citizens and guarantee freedom of the seas for all. From the Cuban missile crisis through its participation in conflicts arising out of the 9/11 attacks, “The Big ‘E’” was the tip of the spear of American foreign policy.
Today, in front of 12,000 former crew, their families, and friends, the United States Navy formally retired Enterprise from active service.
The 1,123-foot (342-metres) long Enterprise was commissioned in 1961 with eight nuclear reactors on board, and the next year was deployed to participate in a blockade of Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Since then, it has played a role in a number of naval missions, including deployments to Vietnam and to the Middle East as part of the U.S. response to the September 11, 2001, attacks. It returned from its final deployment about a month ago, said Navy spokesman Mike Maus.
Nicknamed the “Big E,” the Enterprise was the oldest active duty ship in the U.S. Naval fleet, according to the military, and was the eighth U.S. military ship to bear the name Enterprise.
The roughly 12,000 people who participated in the ceremony for the USS Enterprise include many former crew members and their friends, Maus said. The ceremony was held in Virginia at Naval Station Norfolk.
The Enterprise will stay at Naval Station Norfolk for several months and then will move to a shipyard in nearby Newport News, Virginia, where its nuclear fuel will be removed from the vessel, Maus said.
After that, the ship will be towed to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Washington state, where its nuclear reactors will be dismantled and the Enterprise will be scrapped, Maus said.
There are no plans to turn the Enterprise into a museum, as has been done with other historic warships.
The Navy said in a statement that inactivation and defueling of the Enterprise will have “major impacts on the structure of the ship” and that it would be too costly to “return the ship to a condition that would support it becoming a museum.”
Even today, Enterprise was an impressive weapon of war. Its 8 nuclear reactors powered the ship to speeds up to 34 knots. It carried a crew of 5,000 seamen and airmen and up to 90 aircraft. It was the longest naval vessel in the world in its time, displacing nearly 95,000 tons — a truly fearsome manifestation of American power.
Enterprise was the second oldest commissioned warship in the US Navy, superseded only by the three masted frigate Constitution. She and her crew have much to be proud having served this nation with honor and courage for so long.
Wasp was taken from a USN ship dating back to around 1800. Not sure of the exact story without a trip to wikipedia.
The destroyer my Dad sailed on circa 1946, The Leonard F. Mason, was sold to the Taiwan navy after Vietnam and then sunk to make a reef.
Ya, I guess I could have done that. Getting a bit lazy. LOL
“Although I’m a bit clueless over naming one carrier the Wasp (it was sunk). What was that all about?”
The Wasp was sunk in the latter parts of 1942 buy a Japanese submarine. Another carrier was commissioned as the Wasp maybe in early 1944. Not sure about the dates.
I will say I am proud to have served on the Enterprise as part of the air wing detachment with VF-96. The years were 1967 and 1968. I just missed the big fire in early January of 1969 as I was left behind because I was getting discharged from the Navy.
This is sad. The Big E has been a wonderful mistress of the 7 seas for about as long as I can remember. Hopefully, she will be retired to a graceful, calm port, much like Old Ironsides has been in Boston.
Thank you sweet lady for all the men you served and from all those who walked your decks.
In the meantime, where are Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Uhuru, Checkov and the rest of the crew going to live??
rename Ford as Lexington
Rename Kennedy as Saratoga
back space Bush to Wasp
back space Stennis to Ranger
If there is a Carter, rename as Hornet
In the years to come, our Navy is going to see huge problems. In order to keep the ship numbers up to present levels, our Navy has decided to build tons of littoral combat ships. LCS’s are death traps. They might be good for patrolling the Great Lakes, but not for much else. Assuming they get the bugs worked out, which is iffy at best, those ships can’t go anywhere on their own, because they need other ships around to protect them. That whole class of ships is a bad joke, and I believe the Navy has ordered up to 80 of them. I’d rather have 10 destroyers than 80 LCS’s.
If I may add to your sentiment, I am of the opinion that ANYTHING built, bought or owned by the US government (aka taxpayers) should NOT be named after ANY politician. I am sick to death of these sleazebags putting their names on things that the taxpayers purchased!!
Really grateful for all that information. Blessings, Janey
Great, thanks to all for your history lesson(s) Much appreciated.
I can well imagine how impressive the Big E was to you and your family.
Back in ‘66 USS ENTERPRISE arrived in Subic Bay, PI. We had a diving job work order on the Big E. Our job was on one of the 4 rudder posts. Those Rudders and Propellors were HUGE! Was a GREAT experience for my and my fellow divers.
Enterprise was the second oldest commissioned warship in the US Navy, superseded only by the three masted frigate Constitution.
I’ve read of a Zen-like joke regarding the B-52 — that when the last one is flown off to be mothballed, the flight crew will return to base...
...aboard a B-52.
The 100 or so remaining in service could really use an engine upgrade, but they were built to last.
http://www.thepepper.com/tucson_airplane_graveyard.html
I have mostly sad memories of the Enterprise. My husband was stationed at Hickam AFB Hawaii which is adjacent to Pearl Harbor. We saw the Enterprise at dock after the explosion and fire in January 1969. Twenty seven sailors were killed and over 300 injured. The whole back end of the ship above the waterline was mangled.
They could build a new one cheaper. To replace the reactors they would have to almost completely dismantle the ship down to the keel. Reactors or boiler are one of the first things installed very early into construction. That is why they stated it would not be economically possible to put the ship into museum status after the reactors were removed.
50 years for any carrier is a very long life and that is long long they were designed to last. The piping wears out which can be deadly. A pin hole at 1200 PSI superheated steam leak can decapitate you. You can't see it, you can't hear it, and it can dismember you and kill you. The Navy got it's full use then some likely. Thankfully in the last five years or so the piping held up.
Most of the parts on which have been replaced a number of times since 1962.
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