Thanks for providing the dates of ‘77-’78. It was a while ago, and I’d forgotten when it finally bit the dust.
Amazing, isn’t it, how a sailor can become attached emotionally to a ship? .....I most remember the good times and crewmates/liberties, while seldom thinking about the hard work, heat and cold.
Yea and you also forget how much you hated it while you were there LOL. I got out and got married within a year. There's nothing like waking your wife up at 0 darkthirty yelling "Get Out Of Here Get Out! Flooding in compartment number 4-whatever-5-Q" while getting into battle dress. LOL. I'd went through several fires including one major one but no flooding compartments.
We had went to a full time Fire Dept in 1979 before our 12 month overhaul and I did two TAD stints in two yard periods in it. For decades I'd have dreams when asleep of being back on the ship.
America was the first super carrier to be sent to Davey Jones Locker. We made a good effort to try and get museum hold for her but couldn't get it. To add insult to injury since our ship was to be sank to gain design data for the newest class CV we tried for the class namesake getting that ship named America. A certain Virgina U.S. Senator John Warner who was also former Sec of Navy went behind our backs to SecNav to get it named after his former boss Gerald R Ford. It was a dirty trick considering former crew members had written him and he made no mention of his intentions to us until the ship was named and announced.
We did get a LHA Class namesake finally. The old ship was stripped before Sinkex. Parts are scattered here and there including the island. I think part of it is also on the new AMERICA as well. We also have a time capsule on the old ship that went down in the sinkex with all the former crew-members names and any pictures we had.