Free Republic

The ex-Oriskany, a decommissioned aircraft carrier, was sunk 24 miles off the coast of Pensacola, Fla., on May 17 to form an artificial reef. The 888-foot ship took about 37 minutes to sink below the surface. U.S. Navy photos

Navy chooses Pensacola over local site The Korean War-era aircraft carrier that is parked at Texas Docks & Rail will not be sunk off the shores of Corpus Christi, and instead will be sunk off the coast of Pensacola, Fla., Navy officials announced Monday. The fact that the ship is going to Florida also doesn't give Texas an advantage the next time the Navy decides where to sink the 24 other ships that are scheduled to be made into artificial reefs, said Pat Dolan, deputy director for congressional and Navy public affairs. "It will be a competitive process each time,"...

Ship to be cleaned up here and then made into a reef. Retired sailors and history buffs who have an interest in the USS Oriskany will get a chance to photograph the ship and see it crossing Corpus Christi Bay before it is sunk and made into an artificial reef. The USS Oriskany is scheduled to arrive Saturday at Texas Docks & Rail Co. on the end of the ship channel in Corpus Christi for a six-month cleaning, said Steven Childers, operations manager at Texas Docks & Rail. At 7 a.m. Thursday the Oriskany will be towed out of a...

An 888-foot Korean War-era aircraft carrier will arrive at the Port of Corpus Christi next week to have its innards cleaned of solvents before the ship is sunk offshore to create an artificial reef. Officials haven't announced yet where the ship will be sunk. The USS Oriskany will be towed Tuesday from Beaumont and will arrive later in the week at the Port of Corpus Christi, said Denise Johnston, manager of government contracts for Resolve Marine Services. The company is one of two contracted to clean aircraft carriers. "The tow will commence depending on weather conditions," Johnston said. "It could...