In a class by herself...

The USS Oriskany was the last Ticonderoga Class Carrier built. A few years later she was designated an "Oriskany Class" Carrier after her deck was angled, and her bow was enclosed. No other Essex or Ticonderoga Class Carrier was ever refitted like Oriskany. She was in a class by herself.  Oriskany completed 25 cruises and launched more sorties in more wars than any other carrier.

The "Mighty O", was built at the Brooklyn Naval Yard and launched on October 13, 1945.  A war bond drive among the residents of the Upper Mohawk Valley raised $70,000 dollars to build the ship. The ship was completed and commissioned on September 25, 1950. The "O-Boat" was more than three football fields long, 225 feet tall, and 197 feet wide. She displaced over 46,000 tons of water. When on active duty, she carried a crew of 3,500 men, 9,445 tons of ordinance, 20MM ammunition, and 80 aircraft. The Oriskany put out to sea sixteen times in the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

I served aboard the "O Boat" from February 19, 1970 to December 13, 1972 in E Division.  I worked in A & O, the Battery Locker and Distribution.  I even spent some time working in the E Division office, filling in while we were short a yeoman.  On my final cruise we crossed the equator on the way to Singapore and entered the realm of King Neptune. He was pretty upset at seeing so many pollywogs on his turf, so about 3,000 of us were initiated and became Shellbacks.  What a day that was!  We also collided with the U.S.S. Nitro and later lost two propellers in two different incidents. We spent a total of around 2 months in dry-dock in Yokosuka, Japan. It was quite a final cruise. Though I often complained along with my shipmates about a variety of things that sailors complain about, I will always have very fond memories of the years I served aboard the Oriskany. In December, 1972 I was launched off the deck in our COD. It was the last time I saw her. I flew into Da Nang, Vietnam, then on to P.I., Japan, Alaska, and finally Travis Airforce Base enroute to Treasure Island, California where I left active duty.

On April 15, 1976, the "Mighty O" was put into the reserves.

In 1996 the Oriskany was sold for scrap.  However, there were complications with the sale and for years she sat, a rusted skeleton of her former self, at Mare Island in Vallejo, California.

In accordance with a contract between the U.S. Navy and the City of Vallejo, the Oriskany had to be removed from Mare Island.  On April 28, 1999, the U.S.S. Oriskany began her last voyage.  She was towed  by the Crowley Marine Services tug Sea Victory from San Francisco, around the horn, scheduled to arrive in Beaumont, Texas in late August or early September.

With the assistance of a second tug, she passed through the Strait of Magellan at the southern tip of South America averaging about 6.4 knots.  The second tug stayed with her until she reached Buenos Aires.

On July 26th she was spotted at anchor in The Gulf of Paria in Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago. The next day she continued her journey.

On Tuesday, August 10th, 1999 Oriskany arrived in Port Arthur, Texas where, again, she waits to be scrapped.

The Oriskany Museum and U.S.S. Oriskany Reunion Association reports that Oriskany is to be sunk in the Gulf of Mexico to be used as a reef.

From the Pensacola Visitors Bureau: The retired aircraft carrier Oriskany was successfully reefed on May 17, 2006 (see picture below), at approximately 24 miles off the coast of Pensacola to become the largest artificial reef in the world (at 888 feet in length)!   The reefing was accomplished with controlled charges in 212 feet of water 22.5 miles southeast of Pensacola. Prior to the reefing, a memorial service was conducted at the National Museum of Naval Aviation to pay tribute to the crew and the ship that has provided exemplary service to our Navy and country.

		Photo complements of  Crowley Marine Services	Photo complements of  Crowley Marine Services
Photo complements of  Crowley Marine Services	A-7 Corsair

  Over the Beach
              by
       Zalin Grant

From Library Journal:
In this sympathetic and penetrating history the pilots of a fighter squadron aboard the U.S.S. Oriskany battle the internal politics of their unit, their own doubts about the Vietnam War, and fears for their safety, while acting like fighter jocks, all bravado and hard living. Laced through this diverse, personality-filled work are the words of wives and many of the pilots themselves and the author's telling assessment of the bombing policy, which was tentative and ineffective despite the courage and skill of the men who carried it out. The action begins in July 1966 and ends as a final run is cancelled due to bad weather in 1972. This is a valuable examination of the Navy's bombing of the North, with less emphasis on hardware than a pilot might wish, but biting and insightful. A gem.
-- Mel D. Lane, Sacramento, CA.

Fire on the Hangar Deck
            by
  Wynn F. Foster

From Amazon Books:
Ever since man first ventured to sea, fire has been his worst enemy. No less so on the modern aircraft carrier where high explosives, volatile fuels, and flaming engines are often mixed with sailors working long hours under arduous conditions. In 1966, this hazardous situation led to a catastrophe costing the lives of 44 men, injuring hundreds more, and doing millions of dollars of damage. USS Oriskany , a twenty-one-year-old Essex -class carrier, was conducting combat flight operations in the Gulf of Tonkin when a night illumination flare ignited on her hangar deck and instantly transformed her into a flaming holocaust. Wynn Foster, an attack pilot who flew missions from Oriskany until just before the tragedy, has recreated the tragic story of this terrible fire. He draws on firsthand knowledge of the ship, extensive research, and in-depth interviews with survivors. The result is a gripping account that vividly describes efforts to combat a situation that was out of control from the beginning. It is a story of disappointing errors, impressive professionalism, dark tragedy, breathtaking heroism, and lessons to be learned. In the ongoing tradition of the Naval Institute's open forum, Foster explores the preventable causes of the fire and assesses the Navy's handling of the aftermath. He reinforces current concerns about high-tempo operations conducted with dwindling resources and warns of the consequences of the mismatch that occurs when warfare is coupled with a peacetime economy. His book offers an eye-opening view of the challenges faced by military units whose daily routine is filled with lurking danger and an exciting, inspiring tale of man meeting disaster head-on.

The Hook, Spring 2002
"This is an excellent book, and well worth a read."

Sea Power, Norman Polmar, January 2003
"...a superior account."

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