The USS FORESSTAL - Then and now -Sad
Sep 21, 2014 08:48:13 #
This weekend I was fly-fishing off of South Padre Island, Texas. One of the areas we fish is known as the Brownsville Chanel. It is mostly a pretty ugly recycling area where they salvage old ships at the end of their usefulness. As we motored up the Chanel we passed a carcas of an old U. S. Navy carrier, CVA-59, the U.S.S. FORESSTAL. I am sure there is some member of UHH that served on this glorious war ship. It was sad to see this end to a grand old warrior.
USS FORESSTAL - 1969
USS FORESSTAL -Today
Sep 21, 2014 08:52:40 #
I have done a lot of fishing in the Laguna Madre (bay side of S Padre.) Never been to the Brownsville Channel and hate to admit I did not know about the salvage area.
I guess all things pass, and it is not usually in a dignified manner. Thanks for posting this!
I guess all things pass, and it is not usually in a dignified manner. Thanks for posting this!
Sep 21, 2014 08:52:45 #
Thank you for sharing, there was a lot of history (and some not good including a large fire that took several lives) with this ship when it was in service.
Chris
Chris
DavidPhares wrote:
This weekend I was fly-fishing off of South Padre Island, Texas. One of the areas we fish is known as the Brownsville Chanel. It is mostly a pretty ugly recycling area where they salvage old ships at the end of their usefulness. As we motored up the Chanel we passed a carcas of an old U. S. Navy carrier, CVA-59, the U.S.S. FORESSTAL. I am sure there is some member of UHH that served on this glorious war ship. It was sad to see this end to a grand old warrior.
Sep 21, 2014 09:15:58 #
DavidPhares wrote:
This weekend I was fly-fishing off of South Padre Island, Texas. One of the areas we fish is known as the Brownsville Chanel. It is mostly a pretty ugly recycling area where they salvage old ships at the end of their usefulness. As we motored up the Chanel we passed a carcas of an old U. S. Navy carrier, CVA-59, the U.S.S. FORESSTAL. I am sure there is some member of UHH that served on this glorious war ship. It was sad to see this end to a grand old warrior.
Better for it to be cut up for scrap than sink.
As good as it was in its day, it would not be competitive now.
Sep 21, 2014 10:03:54 #
Next time you fish SPI, try the Chanel. Ugly, but lots of sea trout and snook on the left side where there are some inlets. See pics.
I have generally done better fishing north in the Laguna Madre
I have generally done better fishing north in the Laguna Madre
Snook from the Brownsville Chanel
Redfish from South Bay at SPI
Black Drum on the Laguna Medre
Sep 21, 2014 10:15:33 #
I have always come out of Port Mansfield and boated out from there. I would not like the ugly part. There is nothing so serene as wading a grass flat just after sunrise, and the only thing manmade you can see is the boat you came in on, and maybe some intercoastal markers.
Catching some specks is nice, but hooking a good sized redfish while wading makes a really nice fight!!!
Catching some specks is nice, but hooking a good sized redfish while wading makes a really nice fight!!!
Sep 21, 2014 10:39:18 #
When I was an enlisted Signalman, I served aboard a replenishment ship (USS Alstede, AF-48) which transferred fresh food, supplies, and fuel oil to the Forrestal. She was a mighty warrior in her day.
Sep 21, 2014 10:53:57 #
DavidPhares wrote:
This weekend I was fly-fishing off of South Padre Island, Texas. One of the areas we fish is known as the Brownsville Chanel. It is mostly a pretty ugly recycling area where they salvage old ships at the end of their usefulness. As we motored up the Chanel we passed a carcas of an old U. S. Navy carrier, CVA-59, the U.S.S. FORESSTAL. I am sure there is some member of UHH that served on this glorious war ship. It was sad to see this end to a grand old warrior.
Sad? You were doing something you enjoy in water you cherish as being free space in a country that demands democracy and freedom for it's citizenry? You saw this symbol of freedom, this dying hulk that ensured your peace, and you were sad? Nostalgia does bring a tear to the eye, but it should be a tear of joy! Not just a rusted hull, but the thousands of men and women who crewed her and made her the most awesome weapons delivery vehicle ever made. That is AMERICA sir, salute her!
Sep 21, 2014 11:04:22 #
Sep 21, 2014 11:07:19 #
DavidPhares wrote:
This weekend I was fly-fishing off of South Padre Island, Texas. One of the areas we fish is known as the Brownsville Chanel. It is mostly a pretty ugly recycling area where they salvage old ships at the end of their usefulness. As we motored up the Chanel we passed a carcas of an old U. S. Navy carrier, CVA-59, the U.S.S. FORESSTAL. I am sure there is some member of UHH that served on this glorious war ship. It was sad to see this end to a grand old warrior.
Thank you for posting this David
I served aboard Forrestal from May 1967 to August 1969 as an Aviation Ordnanceman in G-Division. I made the 1967 WestPac cruise and the 1968-69 Med cruise. A lot of good memories and a lot of good friends. I'm still in contact with some to this day.
Sep 21, 2014 11:15:33 #
davidrb wrote:
Sad? You were doing something you enjoy in water you cherish as being free space in a country that demands democracy and freedom for it's citizenry? You saw this symbol of freedom, this dying hulk that ensured your peace, and you were sad? Nostalgia does bring a tear to the eye, but it should be a tear of joy! Not just a rusted hull, but the thousands of men and women who crewed her and made her the most awesome weapons delivery vehicle ever made. That is AMERICA sir, salute her!
I would have like to see her saved and turned into a museum. There were several groups that tried to do that, one in Philadelphia, one in Baltimore and one in Tampa, but coming up with funding and a place to put it was always a problem. Toward the end the City of Pensacola tried to save her using money from the BP Gulf oil spill, but by that time Forrestal had deteriorated to the point that saving her was no longer feasible. Forrestal was the worlds first Super Carrier, so yes, it's sad seeing her scrapped instead of turned into a museum.
Sep 22, 2014 05:39:24 #
Mahalo for sharing the information and pictures. I remember seeing her, USS Foresstal in her prime. What a magnificent super carrier she was. I salute her for helping to keep the world peace and the men who served with her. I deeply respect those who lost their lives on this carrier for it was a very sad day in her when a fire took them.
Sep 22, 2014 05:54:43 #
Sep 22, 2014 05:58:53 #
She was also the training carrier, based at Pensacola NAS, for a while, after the Lexington CV-16 was retired.
Another Essex class carrier, the Oriskany was sunk as an artificial reef of the coast near Pensacola. One of the earliest battleships, BB-2, Massachusetts is visible in the satellite views of the water near Pensacola as well. It qas used a target ship for a while.
Another Essex class carrier, the Oriskany was sunk as an artificial reef of the coast near Pensacola. One of the earliest battleships, BB-2, Massachusetts is visible in the satellite views of the water near Pensacola as well. It qas used a target ship for a while.
Sep 22, 2014 06:38:50 #
I am sure there is some member of UHH that served on this glorious war ship. It was sad to see this end to a grand old warrior.[/quote]
I was on an oiler out of Newport, RI. We used to refuel the Foresstal with AVGAS. It was indeed a historic warship.
I was on an oiler out of Newport, RI. We used to refuel the Foresstal with AVGAS. It was indeed a historic warship.
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