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Posted: 5/19/2005 6:41:53 PM EDT
 May 18, 2005 Carrier America sunk By Matt Hilburn Times staff writer The carrier America now lies beneath the surface of the Atlantic, scuttled by the Navy. Pat Dolan, a spokeswoman for Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC, confirmed the “controlled” sinking took place at approximately 11:30 a.m. on May 14. The decommissioned ship, out of service since 1996, was the target of a series of tests designed to try out new defense and damage control systems for the CVN-21 carrier program. It was the largest ship deliberately sunk by the Navy. In fact, the America was the largest warship ever sunk by any means, in war or peace. Tom Tramantano, president of the USS America Carrier Veterans Association Inc., a group that had been trying to save the carrier and turn it into a museum, called it a “sad day.” “I feel I really haven’t had time to mourn,” said Tramantano, who served on the America as a lithographer third class during the ship’s 1968 Vietnam deployment. Tramantano said the group will now focus its efforts toward getting the next class of carriers named after the America. “There’s some anger in me that they would allow a ship with the country’s name to be sunk,” he said. “But I’m also proud that the testing may do some future good.” |
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Posted: 5/19/2005 6:45:10 PM EDT
[#1]
That ship would never sink, if it was up to me. America, both the country and the ship, sunk?
Creepy and symbolic. |
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Posted: 5/19/2005 6:49:08 PM EDT
[#2]
 Thats a shame.
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Posted: 5/19/2005 6:50:18 PM EDT
[#3]
+1 |
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Posted: 5/19/2005 6:55:08 PM EDT
[#4]
Thats kinda messed up.
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Posted: 5/19/2005 6:56:18 PM EDT
[#5]
How many scuttling charges and torpedos did it take to sink that beast?
Any videos of the event? |
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Posted: 5/19/2005 6:58:53 PM EDT
[#6]
I don't think it should have been sunk, either.
Hell, if I ran the zoo, every carrier would be completely refurbished and put back in service as long as by doing so, we could save at least one dollar vs. the cost of making all new carriers. Still, if they HAD to sink it, they should have performed a really SIGNIFICANT test on it, and what I'm thinking of is subjecting our finest undersea tactical weapon, the Mark 48 ADCAP torpedo, to the daunting but theoretically possible task of sinking an aircraft carrier in one shot. IF that had been done, and if it had been successful, I can assure you that the intimidation factor would have been well worth it. It would have put the fear of God into every intelligent sailor worldwide, and particularly those potential enemies like China. We have the biggest and toughest ships in naval service worldwide, and if one of our fish can sink our biggest, it'll smoke anything else in the water. CJ |
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Posted: 5/19/2005 7:06:44 PM EDT
[#7]
A good way for a warship to go.
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Posted: 5/19/2005 7:10:13 PM EDT
[#8]
Shit wears out. I'm glad ex-America isn't soaking up money that is better spent on new carriers or refurbishing ones that are still useful. Jim |
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Posted: 5/19/2005 7:13:39 PM EDT
[#9]
I wouldn't be suprised if that were mostly classified information--one of the reasons I heard for scuttling her was so they could document how well the hull stood up to different kinds of damage, so that they can feed that info to the designers of the newer carriers. Jim |
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Posted: 5/19/2005 7:14:37 PM EDT
[#10]
RIP USS America
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Posted: 5/19/2005 7:25:30 PM EDT
[#11]
I'll have to pass this sad news on to two guys I know that both served on this ship at different times . I spoke with both just hours ago . the first is a guy at work , he served in the 80's I think . the other is a retired minister at the church I grew up at and he just finished my and my fiancee's pre- marital counseling. the minister served during 'Nam on the wall at his house he proudly has his "Gulf of Tonkin Yachting Club" patch ahd other mementos of the Navy. The minister is David Jones- and yes ,to all of you Navy guys he caught hell for that name as they crossed the equater. "pollywog / shellback " ceremony
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Posted: 5/19/2005 7:26:55 PM EDT
[#12]
America is a region, not a country...The "United States of America" is a country |
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Posted: 5/19/2005 7:35:43 PM EDT
[#13]
There are pictures floating around on DOD email networks, it's only a matter of time before some make it outside the DOD.
Some of the active duty Navy guys might already have them....(LW)
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Posted: 5/19/2005 7:40:32 PM EDT
[#14]
I always wonder why the metal in those large ships isn't recycled. Those things are huge. I'm sure scrap companies would pay good money to cut it up. Just get rid of the classified stuff first.
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Posted: 5/19/2005 7:40:38 PM EDT
[#15]
+1 and WAY better than sending it to China as scrap metal |
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Posted: 5/19/2005 7:44:42 PM EDT
[#16]
In this case, the chance to actually see and monitor the effects of munitions against a carrier is priceless. |
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Posted: 5/19/2005 7:46:15 PM EDT
[#17]
at least scuba divers can visit it
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Posted: 5/19/2005 7:49:57 PM EDT
[#18]
He should go to Norfolk sometime and see the liner S.S. America rotting in the shipyard. |
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Posted: 5/19/2005 7:59:16 PM EDT
[#19]
I don't think so....
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Posted: 5/19/2005 8:43:31 PM EDT
[#20]
Couple things of Tannerite, done deal.  I hope they do release some video of the 'attack' and sinking. I do think it's sad that they had to sink it, but they will learn a lot of info from it and be able to apply that to future ships, thus *bold dramatic voice* It's sacrifice will not be in vain! |
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Posted: 5/19/2005 8:52:35 PM EDT
[#21]
tag for the eventual pics.
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Posted: 5/19/2005 9:13:05 PM EDT
[#22]
Remember the Posts when the sinkings were announced? I stand by what I said back then. |
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Posted: 5/19/2005 9:20:50 PM EDT
[#23]
No way - but there ARE plans to scuttle another carrier (the Oriskany?) off Pensacola s an artificial reef specifically for scuba divers. 
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Posted: 5/19/2005 9:57:46 PM EDT
[#24]
Better than goddamn razorblades. And hopefully, if a CVN-21 or other ship ever took a hit, whatever data they got will save somebody's life. |
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Posted: 5/20/2005 1:11:58 AM EDT
[#25]
As predicted by several here, the Oriskany sinking has turned into a fiasco. It's been sitting in port rusting away because it's full of hazardous materials and they can't sink her like that. Now they're talking about towing her back to Corpus Christi for hurricane season. All of this expense for a handful of fucking divers. 
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Posted: 5/20/2005 2:57:31 AM EDT
[#26]
Well, my prediction that pics and videos would be on the 'net by 48 hours is pretty much toast. I better not quit my day job....
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Posted: 5/20/2005 3:21:55 AM EDT
[#27]
Better to be sunk than scrapped. Pics of ex-USS Coral Sea being scrapped: www.usscoralsea.net/pages/picsexcv43.html *Warning* These pics are not for the feint of heart. |
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Posted: 5/20/2005 6:43:02 AM EDT
[#28]
It's not "for a handful of divers"  - it's for the local economy. Once a ship liek that it sunk, it will draw lots of divers from all over the country, which will pump lots of money into the local economy. As far as I remember, several cities - including one in TX - competed vigorously to get the carrier. I'm sure it's not like city hall has been take over by divers in all those cities right?Plus, if the alternative is being scrapped or thrown away - I LIKE the fact the a big proud ship can be preserved in its entirity, letting people see it - instead of just being destroyed. I agree with you that it's a shame that they still haven't figured out how to sink it properly.  They should have asked the Candians to help them - they've very successfully sunk a number of former military vessels in B.C.
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Posted: 5/20/2005 6:56:25 AM EDT
[#29]
Can the same name be used more than once on a warship? I always thought that once a ship was decommisioned it's name couldn't be used again.
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Posted: 5/20/2005 7:00:57 AM EDT
[#30]
Shoulda let the museum folks have it.
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Posted: 5/20/2005 7:01:51 AM EDT
[#31]
Yes. For example there have been 10 Wasps.... Scott |
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Posted: 5/20/2005 7:14:21 AM EDT
[#32]
And a couple of Saratoga's (CV-60 was my brother's ship..he was a brown shirt during Desert Shield/Storm...his plane was an S-3) |
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Posted: 5/20/2005 7:17:07 AM EDT
[#33]
should have loaded it up with C4 and parked it off the coast of a bad guy nation  --vengence of AMERICA!
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Posted: 5/20/2005 8:05:10 AM EDT
[#34]
Several Enterprises in the past, one Enterprise CVN-65 now, and as we all know quite a few Enterprises in the future. Jim |
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Posted: 5/20/2005 8:25:56 AM EDT
[#35]
A co-worker of mine served aboard her. He flew out to the decommissioning ceremony from CA to see her one last time. His group tried to go aboard one last time for a look around and pics but they were declined. Apparently there were safety issues since many of the rails and much of the decking had been removed.
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