No, not me. I plan on being here a little while longer.
On April 19, 2005, USS America, a Kitty Hawk class aircraft carrier was towed from the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, a spot where she was berthed for nearly ten years. Selected to serve as a live-fire testing platform, she was subjected to a barrage of multiple attacks off the coast of North Carolina for four weeks.
Finally, after the "Big A" refused to sink, she was finally scuttled on May 14th.
As most of you know, I served aboard America from May 1977 to July 1980. The seminal (minds out of the gutter, people) event of my career, my service aboard her would chart the course of my life up until today.
But enough about me. The below is a beautiful video recognizing America's final cruise.
Interestingly, the carrier which relieved her for the final cruise was USS George Washington. I asked for permission to go aboard for what's called an "inchop brief." It was there where Ensign Lynch was overwhelmed by the memories of Airman Apprentice Lynch.
I guess I missed that she was blasted off our coastline. Kinda sad she had to go out that way.
ReplyDeleteI’m in the minority who thought it was a better way to go than being cut up for scrap.
DeleteA bittersweet memory, I am sure.
ReplyDeleteLotta good, lotta bad.
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