Misplaced Pages

#453546

103-514: Beling was commanding officer of the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal (CVA-59) at the time of the July 29, 1967 fire that killed 134 sailors and officers, injured 161, and caused $ 72 million (1967 dollars) in damage to the ship. The Navy investigation into the fire cleared Beling of wrongdoing. After retiring from the Navy as a rear admiral in 1973, Beling worked as a Department of Defense civilian, as well as for

206-527: A C-130 Hercules aboard the ship. The tests were conducted 500 nautical miles (930 km) out in the North Atlantic off the coast of Massachusetts . In so doing, Forrestal and the C-130 set a record for the largest and heaviest airplane landing on a Navy aircraft carrier. The Navy was trying to determine whether the big Hercules could serve as a "Super-COD", or " Carrier Onboard Delivery " aircraft. The problem

309-457: A lieutenant on one of Zumwalt's patrol boats during the Vietnam War. In January 1983, he was diagnosed with lymphoma , and in 1985 it was then discovered he also had Hodgkin's disease . In addition, his grandson Elmo Russell Zumwalt IV had been born in 1977 with learning disabilities. Admiral Zumwalt and his family were convinced where both son and grandson were victims of Agent Orange , which

412-580: A 32-year navy career, he launched an unsuccessful campaign for the United States Senate . Zumwalt was born in San Francisco, California , the son of Elmo Russell Zumwalt, and his wife, Frances Pearl (née Frank) Zumwalt, both country doctors. Frances was raised Jewish , the daughter of Julius and Sarah Frank of Burlington, Vermont . His family moved to Tulare, California , where he grew up. She became estranged from her parents for marrying outside

515-768: A Naval Air Power demonstration off the Virginia Capes in June 1962, with Captain Donald M. White then in command. Forrestal deployed to the Mediterranean again on 3 August 1962 to 2 March 1963 as flagship for Commander Carrier Division Four (ComCarDiv 4) participating in NATO exercises in the Atlantic and western Mediterranean with Enterprise , British and French carriers. Cross deck operations were conducted with HMS  Ark Royal . Whilst

618-747: A USMC Phantom was aboard Ark Royal , it developed problems and couldn't take off to return to the Forrestal before docking in Malta. US personnel were not allowed on Malta at the time so the Phantom was painted with Royal Navy tail markings to make the jet blend in with Royal Navy Phantoms. Forrestal , under the command of Captain Dick H. Guinn , made history in November 1963, on the 8th, 21st and 22nd, when LT James H. Flatley III and his crew made 21 full-stop landings and takeoffs in

721-581: A defense contractor, before retiring for good in 1985. He died November 5, 2010, in Reston, Virginia. Beling was born in New York City on October 29, 1919, and was raised in Harrington Park, New Jersey . He was the son of Aelian Arnold Beling (b. Ceylon . 1879), the younger brother of Ceylonese artist William Wright Beling II (1867–1928), and Mable Ashe Jackson (b. 1886). John Kingsman Beling graduated with

824-626: A degree in mechanical engineering from the Stevens Institute of Technology in 1941. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Beling joined the Naval Reserve as an aviation specialist, and was commissioned an Ensign upon completion of flight training in 1943, after which he headed to the Pacific theater as a dive bomber pilot with Bombing Squadron ONE (VB-1). Beling was shot down over

927-469: A four-month period of upkeep and repair known as an Extended Selected Restricted Availability (ESRA), to be conducted as the ship was moored alongside the carrier pier in Mayport. Forrestal ended 1978 as she had started it, moored to the carrier pier in Mayport. On 27 August 1979 Forrestal had to make an emergency deployment due to Hurricane David . It was feared the ship could be damaged and in turn damage

1030-509: A fruitless sacrifice. The subsequent Navy investigation absolved Beling of responsibility for the fire. While Forrestal was in the shipyard for repairs, Beling was temporarily assigned to work in the office of Admiral Thomas H. Moorer , then the Chief of Naval Operations . While there, he was sent for further temporary duty on the staff of Admiral Ephraim P. Holmes , Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet; Holmes disagreed with many portions of

1133-744: A major factor in the founding of the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) in July 1986. Admiral Zumwalt was the first chairman of the NMDP's board of directors. In his later years, Zumwalt resided in Arlington County, Virginia . Zumwalt died on January 2, 2000, aged 79, at the Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina , from mesothelioma . His funeral service was held at

SECTION 10

#1733084862454

1236-580: A number of personal awards, as well as campaign medals from World War II to Vietnam: USS Forrestal (CV-59) USS Forrestal (CVA-59) (later CV-59 , then AVT-59 ), was a supercarrier named after the first United States Secretary of Defense James Forrestal . Commissioned in 1955, she was the United States' first completed supercarrier, and was the lead ship of her class . The other carriers of her class were USS  Saratoga , USS  Ranger and USS  Independence . She surpassed

1339-588: A primary command and control trunk space. Through the efforts of the ship's crew and civilian contractors, Forrestal was able to depart for her deployment on 6 November 1989, completing the necessary repairs well ahead of projections. The 9 October 1989 fire caused around $ 2.5 million in damage and injured 11 sailors. The final two months of 1989 proved exciting. Beyond the "routine" exercises and training initiatives, Forrestal ' s crew became part of history, as they provided support to President George H. W. Bush during his Malta Summit . The support included

1442-523: A pump room in the aft portion of the ship, rose to a height of 20 feet (6.1 m) before it was controlled. The flood spread into food storage rooms, destroying most of the ship's stocks of fresh milk and produce. Divers from the ship's Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team dropped into the pump room to plug the leak. Total damage from the flooding was estimated at $ 30,000. From 19 to 29 May 1978, Forrestal participated in Operation Dawn Patrol ,

1545-464: A result of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus , the U.S. Ambassador to Cyprus Roger Davies requested the evacuation of U.S. citizens from that island nation. In a joint Navy-Marine Corps effort, HMM-162 from the 6th Fleet amphibious assault ship USS  Inchon evacuated 466 people, 384 of them U.S. citizens, in only five hours. Forrestal provided air cover for that operation. In October 1968, during

1648-609: A six-week deployment to the North Atlantic to participate in Ocean Safari '87 . In this exercise, Forrestal operated with NATO forces in the fjords of Norway. The ship and crew performed so well in Ocean Safari '87 that Forrestal ' s commanding officer, CAPT John A. Pieno Jr., recommended that the ship be granted a special liberty call in the United States as a reward. Special liberty calls serve to reward Navy personnel with

1751-551: A special operation code-named Windbreak. Commander Second Fleet, Vice Adm. Wesley L. McDonald , embarked in Forrestal for the exercise. Windbreak was designed to introduce U.S. sailors and equipment to relatively unfamiliar waters and conditions, and to gauge Soviet interest in U.S. ships in transit to and from the Mediterranean. During the exercise, Forrestal traveled as far north as 62 degrees latitude, 150 miles (240 km) south of Iceland , encountering seas to 34 feet (10 m), winds in excess of 70 knots (130 km/h), and

1854-581: A three-hour Presidential visit to the ship. Forrestal participated in numerous exercises during this deployment including Harmonie Sud , Tunisian Amphibious and National Week . She returned to Mayport on 12 April 1990, ending a deployment which had included nine port visits in seven different countries. After a post deployment stand down, Forrestal completed a drydocking selected restricted availability at Mayport from 14 May 1990 – 27 August 1990. From September to November 1990, Forrestal underwent repairs at Norfolk Naval Shipyard . Repairs included work on

1957-636: A three-week at-sea period in the Atlantic Fleet Weapons Training Facility (AFWTF) of the Roosevelt Roads Operating Area to complete the third phase of Type Commander's Training (TYT-3), and to undergo the Operational Readiness Evaluation (ORE). On the evening of 15 January 1978 as an A-7 Corsair II from VA-81 crashed on the flight deck, killing two deck crewmen and injuring 10 others. The pilot

2060-824: A tour at the Office of Naval Research in London and at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory . He also served in Air Test and Development Squadron FIVE ( VX-5 ), and twice served in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, in roles pertaining to weapons development. He also served as Assistant Chief of Staff and Force Training Officer at the headquarters of Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic (COMNAVAIRLANT) at NAS Norfolk , Virginia. Aside from his command of Forrestal , from May 1966 to September 1967, Beling commanded two attack squadrons and

2163-473: A trip to other parts of the U.S. and provides Americans who would normally never see warships and planes an up close look at life in the United States Navy. CAPT Pieno being a native of New Orleans, Louisiana , decided that New Orleans, during her Mardi Gras celebration, would be the perfect location to show off his pride and joy. During her trip to New Orleans Forrestal broke another record by becoming

SECTION 20

#1733084862454

2266-457: A wind chill factor that drove the temperature as far down as 0 °F (−18 °C). The waves were high enough to crash over the flight deck as the ship drove west. Also participating in Windbreak were the guided missile cruiser USS  Harry E. Yarnell and the destroyer USS  Arthur W. Radford . Forrestal returned to Mayport on 26 October 1978. On 13 November, Forrestal commenced

2369-802: A workup cycle in preparation for her first deployment in over four years. Forrestal departed Mayport on 2 June 1986, on her 19th deployment. During this cruise, Forrestal aircraft frequently operated in the international airspace of the Tripoli Flight region, the international air traffic control sector of Libya. Forrestal also participated in Operation Sea Wind a joint U.S.- Egyptian training exercise and Display Determination, which featured low-level coordinated strikes and air combat maneuvering training over Turkey . In 1987, Forrestal went through yet another period of pre-deployment workups. This included refresher training, carrier qualifications, and

2472-757: The Bath (Maine) Iron Works , he assumed command of that frigate at her commissioning in December 1959, and commanded it until June 1961. During the period of his command, Dewey earned the Excellence Award in Engineering, Supply, Weapons, and was runner-up in the Battle Efficiency Competition. He was a student at the National War College , Washington, D.C., during the 1961–1962 class year. In June 1962, he

2575-660: The Naval Academy Chapel . In his eulogy President Bill Clinton called Zumwalt "the conscience of the United States Navy". The United States Navy's DD(X) guided missile destroyer program has been named the Zumwalt class in his honor, and its lead ship, USS  Zumwalt , bears his name by Navy tradition. In 2013, the Mesothelioma Center for Excellence at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center

2678-711: The Sea Control Ship —that could be bought in greater numbers. Rickover, the 'Father of the Nuclear Navy', preferred buying a few major ships to buying many ordinary ones. Zumwalt proposed four kinds of warships to fit the plan; in the end, only the Pegasus class of missile patrol boats and the Oliver Hazard Perry -class of guided missile frigates became reality, and only six of the planned 100+ Pegasus -class hydrofoils were built. The Oliver Hazard Perry class stood as

2781-728: The United States Naval Academy (USNA) at Annapolis, Maryland . As a midshipman at the USNA, he was president of the Trident Society, vice president of the Quarterdeck Society and the two-time winner of the June Week Public Speaking Contest (1940–41). Zumwalt also participated in intercollegiate debating and was a Company Commander (1941) and Regimental Three Striper (1942). He graduated with distinction and

2884-477: The University of North Carolina , where he remained until June 1950. That same month, he assumed command of USS  Tills , a destroyer escort that was commissioned in a reserve status. The Tills was placed in full active commission at Charleston Naval Shipyard on November 21, 1950, and he continued to command her until March 1951, when he joined the battleship USS  Wisconsin as navigator and served with

2987-534: The Vietnam War . After he retired, Zumwalt wrote On Watch: a Memoir , published by Quadrangle Books in 1976. It reviews his Navy career and includes reprints of all the Z-grams he issued as CNO. Also in 1976 , Zumwalt unsuccessfully ran as a Democratic candidate for the United States Senate from Virginia , and was defeated by incumbent independent senator Harry F. Byrd Jr. by a 57% to 38% result. Later, he held

3090-491: The World War II Japanese carrier Shinano as the largest carrier yet built, and was the first designed to support jet aircraft. The ship was affectionately called "The FID", because her namesake was the first Secretary of Defense, FID standing for "First In Defense". This is also the slogan on the ship's insignia and patch. Forrestal served for nearly four decades in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Pacific. She

3193-456: The 'Mod Squad'— Destroyer Squadron 26 and later 31—to give promising young officers early command experience. Billets were a rank lower than normal. Zumwalt reshaped the Navy's effort to replace large numbers of aging World War II-era vessels, a plan called "High-Low". Instituted over the resistance of Admiral Hyman Rickover and others, High-Low sought to balance the purchase of high-end, nuclear-powered vessels with low-end, cheaper ones—such as

John K. Beling - Misplaced Pages Continue

3296-487: The 1976 Senate election in Virginia. Elmo Zumwalt Jr. retired from the Navy on July 1, 1974, aged 53. "Z-gram" was the semi-official title for policy directives issued by Elmo Zumwalt as Chief of Naval Operations (CNO). Many of these directives were efforts to reform outdated policies potentially contributing to difficulties recruiting and retaining qualified naval personnel during the period of United States withdrawal from

3399-453: The 28-month, $ 550 million SLEP, designed to extend the life of U.S. aircraft carriers another 15 to 20 years. During Forrestal ' s SLEP, the ship was completely emptied and most major equipment was removed for rework or replacement. Forrestal ' s successful SLEP period was completed on time when the ship left Philadelphia on 20 May 1985. After completing a four-day transit to her homeport of Mayport, Forrestal immediately began

3502-425: The Atlantic until returning to Norfolk on 17 July. On her second tour of duty in the Mediterranean, from 2 September 1958 to 12 March 1959, Forrestal again combined a program of training, patrol, and participation in major exercises with ceremonial, hospitality and public visiting. Her guest list during this cruise was headed by United States Secretary of Defense N. H. McElroy . Returning to Norfolk, she continued

3605-524: The Bureau of Naval Personnel for further duty. In December 1957, he was transferred to the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Personnel and Reserve Forces), and served as special assistant for naval personnel until November 1958, then as special assistant and naval aide until August 1959. Ordered to the first ship built from the keel up as a guided missile frigate , USS  Dewey , built at

3708-502: The C-130 Hercules, it would be possible to lift 25,000 pounds (11,000 kg) of cargo 2,500 miles (4,000 km) and land it on a carrier. However, the idea was considered too risky for routine COD operations. The aircraft was also too large to fit on the carrier's elevators or in her hangars, severely hampering operations. The C-2 Greyhound program was developed and the first of these planes became operational in 1965. For his effort,

3811-561: The CIC and electronics equipment that was supposed to go on board the USS ; Nimitz , then under construction." In June 1974, Forrestal sent a contingent of 34 sailors and two officers to represent the U.S. Navy at the 30th anniversary of D-Day at Normandy, France. The group marched in various parades at the Normandy Beaches on 6 June 1974 as well as Cherbourg, France and was well received by

3914-613: The Combat Information Center ... in action against enemy Japanese battleships during the Battle for Leyte Gulf , October 25, 1944". After the end of World War II in August 1945, Zumwalt continued to serve until December 8, 1945, as the prize crew officer of the Ataka , a 1,200-ton Japanese river gunboat with a crew of 200. In this capacity, he took the first American-controlled ship since

4017-563: The Mediterranean on 4 April 1978. At 22:00 on 8 April, just minutes after the ship had finished a general quarters drill, the crew was called to G.Q. again, but this time it was not a drill; a fire had broken out in the Number Three Main Machinery Room. Freshly painted thermal insulation in Three Main engine room had been set smoldering by hot steam lines. Watch-standers within the space activated an extinguishing system and had

4120-569: The Naval Advisory Group, United States Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MACV) and was promoted to vice admiral in October 1968. Zumwalt was the Navy adviser to General Creighton Abrams , Commander, MACV. Zumwalt always spoke very highly of Abrams, and said that Abrams was the most caring officer he had ever known. Zumwalt's command was not a blue-water force, like the Seventh Fleet; it

4223-587: The Navy awarded LT Flatley the Distinguished Flying Cross . The Hercules used, BuNo 149798, was retired to the National Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station Pensacola , Florida, in May 2003. In 1964, in what was known as Operation Brother Sam , U.S. president Lyndon B. Johnson sent Forrestal to support a military coup d'état against Brazilian president João Goulart . The coup

John K. Beling - Misplaced Pages Continue

4326-409: The Navy's report into the Forrestal disaster, including the section clearing Beling, and had him assigned to his staff so he could issue a letter of reprimand, in essence both holding Beling responsible and ending his career. The reprimand was attached to the final report, and was subsequently rescinded by Admiral Holmes on direct orders from Admiral Moorer after the latter endorsed the report. Beling

4429-650: The Net Technical Assessment Office, responsible for comparing and contrasting U.S. and Soviet weapons systems for the Secretary of Defense. In 1977, Beling joined the McLean, Virginia-based TRW, working as a strategic analyst directing studies until retiring again in 1985. After his final retirement, Beling took up farming, and served as director of the USS Forrestal Museum, a group dedicated to preserving

4532-610: The North Arabian Sea via the Suez Canal in support of America's Earnest Will operations in the region. She spent 108 consecutive days at sea before her first liberty port. During the five and one-half month deployment, Forrestal operated in three ocean areas and spent only 15 days in port. She returned on 7 October 1988, and received the Meritorious Unit Commendation for her superior operational performance during

4635-579: The North West coast of Puerto Rico. At around 12:30 the second evening, 2 helicopters arrived, delivering SEAL Team Six to the Forrestal' s deck. The crew and its "visitors" cruised for 3 days to the South West Caribbean sea off the Panama and Colombian coasts, where Seal Team Six departed. It is unclear if the operation was an attempt to capture Manuel Noriega , or if it was in support of Operation Pokeweed to apprehend Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar . Elmo R. Zumwalt Elmo Russell " Bud " Zumwalt Jr. (November 29, 1920 – January 2, 2000)

4738-631: The admiral had ordered to be sprayed over the Mekong Delta to kill vegetation and drive "the Viet Cong back 1,000 yards off the water's edge". In an article published in The New York Times in 1986, Elmo Zumwalt III said: I am a lawyer and I don't think I could prove in court, by the weight of the existing scientific evidence, that Agent Orange is the cause of all the medical problems – nervous disorders, cancer and skin problems – reported by Vietnam veterans, or of their children's severe birth defects. But I am convinced that it is. Admiral Zumwalt and his son collaborated with writer John Pekkanen to create

4841-433: The aircraft carrier USS  Saratoga . Air Wing Seventeen's planes conducted mock attacks on the task group to allow the ships to practice anti-air warfare. Forrestal returned to Rota late in the evening on the 13th. Before dawn on 15 October, Forrestal departed Rota and outchopped from the Sixth Fleet, having been relieved by Saratoga . On the homeward transit, Forrestal took an extreme northerly course as part of

4944-401: The book My Father, My Son , published by MacMillan in September 1986, where they discussed the family tragedy of his son's battle with cancer. In 1988, the book was made into a TV movie with the same name, starring Karl Malden as the admiral and Keith Carradine as his son. Elmo Zumwalt III died as the result of his cancer on August 14, 1988, at the age of 42, three months after the TV movie

5047-604: The canceled USS United States , was replaced by a conventional island structure, and her flight deck was modified to include an angled landing deck and steam catapults, drawing on British innovations. She was launched on 11 December 1954, and commissioned into service on 1 October 1955, with Captain Roy L. Johnson in command. Forrestal was the first American aircraft carrier to be constructed with an angled flight deck , steam catapult , and an optical landing system , as opposed to having them installed after launching. The original design— USS  United States —provided for

5150-532: The carrier pier as the storm surge from the hurricane thrust inland. Forrestal traveled through the main part of the storm and emerged in the eye briefly before coming out of the opposite side as the storm moved northwest along the east coast. The ship was manned with a skeleton crew and no aircraft. After completing her 15th Mediterranean cruise from November 1979 to May 1980 she celebrated her silver anniversary in October 1980. Forrestal got underway on her 16th Mediterranean deployment in March 1981 and returned to

5253-470: The carrier pier in Mayport on 15 September 1981 . On 2 March 1981, Forrestal began her 16th Mediterranean deployment and second quarter century of naval service. During the Syria/Israel missile crisis , Forrestal maintained a high state of readiness for 53 consecutive days at sea. In a Gulf of Sidra exercise, two Libyan aircraft were shot down after firing on F-14s from Nimitz over international waters. Forrestal aircraft made more than 60% of all

SECTION 50

#1733084862454

5356-430: The carrier, which was decommissioned in 1993, as a museum ship. Admiral Beling died of complications from pneumonia at Reston Hospital Center in Reston, Virginia on November 5, 2010. He was 91 years old. He was survived by his wife of sixty years, Evelyn Beling, who died in 2011; three children; and seven grandchildren. He and his wife are buried in Section 46 of Arlington National Cemetery . Rear Admiral Beling received

5459-498: The catapult system, hull and other changes to accommodate the F/A-18 Hornet. Forrestal returned to Mayport 21 November 1990. In 1989, during work up cruises to prepare for the upcoming deployment, Forrestal was diverted from an 11-day carrier task force training exercise in the Atlantic. The order came in just after midnight and the Forrestal was directed to leave the task force, and proceed West at flank speed. After 20 hours, she slowed to 2 knots and took up station keeping off

5562-460: The command of Captain John Kingsman Beling , departed Norfolk for duty in waters off Vietnam . Once in the Gulf of Tonkin , Forrestal began four days of sorties. The planes of Attack Carrier Air Wing 17 flew about 150 missions against targets in North Vietnam from the ship. On 29 July 1967, during preparation for another strike, a Zuni rocket installed on an F-4 Phantom (#110), misfired, impacting an armed A-4 Skyhawk (#405)'s side, parked on

5665-402: The deck in a ball of flames. A small fire on the aft portion of the deck, caused by fuel spilled during the crash, was extinguished within seconds. At the time of the accident, Forrestal was operating about 49 miles (79 km) off St. Augustine, Florida . A memorial service for the dead was held on board on 19 January. The ship returned to Mayport on 3 February. Forrestal left Mayport for

5768-407: The deployment. After a brief stand down period followed by local operations, Forrestal participated in New York City's Fleet Week in May 1989, and then commenced preparations for her next deployment. Also in 1989, she won the Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award for the Atlantic Fleet. Forrestal ' s departure for her 21st major deployment was delayed when a fire caused major damage to

5871-444: The deployment. The operation, involving ships, aircraft, and personnel from eight NATO countries, was designed to practice rapid reinforcement and resupply of the southern European region in times of tension or war. Forrestal arrived in Rota, Spain , on 11 October for the last overseas port stop of the deployment. On 13 October 1978, the ship put to sea to conduct a one-day exercise with a task group of deploying U.S. ships headed by

5974-416: The destroyer USS  Arnold J. Isbell , participating in two deployments with the United States Seventh Fleet . In this assignment, he was commended by the Commander, Cruiser-Destroyer Forces, United States Pacific Fleet , for winning the Battle Efficiency Competition for his ship and for winning Excellence Awards in Engineering, Gunnery, Anti-Submarine Warfare, and Operations. In July 1957, he returned to

6077-423: The eastern Atlantic during the Suez Crisis , ready to enter the Mediterranean Sea should it be necessary. She returned to Norfolk on 12 December to prepare for her first deployment with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean, for which she sailed on 15 January 1957. On this, as on her succeeding tours of duty in the Mediterranean, Forrestal visited many ports to "show the flag" and take on board dignitaries and

6180-404: The exercise Forrestal and the British aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal headed separate task groups, steaming in a two-carrier formation to gain sea control and deploying their aircraft in support of mock amphibious landings in the Shetland Islands and Jutland , Denmark. From 28 September to 10 October, Forrestal participated in Display Determination , the third and final NATO exercise of

6283-414: The faith, as the Zumwalts were Christians. Zumwalt, an Eagle Scout and recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award from the Boy Scouts of America , attended Tulare Union High School in Tulare, California , where he became the valedictorian , and Rutherford Preparatory School in Long Beach, California . Zumwalt had planned to become a doctor like his parents, but in 1939, he was accepted to

SECTION 60

#1733084862454

6386-478: The fire out within seconds. Three days later, the crew again was called to respond to another emergency G.Q. At midnight on 11 April, a fire was discovered in a catapult steam trunk in the forward part of the ship at about the 01 level , and another fire was found in an adjoining storeroom minutes later. The at-sea fire brigade, working with area repair lockers, had the fires out within the hour. On 10 May 1978 while in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, flooding, which began in

6489-609: The first of three NATO exercises the ship would be involved in during the deployment. Dawn Patrol involved air and ground forces and over 80 ships from six NATO countries. Forrestal ' s role during the exercise included protecting a Turkish amphibious task group and working with USS  Nimitz and the French aircraft carrier Foch to defend against simulated "enemy" ships and aircraft. During this sea period, two separate air crashes on successive days left one pilot dead and another injured. On 24 June 1978, LCDR T. P. Anderson, Operations Officer for Carrier Air Wing Seventeen,

6592-482: The first time in her 28-year history, she entered the Indian Ocean. This marked the first time that Forrestal had operated with 7th Fleet since the 1967 Vietnam cruise. Forrestal completed the five and one-half-month deployment with a nighttime arrival at Mayport on 16 November 1982 and immediately began preparing for the Service Life Extension Program (SLEP). The ship shifted homeport to Philadelphia Naval Shipyard , Philadelphia on 18 January 1983, and embarked on

6695-411: The first year of service in intensive training operations off the Virginia Capes and in the Caribbean . In May of 1956, Captain Johnson was relieved by Captain William Edward Ellis . An important assignment was training aviators in the use of her advanced facilities. During this time she often operated out of Naval Station Mayport , Florida. On 7 November 1956, she put to sea from Mayport to operate in

6798-470: The general public. For military observers, she staged underway demonstrations to illustrate her capacity to bring air power to and from the sea in military operations on any scale. She returned to Norfolk on 22 July 1957 for exercises off the North Carolina coast in preparation for her first NATO operation, Operation Strikeback in the North Sea . This deployment, between 3 September and 22 October, found her visiting Southampton , UK, as well as drilling in

6901-500: The highly important task of coordinating United States naval power with that of other NATO nations. The next year found Forrestal participating in a series of major fleet exercises as well as taking part in experimental flight operations. During the Lebanon crisis of 1958 , the carrier was again called upon to operate in the eastern Atlantic to back up naval operations in the Mediterranean. She sailed from Norfolk on 11 July to embark an air group at Mayport two days later, then patrolled

7004-417: The intercepts of Libyan planes. After departing the Mediterranean she operated above the Arctic Circle as part of NATO Ocean Venture '81. After a repair period, Forrestal deployed for her 18th Mediterranean cruise on 8 June 1982, and operated in the eastern Mediterranean in support of the Lebanon Contingency Force of 800 U.S. Marines in Beirut . On 12 September 1982, after transiting the Suez Canal for

7107-422: The island of Crete in mid June. On 30 June 1975, Forrestal was reclassified a "Multi-purpose Aircraft Carrier", CV-59 . Also in 1975 Forrestal was selected to be host ship for the International Naval Review in New York City on the nation's Bicentennial . On 4 July 1976, on Forrestal ' s flight deck, President Gerald Ford rang in the Bicentennial and reviewed over 40 tall ships from countries around

7210-489: The island of Yap during the Marianas Campaign in 1944. Although badly burned, Beling was able to make his way out to open sea, where a seaplane from the cruiser USS Biloxi spotted him. After being hospitalized for his burns, he rejoined the fleet as a fighter pilot. Beling received a Ph.D in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1951, and afterwards served in a variety of operational, research & development, testing, and evaluation assignments, including

7313-487: The island to retract flush with the deck during flight operations, but that was found to be too complicated. Another solution was considered where the two masts were to fold down, in lieu of the retractable island, to allow the carrier to pass under the Brooklyn Bridge . The larger center mast was to fold to the side and rest on the flight deck, and the smaller mast was to fold toward the stern. From her home port, Naval Station Norfolk , Norfolk, Virginia , Forrestal spent

7416-531: The largest naval warship ever to come up the Mississippi River. Also during her four days in New Orleans she accommodated tours for over 40,000 visitors. The tour included viewings and descriptions of all her aircraft, damage control demonstrations, and the crowd's favorite, a ride on one of her four aircraft elevators. Forrestal departed on her 20th major deployment on 25 April 1988. She steamed directly to

7519-495: The locals. The group was passed in review by retired General of the Army Omar Bradley . This contingent of sailors were flown off of Forrestal by SH-3 Sea Kings of HELANTISUBRON 3 (HS-3) onto the deck of USS Milwaukee (AOR-2), then taken to Naval Station Rota , Spain. After a few days of refresher "marching", they were flown to Cherbourg, France in a C-130. Following the celebrations, the group reunited with Forrestal at

7622-458: The most numerous class of United States' warships since World War II until the advent of the Arleigh Burke -class destroyers . Zumwalt was the last Chief of Naval Operations to live at Number One Observatory Circle before it became the official residence of the vice president . For Zumwalt, not pleased with the choice, this was reason enough to challenge Virginia Senator Harry F. Byrd Jr. in

7725-439: The never-ending task of training new aviators, constantly maintaining her readiness for instant reaction to any demand for her services brought on by international events. Visitors during the year included King Hussein of Jordan . Forrestal again went to the 6th Fleet between 28 January 1960 and 31 August, visiting the ports typical of a Mediterranean deployment as well as Split , Croatia (then part of Yugoslavia ). Again she

7828-482: The night recovery of a VAW-123 E-2A , the aircraft boltered and went off the angled deck and into the water, nose first. When it hit the water, the aircraft flipped over onto its back, breaking its radar dome off and sank within minutes. The dome floated and was recovered. Immediately, helicopters moved into the area for search and rescue operations, three crewmen were recovered, while three were lost at sea. On 10 July 1972, while moored at Pier 12, Norfolk, Forrestal

7931-584: The offices of the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Navy, he was awarded the Legion of Merit . After his selection for the rank of rear admiral , Zumwalt assumed command of Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla Seven on 24 July 1965 in San Diego. He then served as Director, Systems Analysis Division, OPNAV (OP-96) from August 1966 to August 1968. In September 1968, he became Commander Naval Forces Vietnam and Chief of

8034-620: The outbreak of World War II up the Huangpu River to Shanghai , China. There, they helped to restore order and assisted in disarming the Japanese. Zumwalt next served as executive officer of the destroyer USS  Saufley , and in March 1946, was transferred to the destroyer USS  Zellars , as executive officer and navigator. In January 1948, Zumwalt was assigned to the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps unit of

8137-577: The pilot and returned to the ship within eight minutes after the crash. Both accidents occurred as the ship was operating in the Ionian Sea , east of Sicily . From 4 to 19 September 1978, Forrestal participated in the massive NATO exercise Northern Wedding , which included over 40,000 men, 22 submarines, and 800 rotary and fixed-wing aircraft from nine NATO countries. Northern Wedding, which took place every four years, practiced NATO's ability to reinforce and resupply Europe in times of tension or war. During

8240-609: The port side. The rocket's impact dislodged and ruptured the Skyhawk's 400-gallon external fuel tank. Fuel from the leaking tank caught fire, creating a serious conflagration that burned for hours, killing 134, injuring 161, destroying 21 aircraft and costing the Navy US$ 72 ;million. On the flight deck that day was Lieutenant Commander (later Senator) John McCain , who was wounded by an exploding bomb. In September of 1967, Captain Beling

8343-628: The presidency of the American Medical Building Corporation in Milwaukee, Wisconsin . While serving in Shanghai in 1945, Zumwalt met and married Mouza Coutelais-du-Roche, whose French-Russian family was living there. She returned with him to the United States. They had four children: Elmo Russell Zumwalt III; James Gregory Zumwalt; Ann F. Zumwalt Coppola; and Mouzetta C. Zumwalt-Weathers. Zumwalt's eldest son, Elmo Zumwalt III, served as

8446-612: The ship in operations in Korea. Detached from USS Wisconsin in June 1952, he attended the Naval War College , Newport, Rhode Island , and in June 1953, he reported as head of the Shore and Overseas Bases Section, Bureau of Naval Personnel , Navy Department, Washington, D.C. He also served as officer and enlisted requirements officer, and as action officer on Medicare legislation. Completing that tour of duty in July 1955, he assumed command of

8549-456: The stores ship USS Alstede (AF-48) . Beling was promoted to rear admiral in 1968. Then-Captain Beling was commanding officer of USS Forrestal on July 29, 1967, when a Zuni rocket accidentally fired while on deck, striking another aircraft. In the initial moments of the disaster, which eventually killed 134 sailors and injured 167 more, including then-Lieutenant Commander and future U.S. Senator John McCain , Beling—who had been in his cabin at

8652-760: The ten-hour ordeal. As night fell, Beling recited a prayer to the surviving crew: Our heavenly Father, we see this day as one minute and yet a lifetime for all of us. We thank you for the courage of those who gave their lives in saving their shipmates today. We humbly ask You to grant them peace and to their loved ones the consolation and strength to bear their loss. Help us to renew the faith we have in You. We thank You for our own lives. May we remember You as You have remembered us today. From our hearts we turn to You now, knowing that You have been at our side in every minute of this day. Heavenly Father, help us to rebuild and reman our ship, so that our brothers who died today may not have made

8755-403: The time and was clad only in a t-shirt and uniform pants—ordered the ship slowed, to reduce the force of wind gusts blowing across the flight deck, and gave directions for incoming helicopters, sent to transport wounded sailors off Forrestal , to land at the front of the deck to keep rotor wash from fanning the flames. Beling would personally direct damage control efforts from the bridge throughout

8858-438: The world. Shortly after the review, Forrestal participated in a special shock test. It involved the detonation of high explosives near the hull to determine if a capital ship could withstand the strain of close quarter combat and still remain operational. In September 1977, following a nine-month overhaul, Forrestal departed Norfolk and shifted her homeport to Mayport. The carrier left Mayport on Friday, 13 January 1978 for

8961-465: The yards at Portsmouth and three months later was at last able to relieve USS  John F. Kennedy , which had to serve an extended Mediterranean deployment while the Forrestal was being repaired. Electrician's Mate Robert Horan, who was aboard at the time, recalls in a memoir "[The fire did] over seven million dollars in damage. The news videos...show[ed] the flight deck glowing red. We went back to Portsmouth for repairs and I believe we got most of

9064-671: Was commissioned as an ensign on June 19, 1942. He also received an honorary degree from Texas Tech University. Zumwalt was assigned to USS  Phelps , a destroyer. In August 1943, Phelps was detached for instruction in the Operational Training Command-Pacific in San Francisco. In January 1944, Zumwalt reported for duty on board USS  Robinson . On this ship, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Valor device for "heroic service as Evaluator in

9167-427: Was a United States Navy officer and the youngest person to serve as Chief of Naval Operations . As an admiral and later the 19th Chief of Naval Operations, Zumwalt played a major role in United States military history, especially during the Vietnam War . A decorated war veteran, Zumwalt reformed United States Navy personnel policies in an effort to improve enlisted life and ease racial tensions. After he retired from

9270-787: Was a brown-water unit: he commanded the flotilla of Swift Boats that patrolled the coasts, harbors, and rivers of Vietnam. Among the swift-boat commanders were his son Elmo Russell Zumwalt III and later future senator and secretary of state John Kerry . Among his other forces were Task Force 115, the Coastal Surveillance Force, Task Force 116, the River Patrol Force and Task Force 117, the joint Army-Navy Mobile Riverine Force . President Richard Nixon nominated Zumwalt to be Chief of Naval Operations in April 1970. Upon being relieved as Commander Naval Forces Vietnam on May 15, 1970, he

9373-484: Was assigned to the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (International Security Affairs), Washington, D.C., where he served first as desk officer for France, Spain, and Portugal, then as director of arms control and contingency planning for Cuba. From December 1963 until June 21, 1965, he served as executive assistant and senior aide to the Honorable Paul H. Nitze , Secretary of the Navy . For duty in his tour in

9476-593: Was awarded a second Navy Distinguished Service Medal for exceptionally meritorious service. Zumwalt assumed duties as Chief of Naval Operations and was promoted to full admiral on July 1, 1970, and quickly began a series of moves intended to reduce racism and sexism in the Navy. These were disseminated in Navy-wide communications known as "Z-grams". These included orders authorizing beards (sideburns, mustaches, and longer groomed hair were also acceptable) and introducing beer-dispensing machines to barracks. Zumwalt instituted

9579-468: Was decommissioned in 1993, and made available as a museum. Attempts to save her were unsuccessful, and in February 2014 she was towed to Brownsville, Texas , to be scrapped. Scrapping was completed in December 2015. Forrestal' s keel was laid down at Newport News Shipbuilding on 14 July 1952. During construction, her design was adjusted several times—the original telescoping bridge, a design left over from

9682-496: Was killed when his A-7E Corsair II crashed into the sea during a practice bombing mission. Before the crash, the pilot ejected while the plane was inverted in less than ideal weather conditions. On 25 June, a pilot from VA-83 , also flying an A-7E, ejected shortly after takeoff due to a catapult malfunction, suffering minor injuries. He could be seen swimming away from the side of the ship as it passed near him. A rescue crew aboard an SH-3D Sea King helicopter from HS-3 recovered

9785-425: Was once again the scene of a catastrophic fire. This fire, which was set by a crewmember, was in an O-3 level computer room (just under the flight deck). A hole was cut in the flight deck to reach the fire from above and hundreds of gallons of water were pumped into the space. This ruined all of the computer equipment and the ship took on an exaggerated list, prompting concern that she might capsize. The ship returned to

9888-416: Was open for visitors at many ports, as well as taking part in the patrol and training schedule of the 6th Fleet. She completed another deployment to 6th Fleet January 1961 to August 1961, after which she entered a yard period at Norfolk Naval Shipyard where the six arresting wires were replaced with four, freed 03 level spaces were converted to berthing areas, and the right side flight deck mirror landing system

9991-448: Was operating without communication gear due to an onboard malfunction, and as he was making his approach, he saw that the "ball" was lit (signalling that it was permissible to land). The pilot ejected safely after seeing that the deck was covered with parked and moving aircraft, by which time it was impossible to pull up. He was recovered, suffering only minor injuries, but his Corsair struck another A-7 and an EA-6B before careening across

10094-531: Was promoted to rear admiral in 1968, and was given orders to command a carrier battle group out of San Diego. However, his orders were cancelled by Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt , Moorer's successor as Chief of Naval Operations, who, in a move perceived as a way of holding him responsible for the Forrestal fire, instead sent him to Iceland, where he would retire as Commander, Iceland Defense Force, based at Naval Air Station Keflavik , Iceland. He retired from active duty in 1973, at which time he went to work as director of

10197-494: Was relieved by Captain Robert B. Baldwin , who in turn was relieved in December 1968 by Captain James W. Nance . Forrestal was deployed to Mediterranean waters four times between 1968 and 1973. She also sped to Tunisia for rescue operations in the flooded Medjerda River Valley near Tunis . The ship logged three more Mediterranean deployments between 1973 and 1975. On 22 July 1974, as

10300-733: Was replaced with a permanent Fresnel lens in the port catwalk, among other updates. She conducted a shakedown cruise to Guantanamo Bay in January 1962 with port calls in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and Port of Spain, Trinidad. She then acted as the defending carrier in an amphibious force landing exercise on Vieques Island; it was the largest assembled naval force since the Korean War. Forrestal with Vice-President Lyndon B. Johnson aboard, and Enterprise with President John F. Kennedy aboard hosted many foreign ambassadors, military attaches, and other diplomats for

10403-459: Was shown. During his son's illness in the early 1980s, Admiral Zumwalt was very active in lobbying Congress to establish a national registry of bone marrow donors. Such donors serve patients who do not have suitably matched bone marrow donors in their families. Though his son ultimately was able to receive a transplant from his own sister, many patients do not have close relatives who are able and willing to help in this way. As such, his efforts were

10506-592: Was successful and led to a 20-year-long military dictatorship in Brazil . On 15 March 1966, Forrestal again was a witness to history when she and various other units of the Sixth Fleet made a brief stopover at Palomares, Spain, (site of an underway nuclear disaster cleanup and H-bomb recovery effort ) ostensibly to deliver personnel, material support, or both. The carrier dropped anchor at 0903, departed at 1219, and resumed flight operations. In June 1967, Forrestal , under

10609-457: Was there was no aircraft which could replenish a carrier in mid-ocean. The Hercules was stable and reliable, and had a long cruising range and high payload. The tests were more than successful. At 85,000 pounds (39,000 kg), the KC-130F came to a complete stop within 267 feet (81 m), and at the maximum load, the plane used only 745 feet (227 m) for take-off. The Navy concluded that, with

#453546