Posted on 05/09/2014 9:57:38 AM PDT by US Navy Vet
The USS Saratoga — the legendary aircraft carrier that played a key role in the Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam and Gulf wars and made Libyan strongman Muammar Qaddafi back down — is destined for dismantling after the Navy paid one penny to a Texas firm to recycle the 81,101-ton behemoth.
The once-mighty vessel is the second of three conventionally-powered carriers to set to sail to the scrapyard, following another one-cent deal involving the USS Forrestal in October. ESCO Marine, of Brownsville, will pay to tow, dismantle and recycle the ship, which was decommissioned in 1994 after more than 38 years of service. Efforts to spare the ship failed, as they did with the Forrestal last year.
“[It is] emotional in that we who served on ‘Sara’ feel that our ‘surrogate mother’ is passing from our lives,” Sammy King, secretary of the USS Saratoga Association, told FoxNews.com in an email. “We owe her a lot. We went aboard as ‘snot-nosed kids’ and left as ‘men.’ Some of us are very sad and some are very angry at the decision to scrap her.”
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Different Saratoga. This is the one commissioned in 1956
My one brother was on the Saratoga during part of the 2nd World war in the South Pacific. He served on the Enterprise also.
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That would have been a different Saratoga. The one that was active during WWII was the first ship of that name. My dad served on her as a machinist’s mate during WWII.
Not unusual.
It can be expensive to scrap a ship in the US if one has to follow all the environmental rules, etc. A 1950’s warship like this probably is on the edge of being a Superfund site from the EPA’s point of view. This thing is probably wall to wall asbestos, just to start.
If there were some way to tow this to that scrapyard beach in Pakistan where no rules apply (expensive towing job, that) maybe there would be someone willing to pay for it.
I live in Jacksonville, IIRC some years back there was a push after she was decommed to keep the Sara here and make it a floating museum...........the city turned it’s nose up at the idea. I always thiught that was a BIG mistake.
OUTRAGEOUS!!
This ship should be preserved for the future - just like the Olympia, the Constitution, the New Jersey, etc.
That SOB in the Oval Office is such a revolting creature and so are his familiars.
My worthless brother-in-law (If you know him he probably owes you money) was on the Oriskany. He was such a good sailor he had his own room, the Brig.
Sara.
My dad served her as an aircraft maintenance chief, on more tours than I can count with certainty. This was in the days of 9 months out, 3 home, smiles. Did my first dependent’s cruise with her, back when she was the largest thing afloat.
I can still see her on the horizon, (coming and going ;) as we watched from the pier at Mayport....Especially the last time, when she sailed out of Jax for the last time... It was amazing all the folks who came out to wave goodbye one more time.
Beautiful ship.
Never will forget her.
Godspeed Sara.
Tatt
This is not THE Saratoga from WWII.
That one was sunk in the A-bomb tests at Bikini in 1946.
This one was commissioned in 1956. It was in service with lots of other carriers, most of them since decommissioned, scrapped, or otherwise expended.
Some carriers have been preserved, but I don’t see why this one in particular. The US has scrapped dozens of carriers since WWII.
There are several other carriers from that era on donation hold right now, and up for preservation, maybe. - see status here -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_aircraft_carriers_of_the_United_States_Navy
Yup.
My dad served on the Saratoga when she was bringing the troops home. Then she was blown up with a hydrogen bomb if I remember correctly.
“Just” and A-bomb.
Two of them actually.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Crossroads
I don’t know.
I suspect that the government is paying someone to do the scrapping, on a separate contract, as the thing is probably considered a floating environmental cleanup problem. A 1-cent price just serves as a legal way to transfer ownership.
I happen to think that is true, although I'm not sure it's what you meant to say.
Yea!We need to have room for the next Ford class carrier.The USS Obama.
Now that would make me really sick to see a ship of that name.
That Saratoga in at the bottom of Bikini Atoll.
Only if you noted I misspelled threat.
I doubt the Indians want a hull from 1956.
And thats what it would be, as by this time literally everything inside it would have to be replaced, rebuilt, etc.
Better new construction.
How many 1956 cars are still on the road? (Outside of Cuba) The fact that there are very few left makes those remaining worth something.
If you were to find one sitting in a farm field somewhere, it would probably not be worth restoring to “like new” condition. If you were to restore it, the project would probably cost more than it would be worth when you were done. The same thing applies to old military machines.
If you were to spend $50M to restore this ship to like new condition, would you have a viable military weapon? There’s only so much demand for old ships to put on display.
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