You know the Navy doesn't want that ship. It is the only item in the Navy where some actually believe the thing is cursed. Bush1 and Cheney didnt mess up that ship, the DOD did keep her out too long, but her refit was screwed up, and the Captain did not report same out of fear for his own career. He put men and the ship at risk, and should have been relieved long before he finally was. Then the next guy was relieved too.
Go back and read my post Pukin Dog I said Poppy and Cheney ran the AMERICA into the ground as did Slick Willie especially when he deployed her the third time in three years. I can back up what I say also. Just follow me a few lines and I'll show you. Congressional Record 24 February 1994 [Page: S1853] Her stated condition when this article was began August 1993 roughly 8 months into Clintons term minus about 4-6 weeks for time line that senior lifer wrote letter about puts in likely in June 5 months into Clinton's term. But it would take longer than even 7 to get like this.
AUGUST 10, 1993 excerpt {Below Decks chapter}:The America needs constant attention. Commissioned in 1965, it is showing its age. A month before leaving Norfolk, a senior enlisted crew member complained to his congressman: The ship was operating on only two of its six electric generators, without radar and unable to pump fuel. This would be its third six-month cruise in three years, and without the standard 18 months at home for repairs, salt water and full steaming had taken their toll.
You were VF-143 according to my crusie book your squadron was on the AMERICA in the early-mid 1970's. OK to the article. I was a snipe on her for 4 years in the AC&R shop. My job was the ships Air Conditioning and refrigeration plants. That meant I had a good understanding of the electronics heat loads and knew some of the electrical load limitations. Two of six generators underway meant no A/C or no functional chillers. No functional chillers meant such places as V.A.S.T., Operations, Radar, and other equipment would be very limited in function if at all especially in June.
Why no chillers? Because we were one of the biggest single consumers of electricity second maybe to the air craft elevators maybe even the top user. She had 3-150 Ton Capacity York Chillers start draw approx 1200 amps run amps approx 180 amps. We had 6-200 TON York Chillers start amperage approx 1200-1500 est. Run amps 220. We had a 10th unit added in 1980 approx a 350 ton {Not absolute on that I was a short timer} start amps likely 1500 amps run amps 350 est.
Two generators would be primitive operations with boilers, feed water pumps, desal plant, and Fire Pumps etc having first priority. Next would be AC units. My best guess is 2 units at the very most functional and likely 60 degree plus chill water temps. The Twidgets called us when it hit 54 degrees in a panic. The most for certain one functional electronics item would be the gyro. I won't say why but I do know :>}
Doing the first two cruises meant she was ready for serious yard time. From December 90- August 93 she did 2 MED I/O's and a NATO then left on the third. In March 1994 at Pier 12 she had a boiler room explosion as shown here Note as well other explosion 1989. That one was in 6 pump room on the port aft chow line. It killed two grapes as it was a JP-5 pump room. USS AMERICA
She was ran to an early grave because maintenance rotations were missed.
As for the JFK hang that one on Slick Wille. The ship was put in active reserve and was not kept up. The Captain of the ship has no say over what the Pentagon funds and what it does not in the way of shipyard repairs. Some repairs are only shipyard doable. Even to replace an oven in the galley the hanger deck has to be cut open. You were squadron I was ships company and know what it takes to keep them going. Even a nuke carrier will see a 3 month yard period after a 6 month deployment and a 9-12 month yard period after the third one or every 5 years. The auxiliary equipment will demand the attention.
That is what happened after 9/11 to the JFK and the KITTY HAWK. Some Captains paid for some Admirals and a SEC of Nav's wrongs. This one was done in the Pentagon and not on the ship.