This Deadly Naval Incident Shocked the Nation – 134 Sailors Never Made It Home!

The USS Forrestal (CV-59) served the U.S. Navy for almost four decades, seeing action in various combat operations. However, its most infamous chapter occurred during a catastrophic flight deck accident in 1967, resulting in significant casualties and damage. Despite the tragedy, it prompted a pivotal change in Navy training, ensuring such a disaster would never be repeated.

The Forrestal’s Early Service

Commissioned on October 1, 1955, the USS Forrestal led a new class of aircraft carriers, marking the Navy’s first “supercarrier” designed specifically for jet aircraft operations. Early in her service, she was stationed in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, playing a crucial role during the Suez Crisis. The vessel also provided support off the coast of Beirut during the 1958 Lebanon crisis.

In 1963, the Forrestal made history when a Lockheed C-130 Hercules became the largest aircraft to ever land on a carrier, completing 21 full-stop landings and takeoffs. The following year, the Forrestal was sent to Brazil as part of U.S. support for a military coup. These missions highlighted her early influence, setting the stage for what was to come.

The 1967 Flight Deck Explosion

By June 1967, the Forrestal was positioned in the Gulf of Tonkin, supporting air raids during the Vietnam War. Aircraft from Attack Carrier Air Wing 17 launched missions from her deck, conducting what was, at the time, the Navy’s most intense air raid campaign.

On July 29, 1967, an electrical malfunction on an F-4B Phantom II led to the accidental firing of a Mk 32 “Zuni” rocket. The rocket struck a nearby A-4E Skyhawk, dislodging a fuel tank and triggering a massive fire. Senator John McCain, then a Navy pilot, was inside the Skyhawk and narrowly escaped. The fire rapidly spread, and subsequent explosions rocked the ship, killing firefighting teams and further intensifying the blaze.

The Deadly Aftermath

The explosion set off a chain reaction, igniting more fires that took over 24 hours to fully extinguish. One of the worst blows came when a 1,000-pound bomb detonated, causing extensive damage and claiming the lives of dozens of sailors. Some were trapped in their aircraft, while others were killed in their quarters when an explosion occurred directly overhead.

Efforts to control the fire were bolstered by destroyers USS Rupertus and George K. MacKenzie, whose crews fought to contain the blaze. Despite their best efforts, 134 sailors lost their lives, and many more were injured. The ship itself sustained over $70 million in damages, with more than 20 aircraft destroyed.

This tragedy remains one of the deadliest incidents on a U.S. Navy vessel since World War II. For those aboard, the choices were grim: face the raging fire or plunge into dangerous waters. Survivors recounted the harrowing scenes of destruction and loss.

Navy Training Reforms

In the aftermath, the Navy conducted a thorough investigation into its firefighting procedures. Rear Adm. Forsyth Massey, who led the Aircraft Carrier Safety Review Panel, noted that “Poor and outdated doctrinal and technical documentation of ordnance and aircraft equipment and procedures, evident at all levels of command, was a contributing cause of the accidental rocket firing.”

The investigation led to sweeping changes in the Navy’s approach to training and safety. New protocols were introduced to ensure that sailors were better equipped to handle such emergencies, and these reforms have been maintained to this day. The disaster on the Forrestal became a lesson that saved lives in the years that followed.

Post-Tragedy Service and Decommissioning

Amazingly, the USS Forrestal survived the devastation of July 1967. After extensive repairs, she returned to duty, taking part in numerous operations over the next few decades, including the Gulf of Sidra incident in 1981 and Operation Earnest Will in the Middle East. The carrier was also on standby during the Gulf War and later provided air support in Operation Provide Comfort in 1991.

In 1993, the USS Forrestal was decommissioned and converted into a training carrier. Attempts to preserve her as a museum failed, and she was eventually scrapped in 2015. Today, her legacy lives on, with a model displayed in the National Museum of the U.S. Navy’s exhibit on the Vietnam War.

The USS Forrestal’s story is not just one of tragedy but also one of resilience and transformation. From her early days as the Navy’s first supercarrier to her role in changing safety protocols, the ship played a pivotal part in naval history, ensuring that the lessons of the past would not be forgotten.