Nate Posted October 24, 2013 Share #1 Posted October 24, 2013 the historic aircraft carrier USS Forrestal sold for a penny So with the budget crisis and all, I might have asked for a dollar, but hell... The USS Forrestal holds a special place in Navy history. Most of you would have no idea about this sort of Naval history. This is history that isn't written down, but a history that only exists in the stories among fleet sailors... The USS Forrestal had an accident in the late 60s that caught the ship on fire in one of the worst accidents at sea in modern naval history. It was still in commission as a reservist training ship when I was in 25 years ago. Orders to the Forrestal were like getting handed a 4 year sentence from a judge, Nobody wanted to be ships company on that boat The ship's nickname in the fleet was the "Forest Fire" The training film we all had to watch in boot camp was full of footage from the Forrestal and was called "Learn or Burn" It caught on fire a few more times, too, just not so bad that it had to be made public So right there with the "Sinking Sara" (the USS Saratoga has chronic hull integrity problems and is always taking on water) and the "Tiltin' Hilton" (USS Midway's flight deck was extended to accomodate jets, and afterward the ship listed to one side) this ship who had one of the best nicknames in the fleet is being sold for scrap so long old girl, we'll be shaving with you soon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indy Posted October 24, 2013 Share #2 Posted October 24, 2013 You would've thought they could've gotten more than that for scrap metal. I know I just sold an old combine for scrap metal for a heck of lot more than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate Posted October 24, 2013 Author Share #3 Posted October 24, 2013 that much of it, yea, you'd think probably falls under the Cash for Clunkers program they say the price was based on the estimated cost of towing it from Philly to Texas and then dismanteling it versus the market value of the metal I say Obammy must need to buy some votes in Texas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chopped Liver Posted October 24, 2013 Share #4 Posted October 24, 2013 If it's anything like some of the other navy vessels, no one would pay that much for it. The ship would have to be thoroughly cleaned before the metal can be recycled, and that would cost far more than what you would get for the metal as scrap or recycling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate Posted October 24, 2013 Author Share #5 Posted October 24, 2013 that's probably why they set the price at a penny. A nominal price so they could close the books we'll be shaving with the Forest Fire when they turn her in to razor blades its like horses and the glue factory old ships get turned in to razor blades that reminds me, I forgot to shave this morning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randomguy Posted October 24, 2013 Share #6 Posted October 24, 2013 If it's anything like some of the other navy vessels, no one would pay that much for it. The ship would have to be thoroughly cleaned before the metal can be recycled, and that would cost far more than what you would get for the metal as scrap or recycling. Can't you just melt that metal down to liquid and burn off whatever is on it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chopped Liver Posted October 24, 2013 Share #7 Posted October 24, 2013 Can't you just melt that metal down to liquid and burn off whatever is on it? Depends on what it is....some of that stuff is probably worse in vapor form.....or may combine to make things even worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indy Posted October 24, 2013 Share #8 Posted October 24, 2013 Depends on what it is....some of that stuff is probably worse in vapor form.....or may combine to make things even worse. Then sell it China, they don't care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate Posted October 24, 2013 Author Share #9 Posted October 24, 2013 the thing is that steel is a mixture of iron and carbon, so when you melt down painted, dirty, oily metal you get a bunch of crap and dross in your final product which will be some sort of alloy, but it probably won't be good steel that's why they basically take the metal, clean it up and cut it into razor blades Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsharr ★ Posted October 24, 2013 Share #10 Posted October 24, 2013 Modo has it right. So many hazardous substances that have to be tested for, mititgated, etc prior to scrapping that do it legally and right in the US is going to be expensive. Send it to India or China and it would be Hyundais and AK 47s by next week. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Road Runner Posted October 24, 2013 Share #11 Posted October 24, 2013 The USS Forrestal had an accident in the late 60s that caught the ship on fire in one of the worst accidents at sea in modern naval history. I was working at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard at the time. After she returned to Norfolk Naval Base, many of us were sent to assess the damage and repair. We rode the ship from the Base to the Shipyard. At this time, most of the carnage had been removed, but the damage to the flight deck and the decks below was tremendous. An ever-present stench still dominated the air. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Road Runner Posted October 24, 2013 Share #12 Posted October 24, 2013 The ship's nickname in the fleet was the "Forest Fire" Although we in the shipyard also referred to her as "The Forest Fire", she had another name for us because she spent so much time in for repairs at the yard. Her hull number was CV-59, so we called her "Pier 59". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Silly Posted October 24, 2013 Share #13 Posted October 24, 2013 FTA: It's perhaps best known for a 1967 incident in which stray voltage triggered an accidental explosion that struck a plane on the flight deck whose cockpit was occupied by a young John McCain. So not only did McCain crash 6 jets in Viet Nam he took out a US aircraft carrier as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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