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USS America (CV-66)

The USS America was commissioned in 1965; the same year saw her first A-4C Skyhawk catapult launch. She would continue to gain prestige and acknowledgement for her countless exemplary missions, earning three Navy Unit Commendations, five battle stars, and the 1995 Battenberg Cup award.

Her Early Presence

In 1966, USS America participated in her first humanitarian effort, spending over 1,700 man-hours at the the Guantanamo Naval Base, aiding in the recovery of operations after Hurricane Inez devastated the area. During the next year, she took part in much training, then consequent exercises with forces from other countries. (Docked in Italy, she enjoyed visits by 1,675 guests who wanted to tour her to tour the hangar and flight decks.) This was followed by the hosting of news people from the papers and television networks of America, England, Greece, and West Germany, who recorded her shipboard routine while reporting on Mideast developments.

In 1967, during the Six Day War, the USS Liberty was inadvertently attacked by Israel. Not aware of who had attacked the Liberty, America launched four A-4 Skyhawk attack bombers in response before reaching the Liberty with medical personnel. (As she sided up along the Liberty's cannon-punctured and shell-perforated side, 2000 crewmen watched in silence, but as their helicopters brought 50 wounded and nine of the 35 dead onto the deck, all gave the Libery and her crew a deafening, spontaneous cheer.) America then welcomed midshipmen from the United States Naval Academy and Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps for 12 weeks, before hosting a visit for the Mayor of Thessaloniki, the American Consul, and approximately 75 Greek Army officers and civilians. America's Phantom downed her first MiG-21 of the Vietnam War in 1968, and in 1970, her A-7E Corsair II became the first to be launched in combat. Shortly after, in Manila, the America welcomed aboard the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand E. Marcos, with a 21-gun salute.

Accidents and Achievements

In 1972, in the number two catapult spaces, a fire broke out on board, but it did not keep America from her duties. She reached her 100,000th landing the following year, and in 1973, rushed to the aid of the Harry W. Adams,a sailing schooner from Nova Scotia. With a disabled engine and no pump power, the Harry W. Adams was taking on water until America's helicopters provided rescue specialists. The following year, America answered a distress call and one of her helicoters found a disabled craft which was towed aboard; it was, however, not the boat in question, so America returned to the waters to successfully perform another search and rescue in the same night-in extreme weather conditions. In 1978, a Grumman S-3 Viking antisubmarine aircraft went over the side of America while attempting to land on her deck; tragically, neither of the pilots were ever recovered. Two years later, she was given the Sea Sparrow missile as well as the Phalanx machine gun. During 1981, America performed another two rescue missions; she flew helicopters with damage control equipment and the ship's fire department to the Greek vessel, Aikaterini, and her planes located the Greek merchant ship Irene Sincerity, also on fire, allowing 39 crew members to be rescued by the California. Later that year, after conducting a burial-at-sea of one of her airmen shot down over North Vietnam 9 years earlier (the Vietnamese government had just returned his remains), a fire broke out on the America in a steam trunk line which transported steam to the flight deck's catapult system. The fire party isolated the fire, and although general quarters were ordered, the blaze was contained. Also in 1981, two A-6E Intruders fired AGM-84 Harpoon missiles and sank an enemy craft in the first use of the Harpoon in combat. In 1986, America launched six A-6 Intruder strike aircraft in the Operation El Dorado Canyon against Libya, and 3 years later, evacuated the American Embassy in Lebanon, before serving in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. America was the first to utilize "C4I" equipment, which blended systems such as Navy Tactical Command System Afloat, the Contingency Tactical Action Planning System and Advance Tracking Prototype, giving her the best ability to process complex intelligence in her fleet. She was the only Navy ship to operate on both sides of the Arabian Peninsula during Desert Storm, attacking troop, tank and artillery sites, and thus helped secure Kuwait's liberation within 100 hours, without losing a single aircraft.

Controversial Retirement

America was retired early due to a major power-plant failure, decommissioned in 1996, and then sent to the Navy's Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility in Philadelphia. Within the next few years, it was decided that she would prove helpful in the design of future aircraft carriers if allowed to become the recipient of live-fire tests. This caused much objection; it was argued that no ship named after the nation should be deliberately sunk at sea. Former crew members and other supporters created a committee in the pursuance of designating America as a museum ship, but their efforts failed. She was blasted with explosives to simulate attacks and then sunk in a 2005, with no publicity, 250 miles off the North Carolina coast, and 250 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras at 2,810 fathoms (16,860 feet).

America did receive publicity, however, by mention in the novels "The Hunt for Red October" and "Red Storm Rising", and in the computer game "F-19 Stealth Fighter". She may also receive more publicity, however, if it's found that former members of her crew have developed lung diseases as a result of asbestos exposure on board. Asbestos use was common on all carriers, since fire prevention was tantamount. Unfortunately, it may also have posed health risks if any fibers entered the ship's air circulation system.

If you were exposed to asbestos while serving on the USS Maryland, or have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, Asbestos.com offers a free packet with more information. Enter your contact information in the form in the right column and we'll send a copy immediately.

Aircraft Carriers Index

USS America USS Antietam CV 36 K USS Antietam CV 36 USS Badoeng Strait CVE 116 USS Bairoko CVE 115 USS Bairoko CVE 115 USS Belleau wood CVL 24 USS Bennington CV 20 USS Bon Homme Richard CVa USS Boxer CV USS Bunker CV USS Cabot CVL 28 USS Constellation CV USS Coral Sea CV USS Corregidor CVE 58 USS Sable ix USS San jacinto CVL USS Saratoga CV USS Saratoga CV3 USS Shangri La

USS Cowpens CVL 25 USS Enterprise CV 6 USS Enterprise CVN USS Essex CV 9 USS Forrestal CV USS Franklin CV 13 USS Hancock CV 19 USS Hornet CV 12 USS Hornet CV 8 USS Independence C1 USS Independence CVL 22 USS Intrepid CV 11 USS Kearsage CV 33 USS Kearsage CV USS Kitty Hawk USS Sicily CVe USS Sitkoh bay USS Tarawa CV USS Ticonderoga CV USS Valley forge CV

USS Lake Champlain CV 39 USS Langley CV 1 USS Langley CVL 27 USS Lexington CV 16 USS Lexington CV 2 USS Leyte CV 32 USS Midway CV USS Oriskany CV USS Phillipine Sea CV USS Point cruz CVE USS Princeton CV USS Princeton CVL USS Randolph CV USS Ranger CV USS Rendova USS Wasp CV 18 USS Wasp CV 7 USS Wolverine IX 64 USS Yorktown CV 10 USS Yorktown CV 5

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