USS Forrestal CV-59

Named after former Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal, the USS Forrestal was also referred to as "The FID" because Mr. Forrestal was, as the original Secretary of Defense, "First in Defense." She was the largest aircraft carrier since WWII vintage and the first able to support jet aircraft. Commissioned in 1955, she was actually designed with landing signal lights, angled flight deck, and steam catapult, also a first.

The Forrestal had the distinction of winning the Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award, the Meritorious Unit Commendation, and the honor of hosting President Gerald Ford in New York City as he rang in the Bicentennial on July 4, 1976 from Forrestal's flight deck during the International Naval Review.

The Forrestal was frequently used for aviator training and demonstrations of air power before Operation Strikeback, her first NATO operation. The vessel also provided good will in conjunction with visitor hospitality to the United States Secretary of Defense N. H. McElroy and Jordan's King Hussein. History was made by the Forrestal in 1963 as a result of 21 full-stop landings and takeoffs by a C-130 Hercules aboard the ship, the largest and heaviest airplane landing on any Navy aircraft carrier.

In 1968, during an air launch mission, the last airplane accidentally skidded off Forrestal's flight deck and into the water, costing three more airmen their lives. Four years later, while moored at its home base in Norfolk, Virginia, she was the victim of sabotage. A crewmember started a fire in one of the computer rooms, and while water was pumped in to drown the flames, all computer equipment was ruined.

The loss of power caused the ship to take an exaggerated list, but she never capsized as feared. Five years after that incident, an A-7 Corsair II crashed on the flight deck; two deck crewmen were killed and 10 others were injured. This was due to the pilot seeing the signal to land, yet finding the deck was covered with aircraft.

In 1978, the Forrestal participated in Operation Dawn Patrol and another mission named Windbreak, which was near Iceland. She provided training for sailors who had never been exposed to extreme conditions such as hurricane force winds of 70 knots and a wind chill of 0 degrees. After that excursion, she took part in Operation Sea Wind, winning a special liberty at the Captain's choice of destinations.

Since the Captain was from New Orleans, the Forrestal was taken there during Mardi Gras, becoming the largest vessel ever on the Mississippi River. While docked there, more than 40,000 guests toured and watched demonstrations before she left for 108 consecutive days at sea. Her next mission in 1989 experienced major damage from yet another fire, injuring 11 men and costing $2.5.million worth of damage. A few months later, President George H. W. Bush came aboard for a visit during the Malta Summit. This was followed by the Forrestal's last operational deployment in Operation Provide Comfort.

Asbestos Exposure

Although plans had been made to transition the Forrestal into the role of the Navy's main training carrier, the $157 million project was scrapped. The Forrestal was decommissioned in 1993 and stripped for parts to be used by other vessels in her fleet. The following year found the ship redesignated for disposal as a "fishing reef" for fishery propagation, and as of 2007, she was being environmentally prepared for sinking in an unannounced area.

The many fires gave the Forrestal the nicknames of "Forest Fire" and "Zippo." For this very reason, ships at the time heavily relied on asbestos for protection against flames, heat and electricity. While asbestos aboard the Forrestal was able to prevent fires, it posed a serious risk to crew members. If you were exposed to asbestos while serving on the USS Forrestal CV-59 or have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, fill out the request form on this page to receive a free informational packet.

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