Aircraft Carrier Sunk in Gulf of Mexico
By MELISSA NELSON
IN THE GULF OF MEXICO (AP) - As hundreds of veterans looked on solemnly, the Navy blew holes in a retired aircraft carrier and sent the 888-foot USS Oriskany to the bottom of the sea Wednesday, creating the world's largest manmade reef.
The rusted hulk took 37 minutes to slip beneath the waves, about 4 1/2 hours faster than predicted, after more than 500 pounds of plastic explosives went off with bright flashes of light and clouds of brown and gray smoke.
Korean and Vietnam War veterans aboard a flotilla of 300 charter boats watched from beyond a one-mile safety perimeter as the ``Mighty O'' went down in 212 feet of water, about 24 miles off Pensacola Beach.
Lloyd Quiter of North Collins, N.Y., who served four tours on the ship in Vietnam, played the attention-all-hands signal on his boatswain's pipe, and wept.
``I'm a little stunned. It's a little hard to take,'' he said.
After the blasts, an acrid smell hung in the air near the ship. The carrier went down stern first, the bow lifting up into the air and creating a giant spray of water as it came down. The blue ocean churned a foamy white as the deck - bright orange with rust - slid under. Hundreds of surrounding boats blew their horns in tribute.
The Oriskany (pronounced oh-RISK-uh-nee) became the first vessel sunk under a Navy program to dispose of old warships by turning them into diving attractions teeming with fish and other marine life.
Over the years, other ships have been turned into reefs, including the warship USS Spiegel Grove, a cargo vessel that was scuttled in 2002 off Key Largo. But that was a civilian project, paid for with a combination of county and private money.
Jack Witter of Fort Pierce, who served as an aviation ordnance operator during the Korean War, joined 34 other veterans to watch the Oriskany go down. The group saluted as the ship vanished underwater.
``I felt good about it,'' Witter said. ``I guess there was a little tear in my eye because a good part of my life went down with her, but it was a fitting end for a good ship.''
The Oriskany, commissioned in 1950 and named after an American Revolutionary War battle, saw duty during the Korean War and was home to John McCain when the Navy pilot and future senator served in Vietnam. It was also among the ships used by President Kennedy in a show of force during the 1962 Cuban missile crisis. It was decommissioned in 1976.
McCain was shot down over Hanoi in 1967 after taking off from the Oriskany and was held as a prisoner of war for five years.
``It was a small, old carrier that fought very valiantly, and I'm very proud to have been a part of the air wing that served with great courage and distinction,'' McCain told CNN on Wednesday.
McCain said he had hoped the ship would be turned into a museum, but the artificial reef will ``provide a lot of recreation and a lot of good times for people.''
The $20 million sinking was delayed for nearly two years by hurricanes and environmental permitting problems. The ship will not be open to recreational divers until at least Friday, so that Navy divers can explore the wreck and check for any hazards.
The Environmental Protection Agency in February approved the sinking of the ship, which had toxins in its electrical cables, insulation and paint. EPA officials said the toxins will slowly leach out over the estimated 100 years it will take the carrier to rust away, and should pose no danger to marine life.
Marine wildlife experts planned to monitor the waters.
Local leaders hope the reef brings a long-awaited economic infusion from sport divers and fishermen. A 2004 Florida State University study estimated Escambia County would see $92 million a year in economic benefits from an artificial reef.
Aircraft Carrier Sunk in Gulf of Mexico
Aircraft Carrier Sunk in Gulf of Mexico
I've never seen anything like that, Rapunzel, and I wish I had.
There's a couple of small ships deliberately sunk around the UK for divers, but not many and nothing remotely that large. I've always avoided diving on wrecks, I never thought I was good enough to be safe near one.
There's a couple of small ships deliberately sunk around the UK for divers, but not many and nothing remotely that large. I've always avoided diving on wrecks, I never thought I was good enough to be safe near one.
Nullius in verba ... ☎||||||||||| ... To Fate I sue, of other means bereft, the only refuge for the wretched left.
When flower power came along I stood for Human Rights, marched around for peace and freedom, had some nooky every night - we took it serious.
Who has a spare two minutes to play in this month's FG Trivia game! ... My other OS is Slackware.
When flower power came along I stood for Human Rights, marched around for peace and freedom, had some nooky every night - we took it serious.
Who has a spare two minutes to play in this month's FG Trivia game! ... My other OS is Slackware.
Aircraft Carrier Sunk in Gulf of Mexico
Even though it's sad, I also think its a well-thought-out plan for recycling and for encouraging tourism. It's not often that government bods are so far-sighted!
I know a lot of people dive on old wrecks all along the south coast, on ships that were sunk in storms or by smugglers, hundreds of years ago.
They've even thought about the leaching of toxins and how that will affect the environment. I was impressed by their foresight and wish other governments, like ours, could use more common sense in their planning.
I know a lot of people dive on old wrecks all along the south coast, on ships that were sunk in storms or by smugglers, hundreds of years ago.
They've even thought about the leaching of toxins and how that will affect the environment. I was impressed by their foresight and wish other governments, like ours, could use more common sense in their planning.
Aircraft Carrier Sunk in Gulf of Mexico
I got to dive on some WWII wrecks at St. Thomas last year, it was pretty fun, although I really didn't get that "mysterious" feeling I thought I would. Mostly just a "tired" feeling!:D
All the world's a stage and the men and women merely players...Shakespeare
Aircraft Carrier Sunk in Gulf of Mexico
The Environmental Protection Agency in February approved the sinking of the ship, which had toxins in its electrical cables, insulation and paint. EPA officials said the toxins will slowly leach out over the estimated 100 years it will take the carrier to rust away, and should pose no danger to marine life.
I have a real problem with this. Toxins leaching out into the water for 100 years?? How can they possibly know the effect that will have even 25 years from now? Sorry to not be as awed as the rest of you, but this sounds like something someone is going to regret doing.
I have a real problem with this. Toxins leaching out into the water for 100 years?? How can they possibly know the effect that will have even 25 years from now? Sorry to not be as awed as the rest of you, but this sounds like something someone is going to regret doing.
[FONT=Arial Black]I hope you cherish this sweet way of life, and I hope you know that it comes with a price.
~Darrel Worley~
[/FONT]
Bullet's trial was a farce. Can I get an AMEN?????
We won't be punished for our sins, but BY them.
~Darrel Worley~
[/FONT]
Bullet's trial was a farce. Can I get an AMEN?????
We won't be punished for our sins, but BY them.
Aircraft Carrier Sunk in Gulf of Mexico
Could be somebody will regret it... but when you think about it...
those toxins are on EARTH, anyway. Wherever they were to put it,
unless they blasted it into space (which presents more problems LOL)
those toxins would leach SOMEWHERE. Land or water tables or
something.
My hope is that the good it does as a reef will offset the other. And
overall, the ocean is a pretty good place for breaking stuff up.
It's truly amazing the "detergent" action of the ocean.
:-6
those toxins are on EARTH, anyway. Wherever they were to put it,
unless they blasted it into space (which presents more problems LOL)
those toxins would leach SOMEWHERE. Land or water tables or
something.
My hope is that the good it does as a reef will offset the other. And
overall, the ocean is a pretty good place for breaking stuff up.
It's truly amazing the "detergent" action of the ocean.
:-6
Aircraft Carrier Sunk in Gulf of Mexico
valerie wrote: Could be somebody will regret it... but when you think about it...
those toxins are on EARTH, anyway. Wherever they were to put it,
unless they blasted it into space (which presents more problems LOL)
those toxins would leach SOMEWHERE. Land or water tables or
something.
My hope is that the good it does as a reef will offset the other. And
overall, the ocean is a pretty good place for breaking stuff up.
It's truly amazing the "detergent" action of the ocean.
:-6
I'm all for creating man-made reefs to encourage marine life into new homes, but the toxins weren't dumped "anywhere", they were dumped into our ocean. Does anyone else see the possible repercussions of this action?
those toxins are on EARTH, anyway. Wherever they were to put it,
unless they blasted it into space (which presents more problems LOL)
those toxins would leach SOMEWHERE. Land or water tables or
something.
My hope is that the good it does as a reef will offset the other. And
overall, the ocean is a pretty good place for breaking stuff up.
It's truly amazing the "detergent" action of the ocean.
:-6
I'm all for creating man-made reefs to encourage marine life into new homes, but the toxins weren't dumped "anywhere", they were dumped into our ocean. Does anyone else see the possible repercussions of this action?
[FONT=Arial Black]I hope you cherish this sweet way of life, and I hope you know that it comes with a price.
~Darrel Worley~
[/FONT]
Bullet's trial was a farce. Can I get an AMEN?????
We won't be punished for our sins, but BY them.
~Darrel Worley~
[/FONT]
Bullet's trial was a farce. Can I get an AMEN?????
We won't be punished for our sins, but BY them.
Aircraft Carrier Sunk in Gulf of Mexico
If you consider http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europ ... ceau.reut/ it might be interesting to ask whether sinking the USS Oriskany as an artificial reef was in fact the cheapest disposal option available. It's so easy to put a positive spin on any story.
Nullius in verba ... ☎||||||||||| ... To Fate I sue, of other means bereft, the only refuge for the wretched left.
When flower power came along I stood for Human Rights, marched around for peace and freedom, had some nooky every night - we took it serious.
Who has a spare two minutes to play in this month's FG Trivia game! ... My other OS is Slackware.
When flower power came along I stood for Human Rights, marched around for peace and freedom, had some nooky every night - we took it serious.
Who has a spare two minutes to play in this month's FG Trivia game! ... My other OS is Slackware.
Aircraft Carrier Sunk in Gulf of Mexico
I think the EPA is pretty tough on that kind of thing... but I guess I
should really have reserved comment, I don't know enough about it
to speak.
should really have reserved comment, I don't know enough about it
to speak.
Aircraft Carrier Sunk in Gulf of Mexico
valerie wrote: I think the EPA is pretty tough on that kind of thing... but I guess I
should really have reserved comment, I don't know enough about it
to speak.
I agree. The EPA are very fastidious in the standards they set, as far as I am aware.
I would imaging the leaching is slow and presumably negligible in parts-per-million of toxins compared to parts-per-million of units of sea-water. They will also be monitoring the area and can presumably remove the ship should toxin levels rise. I would also imagine most of the cabling and insulation were removed before sinking occurred. My dad worked on boats for years and this stuff was always removed from condemned boats before they were released.
should really have reserved comment, I don't know enough about it
to speak.
I agree. The EPA are very fastidious in the standards they set, as far as I am aware.
I would imaging the leaching is slow and presumably negligible in parts-per-million of toxins compared to parts-per-million of units of sea-water. They will also be monitoring the area and can presumably remove the ship should toxin levels rise. I would also imagine most of the cabling and insulation were removed before sinking occurred. My dad worked on boats for years and this stuff was always removed from condemned boats before they were released.