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NCWayne 11-29-2012 22:28:57 69.40.232.132 Report to Moderator

Sad to see another great ship go to the scrapper. I spent 2 years aboard the USS America (CV-66). many people don't know it but the America was, technically, an Enterprise class ship even though she wasn't nuclear powered. I heard rumors while aboard her that she was supposed to have been nuclear powered and that was why many spaces were as tight for room as they were. Basically the conventional equipment took up more room than the nuke equipment did. Anyway, in my last few months aboard as I was assigned as the Shipboard Damage Control LPO for the Engineering Department. I was responsible for spaces from the front end to the aft end, port to starboard side, and just under the flight deck down to the lowest levels. As such I had access to old blueprints, parts lists, etc that had never been changed since inception and still had her listed as a CVN. I got several emails some years back where groups were petitioning to have the old girl turned into a floating museum since it was the only surviving ship named America. Unfortunately things didn't work out like everyone wanted. It still bothers me to know that the regal warship I've got pics of hanging on my wall is now sitting several miles under the ocean after being used for target practice. Of course the first ship I was on, the William V Pratt (DDG 44) is probably now part of some new building in China...........that's even worse............ [Reply]   [No Email]