1955    

US Forrestal class



Aircraft Carrier

ships





Derivatives / Succeeded by
1961 US Kitty Hawk class
1965         US America (1965) class
1968                 US John F Kennedy class



  Specifications


78000full load (tn)
330length (m)
39.50beam (m)
11draught (m)
34max speed (knots)

4Naval Engine steam turbines




  Shipyards


US New York Naval Shipyard - 2
US Newport News Shipbuilding - 2



  List of Ships


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19551993USUS NavyCV-59USS ForrestalNJVF - 59
19561994USUS NavyCVA-60USS SaratogaNJRS - 60
19571993USUS NavyCVA-61USS RangerNHKG - 61
19591998USUS NavyCVA-62USS IndependenceNNQN - 62
19612009USUS NavyCV-63Kitty Hawk class USS Kitty HawkNZFF - 63
19612003USUS NavyCV-64Kitty Hawk class USS ConstellationNNUL - 64
19651996 sunk 2005USUS NavyCV-66America (1965) class USS AmericaNUSA - 66
19682007USUS NavyCV-67John F Kennedy class USS John F KennedyNJFK - 67

8 units



  Events


1951-jul-12OrderedOrdered US CV-59 USS Forrestal
1952-jul-14Laid downLaid down US CV-59 USS Forrestal
1952-jul-23OrderedOrdered US CVA-60 USS Saratoga as CVB-60
1952-dec-16Laid downLaid down US CVA-60 USS Saratoga as CVA-60, in Brooklyn
1954-jul-02OrderedOrdered US CVA-62 USS Independence
1954-aug-02Laid downLaid down US CVA-61 USS Ranger
1954-dec-11LaunchedLaunched US CV-59 USS Forrestal as CVA-59
1955-jul-01Laid downLaid down US CVA-62 USS Independence
1955-oct-01CommissionedCommissioned US CV-59 USS Forrestal and based at Norfolk, VA
1955-oct-08LaunchedLaunched US CVA-60 USS Saratoga
1956-apr-14CommissionedCommissioned US CVA-60 USS Saratoga
1956-sep-29LaunchedLaunched US CVA-61 USS Ranger
1956-octDeploymentDeployment US CV-59 USS Forrestal operating in Mediterranean with escort USS Des Moines (CA-134) while shadowing the British and French Musketeer operations
1957-aug-10CommissionedCommissioned US CVA-61 USS Ranger at Norfolk Naval Station
1957-octPort VisitPort Visit US CV-59 USS Forrestal visit to Southampton, UK
1958-jun-06LaunchedLaunched US CVA-62 USS Independence
1958-julDeploymentDeployment US CVA-60 USS Saratoga Operation Blue Bat part of US 6th Fleet, when tasked with support for Lebanese stability operations in Eastern Mediterranean. HUP-2 of HU-2 (det 43) were embarked. Operations continued until 23 Aug.
1958-aug-20HomeportHomeport US CVA-61 USS Ranger Alameda, Pacific Fleet
1959-jan-10CommissionedCommissioned US CVA-62 USS Independence
1959-jun-30HomeportHomeport US CVA-62 USS Independence Norfolk, VA
1960-nov-30DeploymentDeployment US CVA-60 USS Saratoga joint US-UK exercise in Western Mediterranean, including HMS Ark Royal, HMS Hermes, HMS Victorious, USS Independence and USS Intrepid.
1960-nov-30DeploymentDeployment US CVA-62 USS Independence joint US-UK exercise in Western Mediterranean, including HMS Ark Royal, HMS Hermes, HMS Victorious, USS Intrepid and USS Saratoga.
1962-augDeploymentDeployment US CV-59 USS Forrestal operating off Portugal with HMS Centaur, HMS Hermes and USS Enterprise during, Exercise RipTide II.
1963-oct-30TrialsTrials US CV-59 USS Forrestal conducted 1st set of deck landing trials with USMC KC-130F 798 off Jacksonville, FL
1963-nov-08TrialsTrials US CV-59 USS Forrestal conducted 2nd set of deck landing trials with USMC KC-130F 798, 90nm E of Boston. Findings led to C-2 Greyhound COD programme.
1967-jul-25DeploymentDeployment US CV-59 USS Forrestal Departed Norfolk VA with her air wing (including a detachment from HS-2) on 6 Jun 1967, for Gulf of Tonkin off Vietnam, arrived 25 Jul. On 29 Jul a weapons release accident caused a huge fire on deck amongst an armed and fuelled strike force. 135 lost their lives bringing the blaze under control. Steamed to Subic Bay for temporary repairs and returned to Norfolk on 15 Sep.
1974-julDeploymentDeployment US CV-59 USS Forrestal Partition of Cyprus detached from US 6th Fleet in Mediterannean and ordered off Cyprus to support and if neccesary evacuate US Nationals in aftermath of Turkish invasion of the island. Operated with support of USS Inchon, HS-3 embarked.
1975-julHomeportHomeport US CV-59 USS Forrestal designation changed to CV-59 and moved to Mayport Naval Station, FL
1981-feb-02Port VisitPort Visit US CVA-62 USS Independence visited Fremantle, until 7 Feb.
1982 US CV-59 USS Forrestal helicopter crash
1986-octAircraftAircraft US CVA-61 USS Ranger port visit English Bay, Vancouver, BC. Sea King 149719
1988-oct-08HomeportHomeport US CVA-62 USS Independence San Diego, CA
1991-sepHomeportHomeport US CVA-62 USS Independence relieved USS Midway at Yokosuka, as forward-deployed carrier, until Aug 1998.
1992-feb-04HomeportHomeport US CV-59 USS Forrestal designation changed to AVT-59 and moved to Pensacola Naval Station, FL
1993-jul-10DecommissionedDecommissioned US CVA-61 USS Ranger at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
1993-sep-11DecommissionedDecommissioned US CV-59 USS Forrestal
1994-aug-20DecommissionedDecommissioned US CVA-60 USS Saratoga
1997-febPort VisitPort Visit US CVA-62 USS Independence first carrier to visit Guam since 1961.
1997-aprPort VisitPort Visit US CVA-62 USS Independence first carrier to visit Port Klang
1998-sep-30DecommissionedDecommissioned US CVA-62 USS Independence at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, WA
2004-mar-08StruckStruck US CVA-62 USS Independence
2014-feb-04Fate: scrappedFate: scrapped US CV-59 USS Forrestal towed from Philadelphia Naval Yard to Texas for scrapping, completed by Dec 2014.
2016-apr-17 US CVA-62 USS Independence still laid up at Puget Sound, pending scrapping in Texas.









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