17 MAY--This Day in US Military History

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 17 May 2015 10:17:22 -0400

2006 – The aircraft carrier USS Oriskany is sunk in the Gulf of Mexico as an artificial reef.

USS Oriskany (CV/CVA-34) – nicknamed Mighty O, and occasionally referred to as the O-boat – was one of the few Essex-class aircraft carriers completed only after World War II for the United States Navy. The ship was named for the Revolutionary War Battle of Oriskany.
The history of Oriskany differs considerably from that of her sister ships. Originally designed as a “long-hulled” Essex-class ship (considered by some authorities to be a separate class, the Ticonderoga class) her construction was suspended in 1947. She eventually was commissioned in 1950 after conversion to an updated design called SCB-27 (“27-Charlie”), which became the template for modernization of 14 other Essex-class ships. Oriskany was the final Essex-class ship completed.
She operated primarily in the Pacific into the 1970s, earning two battle stars for service in the Korean War, and five for service in the Vietnam War. In 1966 one of the worst shipboard fires since World War II broke out on Oriskany when a magnesium flare was accidentally ignited; forty-four men died in the fire. Oriskany‍’s post-service history also differs considerably from that of her sister ships.
Decommissioned in 1976, she was sold for scrap in 1995, but was repossessed in 1997 because nothing was being done (lack of progress). In 2004 it was decided to sink her as an artificial reef off the coast of Florida in the Gulf of Mexico. After much environmental review and remediation to remove toxic substances, she was carefully sunk, settling in an upright position at a depth accessible to recreational divers. As of 2008, Oriskany is “the largest vessel ever sunk to make a reef”.
Oriskany is mentioned in the 1986 film Top Gun as the ship from which the main character’s father had flown during the Vietnam War. She has been featured in films such as Men of the Fighting Lady and The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1954) and What Dreams May Come (1998).

https://thisdayinusmilhist.wordpress.com/2014/05/17/may-17/

May 17

17 May 1673 - Louis Joliet and Jacques Marquette began exploring the Mississippi. 1733 - England passed the Molasses Act, putting high tariffs on rum and molasses imported to the colonies from a co...

Response by SSG Gerhard S. made May 17 at 2015 10:19 AM

SSG Gerhard S. — Sun, 17 May 2015 10:19:45 -0400

Wow, what a long and distinguishable history... Still in service as a reef in my opinion!

Response by PO1 John Meyer, CPC made May 17 at 2015 11:53 AM

PO1 John Meyer, CPC — Sun, 17 May 2015 11:53:59 -0400

I was able to go onboard the Lady Lex (USS Lexington CV-16) when I was stationed in Corpus Christi.

And then my last ship (USS La Salle AGF-3) is also USS Reef.

Response by CWO3 Dennis M. made Jun 14 at 2018 3:37 PM

CWO3 Dennis M. — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 15:37:35 -0400

I served on her sister ship 1968-1970, USS Kearsarge CV-33 out of Long Beach Ca.. Went to Nam on her 1969. She was decommissioned in 1970. She was later sold as scrap!