USS Saratoga (CV-60)
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USS Saratoga underway in 1992
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History | |
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United States | |
Name | Saratoga |
Namesake | Saratoga |
Ordered | 23 July 1952 |
Builder | New York Naval Shipyard |
Cost | $209.7 million[2] |
Laid down | 16 December 1952 |
Launched | 8 October 1955 |
Acquired | 14 April 1956 |
Commissioned | 14 April 1956 |
Decommissioned | 20 August 1994 |
Reclassified |
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Stricken | 20 August 1994 |
Identification |
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Nickname(s) | Sara |
Fate | Scrapped in 2019[1] |
Badge | |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Forrestal-class aircraft carrier |
Displacement | 81,101 long tons (82,402 t) full, 61,235 long tons (62,218 t) light, 19,866 long tons (20,185 t) dead |
Length | 1,063 ft (324 m) |
Beam | 130 ft (40 m) waterline, 252 ft (77 m) extreme |
Draft | 37 ft (11 m) |
Propulsion |
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Speed | 35 kn (65 km/h; 40 mph) |
Complement | 552 officers, 4988 men |
Sensors and processing systems | |
Electronic warfare & decoys | Mark 36 SRBOC |
Armament |
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Aircraft carried | 70–90 |
USS Saratoga (CV/CVA/CVB-60), was the second of four
Commissioned in 1956, she spent most of her career in the
Saratoga was decommissioned in 1994, and was stored at Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island. Multiple unsuccessful attempts were made to preserve her as a museum ship. The Navy paid ESCO Marine of Brownsville, Texas, one cent to take the ship for dismantling and recycling. On 15 September 2014, ex-Saratoga arrived in Brownsville, Texas, to be scrapped. Scrapping was completed by early 2019.
Construction and trials
She was ordered as a "Large Aircraft Carrier",
Service history
1950s
For the next several months, Saratoga conducted various engineering, flight, steering, structural, and gunnery tests. On 18 August, she sailed for
On 6 June 1957, President of the United States
Also in 1957, Saratoga conducted Regulus guided missile tests. She was one of ten aircraft carriers configured to operate the turbojet powered subsonic guided missile and only one of six carriers to ever actually launch the missile (performing two test launches) providing the first United States Navy nuclear strategic deterrence force.[4]
The carrier departed Mayport on 3 September 1957 for her maiden transatlantic voyage. Saratoga sailed into the
On 1 February 1958, Saratoga departed Mayport for the Mediterranean and her first deployment with the Sixth Fleet. From this date through 31 December 1967 she was to spend a part of each year in the Mediterranean on a total of eight cruises. The remainder of the time, she either operated off the coast of Florida or was in port undergoing restricted availability.[3]
1960s
On the night of 24–25 May 1960, Saratoga collided with the German freighter Bernd Leonhardt off North Carolina. The freighter's bridge and superstructure were damaged by the carrier's flight-deck.[5] The results of an investigation were never published, but repairs to the freighter, amounting to about 2.5 million German marks, were paid for by the U.S. Navy.[6]
While deployed with the Sixth Fleet on 23 January 1961, a serious fire broke out in Saratoga's number two machinery space which took seven lives.
After an extensive shipyard period in the second half of 1964, Saratoga departed for the Mediterranean, arriving just before Christmas 1964. Ports visited over the next 6 months were Naples, Athens, Cannes, Valencia, Istanbul, and Malta. Another routine Med cruise was undertaken in 1966. The Med cruise from June to December 1967 was anything but routine. Immediately after entering the Med, Saratoga was deployed to the eastern Mediterranean during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, where her medical facility was used to treat survivors of the Israeli attack on USS Liberty. Later on she was involved in a near collision with the cruiser Little Rock, which cut across Saratoga's bow during flight operations. Saratoga had messaged indicating that she was planning to turn to starboard. This would put Little Rock on the outside of the turn because Little Rock was on the port side. As the carrier indicated she was executing her turn, Little Rock increased speed to maintain position. Unfortunately, Saratoga turned to port, putting Little Rock across her bow. Fortunately there was little damage and no injuries reported.[8] During the return voyage in early December 1967, Saratoga spent several days in a fierce Atlantic storm, which caused heavy damage to external catwalks on the flight deck, garbage chute, and boat sponsons. She arrived in Mayport on 6 December.
On 2 January 1968, Saratoga sailed for the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, and an overhaul and modernization program which was to last 11 months. On 31 January 1969, she departed Philadelphia for Guantanamo, via Hampton Roads and Mayport, and extensive refresher training of the crew and air detachments.[3]
On 17 May 1969, Armed Forces Day, she was the host ship for President Richard Nixon during the firepower demonstration conducted by Carrier Air Wing Three in the Virginia Capes area. On 9 July, she departed Mayport for her ninth Mediterranean deployment. Underway, a Soviet surface force and a November-class submarine passed in close proximity, en route to Cuba. Off the Azores on 17 July, Saratoga was shadowed by Kipelovo-based Soviet aircraft. They were intercepted, photographed, and escorted while in the vicinity of the carrier. She operated with Task Group 60.2 of the Sixth Fleet in the eastern Mediterranean during September in a "show of force" in response to the large build-up of Soviet surface units there, the hijacking of a Trans World Airlines plane to Syria and the political coup in Libya. Numerous surveillance and reconnaissance flights were conducted by Carrier Wing Three aircraft against Soviet surface units, including the helicopter carrier Soviet helicopter carrier Moskva, operating southeast of Crete. Saratoga operated in this area again in October because of the crisis in Lebanon.[3]
1970s
Saratoga returned to Mayport and the Florida coast from 22 January until 11 June 1970 when she again sailed for duty with the Sixth Fleet.[3]
On 28 September 1970, President Richard Nixon and his party arrived on board. That night, word was received that Gamal Abdel Nasser, President of the United Arab Republic had died; an event that might plunge the entire Middle East into a crisis. The intelligence and communications personnel of the Saratoga were required to supply the President, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Secretaries of State and Defense with the essential intelligence information to keep them abreast of the deteriorating situation. The presidential party departed the ship the next evening, and Saratoga continued on patrol in the eastern Mediterranean until she sailed for the United States on 2 November.[3]
From her arrival at Mayport until 10 March 1971, she was in a "cold iron" status. She then operated off the Florida coast until 7 June when she departed for her eleventh deployment with the Sixth Fleet, via Scotland and the North Sea where she participated in exercise "Magic Sword II." She returned to Mayport on 31 October for a period of restricted availability and local operations.[3]
Vietnam War
On 11 April 1972, Saratoga sailed from Mayport en route to
During the first period, Saratoga lost four aircraft and three pilots. On 21 June, two of her
On 6 August, LT Jim Lloyd of
During the period 2 to 19 September, Saratoga's aircraft flew over 800 combat strike missions against targets in
Saratoga departed "Yankee Station" for Subic Bay on 7 January 1973. From there she sailed for the United States via Singapore and arrived at Mayport on 13 February 1973 where she joined the Atlantic Fleet.[3]
Return to Atlantic Fleet
In the beginning of 1975, Saratoga took part in the Locked Gate-75, a
Saratoga sailed from Mayport, Florida January 1976 for another Med cruise. On board her was VS-22 with the first deployment of the S-3A Viking anti-submarine aircraft. She also took part in operations during the Lebanon crisis in 1976.
On 3 October 1978, the Saratoga departed on another Mediterranean deployment returning on 5 April 1979.[citation needed] On 21 November 1978, Saratoga collided with the replenishment oiler Waccamaw while operating with the Sixth Fleet, during a refueling operation 50 miles (80 km) south of Crete, suffering minor damage and no injuries.[9]
1980s
In March 1980, Saratoga embarked airwing CVW-3 and departed on their 16th Mediterranean deployment. Highlights of the deployment included major exercises with the USS Forrestal battle group, and visits by the Chief of Naval Operations, ADM Thomas B. Hayward, and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Thomas C. Crow. Then-commanding officer, CAPT James H. Flatley III, made naval aviation history on 21 June 1980 when he completed his 1,500th carrier arrested landing. To make the event special, Midshipman James H. Flatley IV, the Captain's son, rode in the back seat.
On 28 September 1980, only one month after her return from deployment, Saratoga departed Mayport and headed north to the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard where she underwent the most extensive industrial overhaul ever performed on any Navy ship. Saratoga was the first ship to go through the Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) overhaul that would last 28 months. She conducted sea trials on 16 October 1982, and left Philadelphia with much fanfare on 2 February 1983 with her new nickname — "Super Sara."
The Saratoga departed the Mayport Basin yet again for her 17th Mediterranean deployment on 2 April 1984.
Saratoga's 18th deployment was anything but ordinary. After departing Mayport in August 1985, Saratoga steamed toward the Mediterranean for what was scheduled to be a routine deployment. But on 10 October, she was called into action. An Italian luxury liner,
On 5 December 1985 Saratoga became the first aircraft carrier to dock pierside on the island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.[11]
On 23 March 1986, while operating off coast of Libya, aircraft from the carriers Saratoga,
Friendly fire shoot-down incident
At 1550 EDT on 22 September 1987, an F-14 Tomcat,
Following Saratoga's 19th Mediterranean deployment in June 1987, she was overhauled once again at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Virginia, at a cost of $280 million.
1990s
Operation Desert Storm
Saratoga along with embarked airwing CVW-17, participated in
The ship launched many flights in support of operations, including that of Scott Speicher, correctly assumed to be the first American casualty of the war.[17][18]
Another Saratoga aircraft shot down was an A-6E Intruder. Bombardier/Navigator LT Jeffrey Zaun was paraded before cameras by his Iraqi captors, but was eventually returned to American forces and was able to return to the Saratoga.[19]
Saratoga-based
The TCG Muavenet incident
During the fall of 1992, the United States, Turkey, and several other NATO members participated in "Exercise Display Determination 1992", a combined forces naval exercise under the overall command of ADM
During the "enhanced tactical" phase of the training exercises, the Brown Forces were to attempt an amphibious landing at
While all the ships had a break (green period) and stationed off the coast, on 30 September 1992 the combat direction center tactical action officer (TAO) aboard Saratoga decided to launch a simulated attack on nearby opposition forces utilizing the RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missile system. After securing the approval of Saratoga's commanding officer and the battle group commander, RADM Philip Dur, the combat direction center officer implemented the simulated assault plan. Without providing prior notice, officers on Saratoga woke the enlisted Sea Sparrow missile team and directed them to conduct the simulated attack. Certain members of the missile firing team were not told that the exercise was a drill, rather than an actual event.[20]
As the drill progressed, the combat direction center officer (TAO) used language to indicate he was preparing to fire a live missile, but due to the absence of standard terminology, the responsible officers failed to appreciate the significance of the terms used and the requests made. Specifically, and at the direct order of the TAO, the target acquisition system operator issued the command "arm and tune", terminology the console operators understood to require arming of the missiles in preparation for actual firing. The officers supervising the drill did not realize that "arm and tune" signified a live firing. As a result, shortly after midnight on the morning of 1 October, Saratoga fired two live Sea Sparrow missiles at Muavenet. The missiles struck Muavenet in the bridge, destroying it and the combat information center, killing five, including the commanding officer, and injuring most of the Turkish ship's officers. Navy officials recommended that the captain of the aircraft carrier Saratoga and seven other officers and sailors be disciplined for the missile firing, a recommendation which was followed through.[20][21]
Decommissioning and fate
Saratoga was decommissioned at the Naval Station, Mayport, Florida, on 20 August 1994, and stricken from the
Efforts in 1994–95 to establish the ship as a museum in
A major hurdle was competition with the National Football League, who had awarded the city the Jacksonville Jaguars franchise in November 1993. To secure the team as part of the agreement with the NFL, the city had to ensure a large financial commitment to fund re-building of the city's stadium at a cost of $130 million during 1994. This severely limited the city's available funding and support of the "Save Our Sara" effort to bring Saratoga back to her home port. The Jacksonville USS Saratoga Museum Foundation, Inc ceased operating in the summer of 1995.[23]
On 8 May 2014, Naval Sea Systems Command announced that ESCO Marine, Brownsville, Texas, would scrap Saratoga for one cent. This was the minimum amount that could be paid for scrapping the ship.[24][25] On 21 August 2014, Saratoga departed Naval Station Newport and made its way down Narragansett Bay to the Atlantic Ocean, en route to the Esco Marine ship recycling plant in Brownsville, Texas. The vessel arrived at the scrapyard on 16 September for final scrapping.[26] Scrapping was completed by 31 March 2019.[27]
Both of Saratoga's anchors were reused on the 1998 commissioned, USS Harry S. Truman.[28]
- ADM Jeremy Michael Boorda, ship was his flagship 1987; 25th Chief of Naval Operations
- VADM David Eugene Frost, The first Executive Officer, and interim Commanding Officer of United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program(The Navy's "Topgun" School). (CO of USS Saratoga August 1986 – March 1988; During that time, USS Saratoga won two consecutive Battle E's).[29]
- CAPT Scott Speicher, Naval Aviator.[18]
- RADM Jack M. James, Commanding Officer, 2 October 1964 – 2 September 1965[30]
- VADM Joseph Scott Mobley (COMNAVAIRLANT), the U.S. military's last Vietnam prisoner of war (Shot Down: 24 June 1968/Released: 14 March 1973) Retired from active duty on 12 April 2001. (CO of USS Saratoga during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm).[31]
- CAPT Frederick T. Moore Jr., commanding officer, November 1962 - September 1963[32]
See also
Notes
References
- ^ a b "Saratoga (CV-60)". Naval Vessel Register. 16 October 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
- ISBN 9781561447206.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Saratoga (CV-60)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 20 March 2015.
- ^ Snyder, Mike (January 2013). "The NNWA Historians Report of January 2013". Retrieved 21 March 2015.
- ^ "U.S. Ship Rams German Vessel". Advocate. Victoria, Texas. 26 May 1960. p. 9 – via NewspaperArchive.com.
- ^ "Spiegel Online Einestages: Kapitäne erzählen – Frontal in den Flugzeugträger" [Spiegel Online Today: Captain Recounts] (in German). Einestages.spiegel.de. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
- ^ "Accidents, Collisions, and Underway Hazards". USS Littlerock Association. 5 October 2014. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
- ^ [1] Archived 1 April 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ISBN 9780262581974.
- ^ "Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia". Naval Technology. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
- ^ "Ronald Reagan & Freedom of Navigation Operations in the Gulf of Sidra 1986". armored-column.com. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
- ^ "Navy F14 Downs Air Force Jet During Exercise". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. Associated Press. 23 September 1987. p. A-4.
- ^ Gordon, Doug (September–October 2007). "The Last of the Best – USAFE's 38th TRS 1952–1991, Part Two". Air Enthusiast. No. 131. Stamford, Lincolnshire, UK. pp. 14–16.
- ^ "Admiral Nominee Rose Through Ranks Despite 'Illogical Act'". The Washington Times. 16 February 2012. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
- ^ Scarborough, Rowan (23 February 2012). "Naval Aviator's career soars: Pilot he downed suffers". The Washington Times.
- ^ Jelinek, Pauline (2 August 2009). "Remains of Pilot Missing 18 Years in Iraq Found". Associated Press. Retrieved 2 August 2009.
- ^ a b "Michael Scott Speicher". Veteran Tributes. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
- ^ a b c d "JAG Inquiry on TCG Muavenet incident" (PDF). US Navy. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
- ^ 19962167.OPA.pdf Archived 11 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- The Florida Times Union. Jacksonville, Florida. p. A.5.
- ^ USS Saratoga Museum Foundation, Inc. web site's Testimonials & Support; Don Davis, Co-Chairman, Save Our Sara Campaign. Jacksonville, Fl
- ^ "Navy pays 1 cent to scrap ex-carrier Saratoga". Navy Times. 8 May 2014. Archived from the original on 9 May 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
- ^ Goodwyn, Wade (25 July 2012). "When The Ship Comes in to Brownsville, Rip It Up". NPR. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
- ^ Rama, Lisa Woodbury (21 August 2014). "Ex-USS Saratoga Departs Naval Station Newport for Dismantling and Recycling". Retrieved 21 August 2014.
- ^ Naval Vessel Register – CV-60
- ^ "NAVY'S NEWEST ANCHORED IN HISTORY". Daily Press. 24 February 2007. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
- ^ "1990 Report To The Community" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 April 2016.]
- ^ "Aircraft Carrier Photo Index: USS SARATOGA (CVA-60)". Navsource.org. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
- ^ "Joseph S. Mobley". Veteran Tributes. Retrieved 22 March 2015.]
- ^ Navy Department Bureau of Naval Personnel, Washington, D.C. Records archived at the National Personnel Records Center, (Military Personnel Records), 9700 Page Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63132-5100
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.