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Despite protests from former crew members and military historians who want her turned into a maritime museum, the 40-year-old aircraft carrier USS America will be sunk in the Atlantic following a series of battle-damage experiments beginning Monday.
The Navy confirmed this week that commencing April 11 it will conduct a four to six-week series of underwater and above the surface explosions aboard the America which will simulate attacks by torpedoes, missiles, and perhaps a small boat suicide attack like the one that damaged the destroyer USS Cole and took 18 of its crew in Yemen five years ago.
At the completion of the lengthy explosive tests upon the USS America, scuttling charges placed aboard the ship will be detonated and the 1,000-foot carrier will be sunk in the Atlantic 300 miles off the Virginia coast in 5,000 feet of water.
Several aspects of the tests are classified, and the media will not be permitted to view the explosions and ultimate sinking of the ship.
The Navy confirmed this week that commencing April 11 it will conduct a four to six-week series of underwater and above the surface explosions aboard the America which will simulate attacks by torpedoes, missiles, and perhaps a small boat suicide attack like the one that damaged the destroyer USS Cole and took 18 of its crew in Yemen five years ago.
At the completion of the lengthy explosive tests upon the USS America, scuttling charges placed aboard the ship will be detonated and the 1,000-foot carrier will be sunk in the Atlantic 300 miles off the Virginia coast in 5,000 feet of water.
Several aspects of the tests are classified, and the media will not be permitted to view the explosions and ultimate sinking of the ship.
When news of the retired carrier's proposed demise was first published, former crew members, the USS America Carrier Veterans Assn., and proponents of turning the ship into a floating maritime museum attempted to pressure the Navy to reverse its decision to carry out the tests and sinking, which are expected to cost more than $20 million.
Realizing that their pleas were unsuccessful, the America's supporters asked for, and were granted, permission from the Navy to hold a memorial service aboard the ship at its berth in Philadelphia before it is towed out to sea for its final voyage.
The carrier's veterans association also has requested that the next aircraft carrier be named the America, but that is considered unlikely because carriers today are named after former presidents and other distinguished Americans.
As for the request that the America be turned into a museum, the Navy's vice chief of naval operations, Adm. John B. Nathman, wrote to museum supporters four months ago: The America will make one final and vital contribution to our national defense, this time as a live-fire test and evaluation platform. The America's legacy will serve as a footprint in the design of future carriers -- ships that will protect the sons, daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of America veterans. We will conduct a variety of comprehensive tests above and below the waterline collecting data for use by naval architects and engineers in creating the nation's future carrier fleet.
"It is essential we make those ships as highly survivable as possible. When that mission is complete, the America will slip quietly beneath the sea. I know America has a very special place in your hearts, not only for the name, but also for your service aboard her. I ask that you understand why we selected this ship for this one last crucial mission and make note of the critical nature of her final service," Adm. Nathman wrote.
Realizing that their pleas were unsuccessful, the America's supporters asked for, and were granted, permission from the Navy to hold a memorial service aboard the ship at its berth in Philadelphia before it is towed out to sea for its final voyage.
The carrier's veterans association also has requested that the next aircraft carrier be named the America, but that is considered unlikely because carriers today are named after former presidents and other distinguished Americans.
As for the request that the America be turned into a museum, the Navy's vice chief of naval operations, Adm. John B. Nathman, wrote to museum supporters four months ago: The America will make one final and vital contribution to our national defense, this time as a live-fire test and evaluation platform. The America's legacy will serve as a footprint in the design of future carriers -- ships that will protect the sons, daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of America veterans. We will conduct a variety of comprehensive tests above and below the waterline collecting data for use by naval architects and engineers in creating the nation's future carrier fleet.
"It is essential we make those ships as highly survivable as possible. When that mission is complete, the America will slip quietly beneath the sea. I know America has a very special place in your hearts, not only for the name, but also for your service aboard her. I ask that you understand why we selected this ship for this one last crucial mission and make note of the critical nature of her final service," Adm. Nathman wrote.
Commissioned in 1965 and decommissioned in 1996, the USS America participated in 20 deployments in her 31-year, active -duty history which saw her at wartime stations supporting combat operations in Vietnam, playing integral roles in supporting the Navy's Cold War efforts, helping liberate Kuwait during Operation Desert Storm, enforcing no-fly zones over southern Iraq during Operation Southern Watch, participating in Operation Continued Hope in Somalia and Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti, and in NATO operations in Bosnia.
USS America was awarded five battle stars for her service in the Vietnam War.
The America was the third U.S. warship to bear that name. The first was a 74-gun ship-of-the-line commanded by the famous American patriot and admiral John Paul Jones.
Built in 1782, the America, however, saw only limited service and was presented to the French Navy the following year as a mark of gratitude for French assistance in the War for Independence. The French broke her up for scrap in 1786.
USS America was awarded five battle stars for her service in the Vietnam War.
The America was the third U.S. warship to bear that name. The first was a 74-gun ship-of-the-line commanded by the famous American patriot and admiral John Paul Jones.
Built in 1782, the America, however, saw only limited service and was presented to the French Navy the following year as a mark of gratitude for French assistance in the War for Independence. The French broke her up for scrap in 1786.
The explosive testing and then sinking of the USS America to begin in three days, which will be historic since no warship this size or larger has ever been purposely sunk in peacetime, reminds me of the fate of the famed battleship USS Nevada.
Following World War II, the 583-foot Nevada, which had survived Pearl Harbor and Japanese "Kamikaze" attacks to serve admirably throughout the war, was designated a target ship by the U.S. government during advanced atomic testing at Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean's Marshall Islands.
Joining more than 100 other aging Navy and civilian ships and captured Japanese and German vessels, the Nevada was painted a bright orange to serve as the bull's-eye for the blast.
Incredibly, the Nevada survived the atomic blast as well as following attempts by Army Air Corps B-29s to finish her off.
Two years later, however, on July 26, 1948, the Nevada was sunk by naval gunfire 65 miles southwest of Hawaii. The Nevada was 32 years old at the time of her demise, eight years younger than the carrier USS America, which is to meet a similar fate beginning the first of next week.
Following World War II, the 583-foot Nevada, which had survived Pearl Harbor and Japanese "Kamikaze" attacks to serve admirably throughout the war, was designated a target ship by the U.S. government during advanced atomic testing at Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean's Marshall Islands.
Joining more than 100 other aging Navy and civilian ships and captured Japanese and German vessels, the Nevada was painted a bright orange to serve as the bull's-eye for the blast.
Incredibly, the Nevada survived the atomic blast as well as following attempts by Army Air Corps B-29s to finish her off.
Two years later, however, on July 26, 1948, the Nevada was sunk by naval gunfire 65 miles southwest of Hawaii. The Nevada was 32 years old at the time of her demise, eight years younger than the carrier USS America, which is to meet a similar fate beginning the first of next week.
