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The story of two of America's front line aircraft carriers with a
combined active service of 81 years- USS Lexington CV-16 and USS
Oriskany CV-34. Both ships distinguished themselves in war and
peace but even though their active service ended long ago, they
continue in service to American -USS Lexington as a floating museum
in Corpus Christi, Texas and USS Oriskany as a fishing reef 12
miles off the cost off the coast of Pensacola Beach, Florida
In mid-October 1962, the United States Armed Forces were placed on
their highest state of readiness since World War II after
photographs taken by reconnaissance aircraft revealed that Soviet
missile sites were being constructed on the island of Cuban.
President John F. Kennedy and the Department of Defense were
determined to prevent the sites from becoming operational. Soviet
Premier Nikita Khrushchev and his field commanders in Cuba, were
equally determined that missile installations would be placed in
Cuba and were prepared to use battlefield nuclear weapons to defend
the island if the United States invaded. The U.S. military was
placed on a DEFCON-3 alert and an armada of 300 U.S. Navy ships set
sail for the Caribbean to enforce a blockade of Cuba with
instructions to launch missiles, if so ordered, on a moment's
notice. Additionally, 20 aircraft armed with nuclear bombs were in
the air around the clock ready to strike the Soviet Union. The
prevention of a nuclear holocaust depended entirely on which side
would blink first - the Soviet Union or the United States.
The USS Oriskany, known affectionately as The Mighty O, is an
aircraft carrier 911 feet long. Eight boilers and four steam
turbine engines, delivering 150,000 shaft horsepower to four
propellers, drove The Mighty O as she cruised through the water at
speeds in excess of 30 knots. During fleet operations, the ship
consumed 200 thousand gallons of fuel oil per day. The Mighty O is
comparable in height to a 25-story skyscraper, has 10 decks and
extended 192 feet above the waterline. Her crew, including the air
wing, consisted of around 3,500 men. During the Vietnam War, The
Mighty O carried a complement of 80 aircraft (jets, prop-driven and
helicopters). Most of her fixed-wing aircraft, including the 70,000
pound A3 Sky Warrior, were launched by two steam-driven catapults.
Aircraft recovery was accomplished by four arresting cables. After
25 years of service, The Mighty O continues her service to the
nation as an artificial reef in 200 feet of water, 20 miles off the
coast of Pensacola, Florida.
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