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.