Check out MSN on your computer. Had photos of the USS Saratoga being towed to the scrapper. Another oldie but a goodie now gone. Frank

down here in south florida sometimes they take an old ship and sink it for diving and fishing this way it is never forgotten it just costs money

Grrr.... Why cant they make a floating museum out of it? They just did away with a carrier which sat here for months a few years ago. That ship is now slowly becoming a reef.

I have fond memories of the "Sinkin' Sara" hauling us Marines to various parts of the Med so we could spy on the Commies. Late night poker & 5 gallon milk cans of 4Coke/1Baccardi between missions. I was there when, as the story goes, some sailor pulled the main plug and she took on significant water in the Athens harbor forcing the Marines to invade Malta. My older daughter was born when I was on shore patrol in Crete. It was also off the Sara that a number of us invaded the country of Turkey using paddle boats, and Bacardi.
Cherokee Slim

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NRA,SASS,BOLD#808,Semper Fi

I worked with a navy chief who sailed on the Sara, CV-60. Home ported in Mayport, FL. He said they called her the "Suckin' 60 from Dixie".

As the title says Ol Sara's com'in to me...Haha.

An Uncle of mine spent many years on that ship. He said he would frequent the galley to show them how to cook all the good stuff they caught fishing. God Bless him. Now I miss him. He was an awesome guy. Anyone who can translate morse code is cool.

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YouJustCantSeeMeLaughingIsAll

I had a lot of buddies whose squadrons were embarked in the Sara. I never heard anyone say a good word about her but it's still sad to see one of the old ones go. I hope someone will take the JFK for a museum as I would hate to see her scrapped. As carriers go, she was a pretty good one.

CW

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μολὼν λαβέ

Do a Google Earth search for the area around the Phila. airport then go a little north.There used to be numerous stripped down cruisers and destroyers docked up and down the Delaware River.

They were all name tagged at one time.You might find one that you served on.

Joined the Saratoga during SLEP at PNSY in... hmmm... 82-ish... then down to Mayport & did most of a Med cruise... left in '84 IIRC. Not much to like...


I can confirm that... "down in Dixie" actually...

Too bad she couldn't have gone to the breakers under its own power, like this one. That would have been a sight!

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Bob

I spent five months on the "Sorry Sara" between finishing "A" School in November 1973 and starting nuke power school at Bainbridge in March 1974...It was in Norfolk Naval Shipyard undergoing major overhaul. I was a Machinists Mate (MM3) assigned to 3 main machinery space...I spent most of the time running crews tearing off old lagging on steam lines and breathing in lots of asbestos. Spent more time running crews using knuckle busters and needle guns to remove old lead paint from shaft alley bulkheads...The ship was filthy...The food was lousy...Morale was in the dumps...It was the worst duty I has in the Navy. I was damned glad to get off that tub! No tears from me as it goes to the scrapyard.

I don't know how many West Pac cruises she did but I was on one in '72 with RVAH-1 (my avatar). I remember her being a good boat and we had reworked evaporators which meant we had plenty of fresh water - no "water hours". Most of my time was nights on the flight deck. I worked from 7pm to 7 am. We went to Hong Kong, Singapore and spent many happy hours in Subic. Mostly though we were on "Yankee Station".
I'm sorry to see her go but that's the nature of things.

Jeff

I can relate to you on this although it applies to dirty jobs throughout my life. I was right up front when they demolished one of the worst places I worked at while I listened to AC/DC's "Ballbreaker" and "For Those About to Rock" on the car stereo, right at "we salute you" I left, hahaa.

Maybe the reason it's being scrapped is that there aren't enough good memories about that ship or it's just about money.

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YouJustCantSeeMeLaughingIsAll

I have some good friends that were vacationing on Padre last week when the Saratoga was towed past the isle. They took lots of pictures, cant wait to see them. Never was in the Navy but still feel sad when I hear about a ship being scrapped.

Too bad it is not being preserved as a museum.

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Cheers, Charles
SWCA #2442

Fear not - This is NOT the end!
Soon she'll be plying the USA as a fleet of Subarus....

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In dog years I'm dead.

Maybe not many good memories but-she had one heck of a combat record.

I love seeing old warships preserved as museum/memorials but there is a reality. They deteriorate and require tons of upkeep.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

The Enterprise (CVN-65) is scheduled to be cut up fairly soon at PSNS. I hope to get aboard while she's still intact.

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AL
Pax Per Potens

Back in 1980 I was in South Philadelphia and saw the Saratoga being towed in for its rebuild.