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Aircraft Carrier Sinking - The Only Known Photo of a US Navy Supercarrier Sinking - Dark Photos
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- čas přidán 24. 05. 2019
- New Channel!! Subscribe to Dark Photos from Dark5: bit.ly/darkphotos
It's May 14th, 2005, and a huge aircraft carrier slips beneath the waves of the North Atlantic, all the way down to the ocean floor at a depth of 2,810 fathoms, or 16,860 feet. The photo depicted here shows waves breaking its front as it slowly starts to slip underwater. It is the only photo of U.S. Navy Supercarrier being sunk. The location of the wreck at 33 degrees, 9 minutes, 9 seconds north latitude and 71 degrees, 39 minutes, 7 seconds west longitude was a closely guarded secret until a Freedom of Information Act request in 2006.
Other than the primary photo being discussed, images and footage of actual events are sometimes not available, and Dark Photos utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. All content on Dark Photos is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes.
Huge thanks to the super talented Austin (our legally blind narrator! 😱) for helping voiceover this new experiment. (Let us know what you think!) Check out more of him on our short documentary channel Dark Docs (czcams.com/channels/l3SuH2Ue044b7ACX1syk4A.html), and feel free to find him at www.austinnebbia.com/.
He did good, props to him👌
@@noircat5 how did he read the script then?
Great job bro
This seems more like a DarkDoc than a regular Dark5.
Brilliant. This has been a fave channel of mine for years !!
I served aboard her in VAW-123 in 83-84. She was a great ship. Thank you all who served on her and in our armed services.
And thank you sir for your service!
Hello, my former shipmate.
I remember
VAW-123, the Screwtops.
I was on the America those same years with the A-7 squadron, VA-46. Seems like yesterday
VAW123 80-81
S8 ships company
VF-33 Starfighters, power plants shop. Lots of fond memories of the lovely lady, I miss her dearly.
Pummeled for 4 weeks without defending itself and even then only sinking when demolition experts sank it on purpose! Amazing American ship design!
@Jack D'Ripa Let us have fun, we may be thick but you guys are just asses
@@ludex9636 nah I'm American, and I can confidently say we are asses too
@Tea- Bagger"Russain bombs would have sunk in minutes." that is true, Russian bombs do not float.
@Jack D'Ripa We are thick because the United States of America rules the world, peon nation's such as yours, bow down to us, DUMBASS
@@billrudolph8185 if the USA rules the world then why isn't the imperial system used in the entire world
I served on the America 82-84,
A-7 squadron VA-46, I've carried the memories of those years everyday of my life. It really stays with you.
I remember VA-46 was next to us in the Hanger at Cecil one year between our deployments. I was in VA-15 84-88 and we deployed on the Independence, then to Japan with a Marine airwing. In late 86 we transitioned to FA-18's.
I was with va- 46 83-86. Pride runs deep😊
I also served aboard America in VA-72. Great ship.
I'm just some 38 year old dude up in Canada without any real military experience, but I just wanted to say to all of you that you should be proud of that ship. That was extremely impressive that she took that much to sink and even then they still had to scuttle her because she wouldn't go down. I'm really glad that you guys are our closest allies! And thank you for helping keep both our countries safe.
On hindsight, having that exercise on the USS America, without its sinking brings tears to my eyes. Not tears of sadness or anger, but of pride. Having America take that much of a beating and not going down, say volumes about the ship, the crew and most importantly, it’s namesake.
Thank-you USS America!
@Mr. X: I’d love to disagree with you and have a huge fight, but The current administration needs to go and we as a country need a big humility sandwich. And no, I don’t mean in an attack way, but in a self realization way. The US and her allies need to work as a more cohesive unit, with more equalization and a more collaborative way.
For instance China. Tariffs are stupid and punish the wrong people. But it we worked with our allies as a joint force, applying some minor sanctions until they dispose of their currency manipulating and intellectual property stealing ways. It would be much more effective then us against them... which I doubt would work.
So, short story long... yes, I completely agree.
eschdaddy yes we should let China keep screwing us with high tariffs! We should kiss Irans ass too! You're what's wrong with America!
@@eschdaddy America already tried the world wide apology tour under 8 years of Obama. Didn't seem to work out all that well.
@jason127x99: I’m what’s wrong with America, eh? What have you sacrificed for this country? I’ve sacrificed a hell of a lot for her, so before your troll ass comes at me about what’s wrong with America, you better have a good story to tell!
@elk hunter: Oh yea, I forgot, only got us out of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, took the budget deficits from their worst point to half of that, took one of the 3 axis of evil countries and pinned them to a wall, actually had the world respecting America again and then... Trump. Look, I’ve been a Republican all my life, raised by a Republican family and Trump is NO Republican.
Obama was WAY more effective for America than Trump will EVER be.
It should also be noted that Germany's only aircraft carrier, the Graf Zeppelin, was sunk by the Soviet Navy after the war in an exercise/experiment similar to this.
Did they make a new one? What did Germany say?
DatGrunt I believe it was after the Second World War so I assume Germany didn’t say/do anything.
@@DatGrunt "What did Germany say?"
Germany didn't say anything since both Soviet and America exterminated every POW they got their hands on and the poor bastards that got away got terminated by mosad.
Varangian af Scaniae A lot of german POW’s returned home 😂
German POW’s got it easier than Soviet POW’s
My dad served on the USS America in the 1970’s. Heard a lot of stories about that ship growing up. Good to hear it put up such a good fight before sinking. Hopefully what the NAVY learned from the operation was put to good use strengthening our newest classes of carriers.
Hope your dad's proud to know that after 4 weeks relentless assault by the American Navy his ship was still floating... If our own Navy couldn't sink it through attack that means it's one hell of a ship
Just think if it could have defended it self they might still be trying to sink it
Matty Duncan - my dad served on that ship as well in the 70s and 80s. I wonder if our fathers knew each other...
I served on board the USS America cv-66 from 75 to 79... She was buried at Sea
It would make me laugh serving on Nimitz I heard about this and both North Korea and China was like we could sink a Nimitz carrier by end of breakfast 🥞 time and be home for lunch. Like it’s easy . Our captain ordered to put as much food and ammo as our ship could possibly carry. And he told us during a briefing that if China or Iran 🇮🇷 attacked us we would keep firing until we run out of ammo like the uss Texas did in WW2
I would direct the Chinese Admiral to ask the Japanese government just how attacking an American military asset worked out for them.
we do tend to hold a grudge. and all payback is with compound interest.
Nofrackingzone 2.0 that's what I was thinking! If China did that I'm sure the US would send a few nukes up China ass in a heart beat.
Mr. X if that's what you want to think! Lmao! You should lay off the crack pipes buddy!
@Mr. X BS! You Chinese believe your own propaganda. A VERY dangerous proclivity!
Yes of course you're absolutely right Mr X (pat on head) now run along and play while the adults talk.
That's my old ship. I've hoped to see pictures of her sinking since I learned of it. Thanks for this. She got me home safe. Damn good ship!
But I NEVER agreed with that name going to a smaller ship!
It belongs on a Fleet Carrier! One of the Big Girl's!
Bismarck Sea was NOT a big carrier! She was a CVE, or Escort Carrier, built on a freighter's hull.
I feel for you. it reminds me of the scrapping of the USA enterprise of the Yorktown class she surged almost every battle in the pacific only to be scrapped
Speedy O ;
I know. Just as Saratoga (CV-3) survived the war, only to be expended at the Bikini A-bomb test.
Thanks for your comment. This ship was my home over 3 year's. I didn't learn it fate until 2009. It hit me like a death in the family. Still, I like knowing she went down with her head up.
@@smc1942 least it's going to go to good use would be a great artificial reef.
Michael Bird ;
No. The water there is too deep. Nearly 3 miles down. Her purpose was to see how much battle damage a carrier could take, & stay afloat.
After 4 week's, & being hit by everything in the arsenal, she would not sink.
Divers had to place scuttling charges down the length of her hull to put her under.
This was done to build even better ships.
The new generation of carriers will be tougher still.
And my ship now holds the distinction of being the largest warship ever sunk. (Before someone claims Yamato, No! America was nearly 20,000 tons heavier, & over 100 foot longer.)
@@smc1942 well yes Yamamoto was a battleship definetly not the size of a carrier like that I'm really looking forward to the QE carriers being I'm active service for the royal navy gonna be great! As im British lol
I remember seeing the USS America docked in Philadelphia in the early 2000s. You’d fly over it landing at the airport. The 66 was still painted on its bow.
@Chuck Finley I've also seen the now scrapped Forrestal and JFK in Philly. I saw the Intrepid from the Empire State Building and visited the Yorktown in Charleston. Not to mention the handful of active carriers I saw when I overflew the base in Norfolk.
My grandfather was on the Bon Homme Richard in WWII so carriers have a special place in my heart.
I remember serving on her for 2 years
@@otiscalhoun4344 Thank you for your service! I'm sure you have some great stories about your time aboard.
I too remember seeing my ship when flying into Philly in the early 2000's
Carrier hull numbers are not painted in the bow but rather on each side of the island.
My old ship. Did the last deployment on her in '95/96. Good times! The decommissioning process sucked though.
@Darsh we had to remove everything from the ship and rehab all of the spaces. It was disorganized and petty work, I wanted to move on and go to a new command, continue to fulfill my sense of adventure.
@Darsh yeah, it was similar to gutting a house. We had to derust and prime metal surfaces and patch insulation and that kind of stuff. We were eventually transferred off the ship to alternate living quarters. Some stayed on a berthing barge, I was lucky enough to get a barracks billet. Living on the ship while in port sucks! One of the disadvantages of being ships company.
Thank you
@Marvin thanks, I appreciate that!
My Dad was on the Big O #34. Everyone has their own opinion on the sinking of this ship so I can only give you Dads. Dad looked at it as an honor saying "No other country could do it but ours." Still have the pictures in my old photo album of Dad standing next to a jet loaded with bombs that he wrote me and my brothers names on with paint. Give my retirement to go back in time and have him back for a day.
One single fully-deployed American supercarrier can defeat most countries in the world single-handed. Add in the carrier group and the capabilities are nearly unbelievable. I served on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (second of the Nimitz class) and to give you general idea of what they can withstand, if a hole 10'x100' is opened in the hull below the waterline the bilge pumps can pump the water out faster than it can come in.
Don't be so sure.
barring any kind of nuclear war with the use of our carrier battle groups an the US air Force we could fight the whole world and win.
The navy sinks old ships at least once a year. This is just the only time theyve done it with a larger carrier. Not really a big deal if you're not a military nerd or in the navy
So, navy sailor talking here: not trying to bust your balls but it isn't every year. When a ship is d9e we do throw them to the Navy yard to be decommissioned, but that seldome happens. I work near the Washington navy yard, and I've only seen it happen once in the 4 years I've been in.
@@SilverBulletBandit Alright, my bad. I'm aware it happens relatively frequently though. I leave for boot in the fall so I cant say much lol
Ey good luck. When you get out of boot hit the ground running. We're in need of good petty officers. What's your prospective rate?
The Navy holds an exercise called Rim-Pac every two years. During that event, there are a number (usually 3 or 4) decommissioned ships that are sunk by live fire. Those are called Sink-Ex. THe Navy holds other SInk-Ex exercises in both the Atlantic and Pacific.
During my 27 years at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, I helped prep a couple of ships to be sunk at Rim-Pac. In fact, one of the ships I served on when I was in the Navy was sunk during a RIm-Pac.
A carrier. The USS Oriskany was sunk to create an artificial reef off the coast of the Florida panhandle, just west of Pensacola. It's a popular scuba diving site.
It broke my heart, when I heard she was decommissioned. I spent 3 years on that flight deck. Never a dull moment either, when I saw what was happening to all the rest of them being towed to Brownsville and scrapped like that. I thought WOW! What a fitting way to end her carrier life.
It makes me happy to think that some place on her my dog tags are still there. (I lost them).
Will be found thousands of years from now by archaeologists, just like how we dig up ancient Greek and roman vessels and their inventory
I miss that old ship. She took me many places around this planet, and introduced me to many people and cultures. As long as those whom served aboard her live she will never really be gone. It is now up to a new Ship and a new generation of sailors ro continue with that great name. " Don't Tread on Me" ships motto.
@Hello Don how are you doing?
I knew two friends who were former crew members of the USS America, CV-66. One was a pilot who flew A-7 Corsairs and another who was a sailor who kept maintenance records of A-6 Intruders. They cried when they learned of the America’s scuttling. 😢.
American Ships never sink!
They just go submarine mode
Obi wan Kenobi I wish that was true
No.... they come back but in bigger numbers
you gonna lift the ship up arent you obi wan
They lost the high ground
Mr. Worldwide same with the Bismarck
😭😭
Served with her battlegroup back in the 80s when I was enlisted aboard the USS Concord AFS5.
My ship succumbed to the same fate back in 2012 off of Oahu, from a torpedo test during a sinkex.
RIP USS America
Wow, just found this video. I served on this mighty ship in 71/72
Proud to say that.. She was a great ship, sad that she had to end this way.
Wait... who is the narrator? Doesn't Dark5 speak in *🎶DOOT DODOOT DOO DOOT DOO DOO DOOTOOTOO🎶*
It took for 4 weeks of an all out bombardment before being sunk and thats without repairs or defenses...........the US has 13 of these beasts. Let that SINK in for a second (pun intended)
I don’t think it was quite every single minute it was getting battered. I’m sure they started with small caliber weapons/ smaller yield explosives and worked their way up recording the results. Regardless of that, 4 weeks of various weaponry fired at it is extremely impressive.
@@Dave-us5fq Correct. If they would have started with torpedo's it would have gone down a lot faster ;-)
@@TheFulcrum2000 depend on damage control
Well 1 nuke = 1 vaporised carrier. Good force projection in a non-nuclear conflict. Useless in a nuclear exchange. Any realistic opposition to any of the US carriers in a conventional conflict would realistically be a nuclear power. Other nations have nowhere remotely close to the firepower needed to likely even dent one. One US carrier group is likely bigger than a lot of nation's actual entire navies. Only thing that might work is sabotage if your a non-nuclear power. I think the US has more carriers than every other nation combined.
I'm sure it also had no explosives or munitions on board, much less large amounts of jet fuel. A fully armed ship can be taken out by a single explosion if it hits the right areas.
Its amazing that I served on two carriers that seen some destruction..USS Forrestal and the USS America.Glad they both got me home safe and watching a submarine suddenly appear on the stern side of the ship is a breathtaking moment..
I was on the USS Enterprise in 1996-1997 . That thing still had asbestos in it. It was old. Wonderful ship. Big as hell. Felt little by the end of a med cruise.
I was the same way, smaller ship though (LHA-2). To me it was huge, kept getting lost. By the end it felt like a closet and the only one's getting lost were the marines asking me for directions to the gym.....I always sent them in the wrong direction. Lol
Great combination of Dark Docs and Dark 5. I do, however, appreciate the length of the Dark Doc videos more. The narration is superior to any other, your narrator is pro level talent. Keep them coming. Thank you for making the YT notifications welcome again, I thought I had turned them off for good, but not now.
This was my home away from home 89 to 93
Vaq 137 Rooks AT3
They couldn't sink her!!😯
She was a bent screw beast but she always brought us home!❤ God bless all who served on her and God bless the US Navy!!🇺🇸
They replaced the bent shaft heading across the Atlantic to the Med in 1995. Shook everything off shelves for the 36 hours it took to get it done with that prop stopped!
As a Navy guy I'm glad they did this because it is absolutely vital to ensure combat survivability in the theater of fleet operations, especially that China is building it's naval arm specifically to counter the American aircraft carriers.
Austin you rock dude, I could listen to you narrate anything! Excellent work!
Great video! Very well done! Thank you! Keep up the great work!
The talking threw me off. Lol great video.
agreed
it's just brandy same here! Is it a new thing???
Adrian Andrade he's having a guest narrator but I think they're trying it out for future videos.
I was thinking its a advanced bot... the voice is a bit monotone
reconx86 lol, nah. It's a guy named Austin.
The appellation *"supercarrier"* is not an official designation with any national navy, but a term used predominantly by the media and typically when reporting on new and upcoming aircraft carrier types. It is also used when comparing carriers of various sizes and capabilities, both current and past. It was first used by The New York Times in 1938, in an article about the Royal Navy's HMS Ark Royal, that had a length of 209 metres (686 ft), a displacement of 22,000 tonnes and was designed to carry 72 aircraft. Since then, aircraft carriers have consistently grown in size, both in length and displacement, as well as improved capabilities; in defense, sensors, electronic warfare, propulsion, range, launch and recovery systems, number and types of aircraft carried and number of sorties flown per day.
@r h the video is about the sinking of the "supercarrier" USS AMERICA. The USS AMERICA was *NOT* nuclear powered.
As a schoolboy I went aboard when she was visiting Sydney in 1969 (I think). Was impressed by the sheer size of the ship. She was so big she was parked in the harbour and you had to get a ferry to go on board. Had F4 phantoms. A fond memory. Sad that she met her end in that manner. Would have made a great museum ship.
My father served on the Enterprise when I was a young boy, and I got to go aboard during the Tiger Cruise. Pretty amazing experience, like being aboard a small city.
The tiger cruise was back in 03 or 04, right?
Actually what it is on full duty
It's amazing that despite the fact that China claims they can sink 2 of US carriers. It took 4 weeks for the US Navy sink America before the demolition team scuttled her. That's how incredible American engineering can achieve.
That or SINKEX was just really bad at hitting a carrier (I jest)
Colonel Frontline Keep in mind that the Chinese Weapon design for supercarries are literal ICBM's, which have much bigger mass, velocity and energy than what the Navy used to sink the carrier. Were it able to target one is a whole different question
@@UmbraHand Plus by the sounds of it they were doing experiments first rather than outright trying to sink as fast as possible, I'm pretty sure it doesn't take 4 weeks to sink a ship if that's the only thing you're trying to do to it
1 Voodoo Gaming Indeed. If you blow up the balast by physics it will sink
@Colonel Frontline.... Yah and that's with nobody shooting back at them!!!!Lol!!🇺🇸
I am digging this new narrated format!
This is great! Austin’s voice is perfect for narration! Can’t wait for more on dark 5 and dark docs!
I proudly served aboard this ship back from 93-95. V-2 department, #3 catapult.
foofan2011 thank you for serving
You heard me on the deployments doing home town weather then. I was there 92-96, OPS Dept, OA Div. I miss the hell outta that warship. Home of some ofvthe best, and worst days of my life.
Thank you @@lucakeenan5035
Thank you @@williamayala9453
“1 Main, 3 Cat: stand by for cat drag!” 👊🏽
I didnt know dark 5 still existed 😅.... been subscribed since day one and havent got a notification in months
Same 😂
you have to hit the bell icon button next to subscribe button
They have like 6 channels now.
Dark docs
Dark skies
Dark stories
Dark5 and some others
You do know there is a "subscriptions" tab that when clicked on will show every video from everyone you're subbed to in order of upload date right? You don't need to get a notification to see if someone you subbed to posted.
Sad to see my home away from home actually going down 😞
Be proud that she withstood as much as she did, she was a tough ship.
I like the old Dark please bring it back
I did 3 major deployments on The USS America with the VF-33 Starfighters between 1982-1984 saw many Ports of Visit in the Med and Indian Oceans. My father a WW2 Veteran when once learning of the America"s fate had a fit and asked me about this happening.
I also was in VF-33 from 80 -83 starting with F4's on the Indy then to the F14's on the America. Plane captain on F4's during IO cruise and AIMD shop 610 (fixing IFF black boxes) during med cruise.
@@wayne272wr I too was on the Indy in 81' I was only sent out to that boat to release someone of there mess cranking duty.
@@keithashline505 what was your rating and which dept. were you in when on the america.
wayne272wr I was in VF-33 with around a year and a half in the CC Shop and then to the PP Shop. AD3
I was in the Navy when the America (and the lead ship of its class, the Kitty Hawk) was based out of Norfolk, VA, and I saw it often when we were both in port there.
The distinctive thing about the America was that its hull number on its island had colored lights incorporated into the number itself, a feature that I believe no other ship in the Navy ever had.
Yeah, come to think of it I never saw lights on a ships number. Just boring white paint.
It had a sonar dome too, right?
@@MotoroidARFC Yes, but not a particulary large or sophisticated one, quite unlike on either of my ships, especially the Knox-class frigate.
The sonar dome on carriers gets relegated almost entirely to the purpose of being used for sounding to allow safe navigation in relatively shallow waters.
The carrier Sonar Techs will not normally be called upon to track subs or the like.
“The Chinese threat is not an empty one” Correction, yes it is.
I don't think China wants armed conflict , that would be costly , they're leading economic dominance and they have been so far unstoppable and let's be real that's where victory counts
Ahmed Boughoula yea... not exactly
@@erenmademewritethis9833
If China doesnt want conflict it should stop bullying its neighbour's and illegally expanding its economic zone in the south china sea by constructing artificial islands dotted with military bases.
@@Kakarot64. It will continue to push the political envelope as far as they can. I don't know about mahjong, but they would probably make good poker players.
I was attached to the Operations Department in 1970 and served a tour in the Tonkin Gulf aboard America. I have great memories of that ship and the crew I served with. Thank you for this video.
Wow ! I was in the navy for 10 years (1985-1995) and I had no idea our government sunk this Beutiful ship. I can understand why, so the navy would know what it takes to sink such a massive war vessel. May she rest in piece at the bottom of the ocean.
Got to hand it to the yanks, that was a tough old boat!
Which leads me to think its alotta big ass talk from the Commie navy. Everyone forgets it's their Army that's huge NOT the Chinese fleet. An remember this is the US fleet here trying to sink our own obsolete, loan and abandoned ship here.. an in the end USN technically cheated sending a demo team with orders to plant charges then run like hell
What surprises me is that of great note is that they used captured soviet era ASBMs as part of the ordinance load used against her
Me thinks the PLAN arsenal isn't up to scratch...
Robert Agu God knows what happens to all of us if they dare to sink a carrier. Bet they won’t do it in regional conflict in the Southern seas. Just nonsense out of a general’s mouth for propaganda purposes in China.
@@robertagu5533 There's always a way around these problems.
Remember how accurate Tomahawk missiles were supposed to be?
Then remember when a whole load of them got deactivated in flight, or disappeared? (According to reports).
A stealth missile carrying a mini robot with a plasma cutting tool, might do the job 😂. Like something from tr
Transformers. 🤔🤣
The germans have the best ships because they build a bar in theirs. Nothing boosts moral more than a few beers.
Made in the USA.
at first I was thinking of the USS Oriskany. Never heard of this event before!
Malsy Pright
It’s a great dive wreck off Pensacola FL. Dived it about 8 years ago. 140ft to the flight deck. Only had 5 minutes on the deck at that depth even on nitrox. All the windows are out of the conning tower so you can explore the interior of the bridge. PBS has a documentary on the preparation and sinking of the ship. I imagine you’d be able to find it here on CZcams.
Hey!! I’m ok with using a carrier of our current designs for bombardment testing to see what it takes to sink one! I am former navy, former F-14 squadron. VF-74 last served aboard the USS Saratoga during the first Persian gulf war. This is good strategy!
Yeah, makes you wonder what the hell we're paying all this money for these needless ships for only to sink them. Our country's falling apart, and then we get yahoos like you two clowns who don't even realize how stupid your commentary is, and never will if you lived 20 lifetimes. Keep your clichés coming, driveman...did you come up with that one all by yourself?
Did you hear when it was built?!?!! Did you hear how long it was active?!?!?! Are you stupid or something?
@@perfection4749I know it was built a long time ago. Do you realize this is nothing new? We retire old aircraft, ships, tanks, etc and either cut them down for scrap or blow them up for target practice. Do you realize how much money we spend every year on offense? More than the next 12 countries combined. Do you know that nobody poses a threat to us, and also that our country is falling apart around our ears? Have you read about imperial overreach and how empires collapse? There's so much here where you could actually learn something, if only you could think for yourself.
Bob Jones you are an idiot! “No one poses a threat?!?!” You’re absolutely clueless!! And you probably have zero strategic intelligence!! Go listen to yourself bather on, I’m not listening to your nonsense!
So here's something the could use carriers for in combat. The ship's taken heavy damage, she can't be saved. Rig her ordinance and fuel to explode, then with a skeleton crew, sail her into the enemy harbor and once they're in there detonate it. She'd be a giant explosive battering ram.
This ship is so amazing and beautiful. It served its country well and will live on in the hearts of those who operated it
NORTH And they blowed it up cool.
To the veterans of USS America (CV 66,) take solace from the fact that your Lady was not hauled off for scrapping but instead has a true "Warship's Grave." Read O.W. Holmes poem "Old Ironsides" for context. One of my old girlfriends recently went to Brownsville and is in the final stages of being torn apart. The other has her "Warship's Grave" in 1,000 fathoms, sunk during explosive tests off Puerto Rico to gather information to go into the later "Flight II" and "Flight III" of the Arleigh Burke class ships.
I agree completely, well said. I was in a squadron and not ships company, but deployed on Saratoga twice and considered her my ship. It was painful to see her towed off to be scrapped 20 years after decommissioning, because the plan to turn her into a museum failed. Many of us following her progress in tow hoped an Atlantic storm would somehow sink her and avoid the ignominy of the scrap yard, perhaps to rest near America. Couldn’t happen, but one hopes. Would’ve been a much more fitting end to a faithful ship.
Served on her from 87-90. Amazing the damage she took and still had to be scuttled by a demo crew.
I whole heartily agree! Imagine if all her aircraft were armed & out. She would still be afloat. Do an expose on the USS Franklin. I don't care how bad as you are, you will cry.
4 weeks of heavy bombardment from missiles bombs and torpedoes yet no damage still floating and eventually sunk from inside
So the US doesn’t have the firepower to sink it? Or they just used it for testing against and then sunk it...
DRAWINGFLIES me too! Same years- #1 Main Engine Room
@@CgBrian used for testing to see how long it could take a beating.
One of the most wonderful experiences of my life was to go on a "Tiger Cruise" aboard the America with my Marine son Greg, going onboard in NYC during "Fleet Week" then cruising to Norfolk VA.
“We can’t trade Carrier for Carrier!”
Oh YES we can... and have still a dozen more!!
Absolutely incredible, great video
LITTLE FEATALBUM
Active duty Navy here and don't forget about the crew. The crew is the most important part of a ship. And the America took 4 weeks to sink now imagine that with with full crew doing damage control and a with a battle group. Anit no one shinking a carrier. In the 1940s they tried to sink the USS Independence with a nuke and it did not shink.
My father served on the ship for about three years as a machinist, and was a volunteer firefighter during Operation Desert Storm. I have amazing photos of the ship and its aircraft that is mind boggling.
with all its ups and downs, The Navy is my favorite branch of the US Military
I love the Army....As a Grunt myself lol
That's Great
It took four weeks of attack and that's without damage control parties fighting to save her. I understand the anger in her demise, but she will have saved thousands of lives with her sacrifice. Respect to her and those who sailed aboard her 🇺🇲
Plus during the 4 week attack it had no defense and the Kitty Hawk is 2 design's back
Short of using a Nuke China or any Nation will not be able to sink a Carrier with 1 shot and no way do we just park it with no defense for 4 weeks of heavy and accurate attacks and then still need the Demolition Teams to sink it
I thought I saw a video on the sinking of the America to be used as an artificial reef. I also saw a yutube on the sinking of the Coral Sea or the FDR. I served on the America in 73/74. I fully agree with everyone that it is a much more honorable end than going to the scrap yard. I served aboard the USS Enterprise CVN 65 in 1972 and early 1973 in the Tonkin Gulf. I saw a picture of her at the scrap yard. Great ship, very sad!
You know this is just like the sinking of the Mock fleet at Bikini atoll. Those ships went down teaching us how to make more generations of Sailors safer. That would be a respectable end to any fighting ship, to be sunk to protect future Americans!
@@williamevans8042 I think it was the USS Ticonderoga that you saw sinking there
My dad was an aerographers mate aboard the USS America in 67 and 68. Thanks for your video!
thanks for a GREAT video wow!! the best part over other military utube sites is that an actul PERSON is talking and not a computer undistinguishable voice thx!!! great job!!
When I was reading about all US carriers on wikipedia, I saw this ship and it was interesting for me how it was decommissioned, when I scrolled right to see and there was wrote “Sunk as a test target...” I was like “But why name it like this? What an irony”
lololol
There are _many_ countries that don't even _have_ an aircraft carrier. We can use ours for target practice.
Those other countries neither need or want aircraft carriers.
@@usarkarzts4207 Ohhh, ok, they told you this?
@sada das So what, if a country is "normal and friendly" a strong navy just isn't required?
@sada das Oooooooh, I see, but do you think the Nazis would have spared the countries who _hadn't_ stuck their noses around places it has no place being?
Are we supposed to just trust that hostile nations would never invade any countries lacking in military defense? What would stop them?
Great video and awesome narration!! Dark5 is my favourite CZcams channel and here’s a great example of why. Keep up the awesome work!!!
I haven't watched your videos for a while but i'm surprised to see you talking now...
Very interesting & informative and piece. Well done.
China: “we can sink two of your ships.”
America: “ok, let’s see what you’ll need to bring for that.”
Well, they still haven’t had the balls to try it after we did.
I made three cruises on the America, CV 66, 1975 - 1978. Fifty or so of us lived in the “49” compartment, port side right about at the water line well forward. Pretty small space but we were at home. You work 12 hours a day, 7 to 7 and shift from nights to days or vice versa when you leave a port. Long lines for meals, midrats for the guys on nights, short “navy showers”, I loved the food but a lot of guys hated it, I was fortunate to be an enlisted aircrewman in the E2-C as an AT2 so I flew most days/nights. Pretty tough for married guys but being single I loved it. When you’re 21 or 22 you don’t realize what an amazing adventure it is to live and work on an aircraft carrier for seven months at a time, but as the years go by it dawns on you that selling insurance or working in a bank or whatever boring time consuming bill paying occupation you find yourself in is nothing , absolutely nothing, compared to the days of your youth when you sailed the seas and saw the world and worked on amazing airplanes and flew on and off an aircraft carrier hundreds of times and didn’t have a worry in the world
Wonderful narration - and compelling presentation!!! Light years beyond the computer generated voice that other channels use. Compared to other live professional narrators, Austin is their professional peer and equal. His timing, cadence, pronunciation and overall presentation is impeccable. A very enjoyable listening experience.
Better than sitting in mothballs for decades before being cut up for scrap.
@Warstar The US has been sinking warships off the coast of Florida and Mexico to create artificial reefs for the last 3 decades. The ships have already been stripped of their engines and any harmful contaminants, and actually create a thriving ecosystem.
@Warstar They remove all contaminates and toxic materials before sinking. They did a documentary on this ship about how they prepared it for this exercise
@Warstar fantastic way to completely talk out of your ass. Congratulations sir, the entire CZcams world now knows you spew shit out of both ends.
@Warstar You couldn't be more wrong. No Ship is ever Scuttled like this without being Decontaminated. That process alone takes several years. There are Zero Liquid Toxins in a Ship Scuttling.
@Warstar all that was removed long before it was sunk. All this was planned years ago.
Hell yeah you narrate now! Great video
This was super interesting, absolutely love this channel and the narrator is something special ❤️
Well done video, having served aboard the America from 82-86 in the ship's fire department I take pride in knowing that it took so much to put here down. She served with pride only wish the name had gone to a new carrier.
You must’ve been with America during the Libyan crisis. I was there with a Tomcat squadron on Saratoga.
China is known for having big mouths and words when comes to talking.
I really can’t stand those commies, they make my blood boil
@@wendyvinshlikapoltz8211 Their voice makes me sick. Specifically, their PRC (from China) also caused problem and trouble as a tourist or workers. There are a few who are really good in characters but the majority of them are irritating.
What's that supposed to mean?
@@wendyvinshlikapoltz8211Those commies are beating our asses when it comes to growing their economy, building high-speed rail lines throughout their country, and creating world class universities. All of ours are falling apart, in case you hadn't noticed. Glad you're brainwashed to such an extent, though. Would make your masters proud.
Bob Jones that’s exactly why I’m afraid of them, fear breads anger. I can’t stand to see my own country fall apart while China, a country that has killed more of its own citizens than the Nazis and Soviets combined, thrives. The US has no doubt committed horrific atrocities throughout history but I’d rather live with the illusion of freedom than live under a communist regime. It scares me that the Chinese have so much influence over American corporations and politics and I fear the world is only going to plunge further into Orwellian madness.
I have served aboard 7 ships that were later used in SINKEXs. It is an honor to be buried at sea or turned into a museum. America served in honor and aided in the protection of future carriers. Salute!
"why did it take over four weeks to sink?" well, maybe because it's a WARSHIP and kinda designed NOT to sink.
I suspect the "4 weeks" bit is a bit misleading. The tests were spread out over 4 weeks, but it wasn't as though it was a free-for-all for that time period. The weapons and where they were aimed was likely planned well in advance, and after each shot, they'd have to put people aboard to put out the fires, shore up anything that absolutely needed it, and do a detailed study of the damage. Did the weapon have the intended effects? Did the ship's defensive scheme work as designed? (Fun fact: Defensive armor schemes aren't always as effective in practice as they are on paper.) They'd likely do this as many times as feasible, simulating different likely impact scenarios and/or testing the effectiveness of their own weapons. I'd imagine this was planned in series as to allow for the most data collection possible. That is, anti-ship missiles striking above the waterline might be used early in the testing schedule, but something like a heavyweight torpedo (which are usually intended to explode beneath a ship and break the keel) would be used at the end, where the weapon's effect might make a sinking more likely.
And that brings up another point, and one I think they likely got a lot of useful data from. Just because the ship didn't sink, doesn't mean the damage sustained wouldn't have put it out of the fight. Getting hammered with missiles may not cause it to sink, but it the ship gets gutted by fires as a result, then it's effectively a kill.
Good on the Navy for performing this. Would have made for a nice museum ship for sure, but for making vessels better? Nothing beats actual testing. The lessons learned from it wouldn't have been acquired any other way short of war....and that's probably not the way they'd want to learn them.
@@digitalman01010 i never thought of it that way. i mean... it makes sense. get as much data as possible. thanks for the insight.
@@aidanacebo9529 your welcome! :)
@@aidanacebo9529 As a fireman, I can tell you that we do the same thing when we're burning an old building for training purposes. We don't destroy it as quickly as possible. We light it on fire and put the fire out again as man times as we possibly can to get the most training value out of it.
The frigate that was shown more than once was the Fife, which launched the most tomahawks of any ship during the initial invasion of Iraq. It was sunk intentionally as well, but off the Washington coast.
@6767jade Your right, thank you. USS Fife (DD-991), was a Spruance-class destroyer, And most importantly, Thank you for your service.
Love it DarkDoc style!
Nice narration,keep it up...
I served on America from 88-91, this was a sad end to a very proud ship.
I was in the navy from 71 to 75 and had two brothers on the USS CORAL SEA in the late 60's . Our ships are all gone now. Either scrapped or sunk. Kind of sad.
2:17 - that is so incredibley selfish in my view. The fact that the ship i served aboard was being used to help discover ways to save Sailors lives would make me proud. Instead of being broken up for scrap, the America's final act was hugely important.
As a civilian I had that same thought. Sacrifice in order to safe countless future lives is the most honorable thing possible.
5 weeks of heavy bombardment ? don't see very much damage .
Woah, dark5 has improved a bunch since the past years
Love the content and the way it was told. Quick and to the point
I had a STEM teacher in elementary school who served on America
can you name the place your STEM at?
mezo mohsen George C. Marshall elementary
Always enjoyable
Whao I haven’t watched one of your vids(seriously) since & this grade...I just graduated high school a few weeks ago. I’ve been subbed this entire time. I remember I would watch your vids when I was in places where I couldn’t use volume. Now you got cha voice ?? Pretty clean
you should have loaded it in "dark docs". but, as usual, very good.
That is simply floating town.
Cheers from Indonesia
Two US Carriers have been Nuc'd already - the USS Independence, and the USS Saratoga, during Operation Crossroads Able and Baker Nuclear Bomb Tests ...
The "Able" Bomb was set off July 1st, 1946, with the USS Independence only 560 yards from Ground Zero in the Bikini Atoll, and the USS Saratoga being 2,265 yards from Ground Zero. The bomb actually missed it's intended target - the USS Nevada - by 731 yards (and the USS Nevada survived the test). Both Aircraft Carriers also remained afloat - with severe damage, of course - but stayed afloat!
However, it was later determined that if crews had been aboard, all would have received over the 1,000 Rem lethal dose of Radiation (those on deck would have received a dose somewhere near 10,000 Rem), and so, both ships (all ships in the target fleet, for that matter) would have become Ghost Ships - with the vast majority still floating, but with no crews surviving.
It was estimated that if all the ships in the target fleet had been crewed, 35,000+ crewman would have died during the tests from radiation.
The "Baker" Test was set off July 25th, 1946 - 90 feet underwater - in the 180 foot deep lagoon of Bikini Atoll, and was later determined to be the first World Nuclear Disaster because of the fallout it generated via its water plume (the fallout from Hiroshima and Nagasaki was negligible because of the air burst detonations).
The USS Saratoga sank within 7.5 Hours hours of that explosion (this time 450 yards from Ground Zero), with it's hull cracked in too many places from the underwater shock wave to stay afloat until the radiation half life was expended and a decontamination crew could safely (heh) get near it. That being said, the USS Independence stayed afloat after that blast (she was about 1,200 yards from Ground Zero this time), and was later towed to San Francisco" Hunters Point Naval Shipyard where it was attempted to be decontaminated for four years ... unsuccessfully. It was finally towed to the Farallon Islands and scuttled as it was still too radioactive to salvage or scrap.
The planned "Charlie" Test - to be set off in deep water in the ocean outside the Bikini Atoll Lagoon - was cancelled after the radiation contamination experienced from the Baker Test.
Long story short - yes, nuclear weapons could kill aircraft carriers. At a minimum, their crews. That being said, anyone using such would expect retaliation in kind.
If I were to guess, I would assume all the Chinese newly appropriated and rebuilt South Sea Islands would be vaporized fairly rapidly, along with their one aircraft carrier - as soon as it was able to leave port without having to return for more repairs (we would be hesitant to hit it in port, as the civilian casualties would be massive).
And somewhere during that period, everyone would start firing nuclear weapons to attempt to kill their enemies, and everyone would lose - even those Chinese hiding in those not so secret tunnels they have been building for their military, and the Russians hiding in their mountain anti-nuclear bunkers. Radiation would eventually kill most everything.
Now both the Chinese and the Russians - and many Muslim states of late - have shown a great preparedness over the decades to sacrifice millions in the hopes of winning against their enemies by sheer will to let millions of their own die in their cause. However, they have not experienced what the Japanese did - who also showed this capacity in WWII - and experienced in just two light to medium nuclear bombs being dropped on them - which was - one bomb, almost one entire city population - each - even when we missed by a substantial distance (Nagasaki). Once you start experiencing that - and the years of radiation burns and sickness afterwards, even the most stalwart stance may become overpowered by the will of those left not wanting to become the next city to fall victim to that type elimination.
And yet, once the bombs start to fall, it might be too late anyway even if everyone stopped - as radiation values no political borders (i.e. Chernobyl).
Long story short - I believe the Chinese General's comments in this article were sheer propaganda - as he too would die in a nuclear hell - as would his men and women - should they start a nuclear war over aircraft carriers.
And as such, the US Aircraft Carriers will continue to bring the "fight" to enemy shores as non-nuclear war continues to eb and flow in the world of the 21st century ... until that changes.
Very informative! Thank you!!
I served aboard USS JOHN F KENNEDY CV 67 when she underwent shock testing off the Florida coast in 1984. At the time, she was the first carrier to undergo shock testing.
Excellent video and narration.
It is sad to learn and watch such an important vessel of the United States Navy suffer such a sad ending but considering her demise will be used to study how to make subsequent Naval Ships less prone to attack damage, I'm sure the USS America would say it was a lofty and important way to serve her country one last time.
RIP, USS America.
May you rest knowing your sacrifice can, and WILL, help to save countless American lives should the day of battle on the High Seas occur.
God Bless You, Stately Ship!
Make this a series, it’s awesome!
Very interesting, thank you.
I do think that they took in stages testing how different ordinance affected CV and did analyze damage properly.
Impressive. Glad we were able to learn how to make them even better.
Tough ship. Only sunk because their was no damage repair crew tasked to keep it a float after a certain point. If this had been an actual battle with a crew onboard, the ship would most likely survived all damage. Fortunately it did not have a crew, because while the ship might have survived many of the would not have.
Usa makes golden class carriers,we have been making them since 1920s this is why the stupid Ohh there big targets argument is stupid
They haaad to send demolition crews in to physsicaally sink it bombing wasnt working
That's not how it works. The ships ear set up to be sank by decreasing its water tight integrity. Tank flanges and covers are purposely compromised so the ship goes down
If they could only build houses that tough, hurricanes wouldn't have a prayer of destroying someone's home.
They can but nobody is going to pay a few billion dollars for a house.
Honestly without this I would've assumed she'd been scuttled as an artificial reef. Glad to know she was able to help us out one last time.
That was a great video thanks for a job well done