3/30/08

A Toast to the Grey Lady Oriskany

To the Grey Lady Oriskany, 888′ of steel and a half century and more of sacrifice, you have served your country well and with pride, courage and honor. You have given your all and then some to keeping America safe and free. As you were called to the purpose of protecting the safe haven that is America, you have now been called to an even higher purpose, to provide a safe haven for God’s creatures. And as any diver who has done it can attest with pride and satisfaction, “I dived the Oriskany.” With a tear in my eye and a glass in my hand, I salute you Grey Lady Oriskany. You were a proud ship. You were a fast ship. You were a good ship. May you serve the Maker as proudly and honorably as you served your country and may you rest in peace.

(A tribute to the aircraft carrier USS Oriskany - CV 34, recently sunk in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola, FL.)

/s/ DeEtta L. Agan-Leaton
November 24, 2006

Did you know Ronald Woods? My dad, Ron Woods spent many years on the Oriskany and we still have some of his pics from those days.

I am currently looking for artwork to add to my current small collection, but I want the Oriskany, CV-34 on my wall. I damn neared cried when I came across the show on tv that documented the demo and ‘reefing’ of this ship. My brother and I watchd the show while talking to each other on the phone for about 1/4 of the show.

V-4 Division was aviation fuels, and I spent most of my time on the flight deck pumping fuel into A-4 Skyhawks, F-3 Demons, F-8 Crusaders, A-3 Skywarriors [Navy nuke bomber] and the great A-1 Skyraiders along with a Helo or two. The Oriskany was the first attack aircraft carrier in Vietnam, we were steaming to Australia then a change of orders sent us to the Gulf of Tonkin. President JFK visited us and I stood about 12 feet from him in dress uniform on the flightdeck when he boarded. We were in Yokosuka, Japan when it was announced he was assassinated.

I have been following “The Mighty O” on-line since 2003, and was saddened that she did not rate Museum Class like the USS Midway at San Diego. The Oriskany was first constructed in the early 1940’s for WW-2 but the first to wear that name ended up the USS Wasp. CVA 34 Oriskany hull was laid in 1944 then set on the back burner when the war ended, only to be finished for Korea. It was later converted to angle deck modernization in the fifties.

I was aboard October 26, 1966 when the major Magnesium Flare fire killed about 40 mostly officers and fighter pilots. Over the years I constructed many scale models of those great jet fighters under a magnifier. I rode a Hobie Skateboard on her flat decks and shipmates used to line up for a chance to ride it at sea as the Oriskany rocked us to sleep port to starboard. I rode out my first hurricane between Hawaii-Japan and had to go outside on the ‘island structure’ to witness it, I can still taste the salt-water!

Vietnam was the toughest part as the Oriskany was short on air-conditioning systems for enlisted men. She launched the very first jet ’sortie’ in what would become ‘the war of a million sorties’, and the Oriskany set records that toppled bigger aircraft carriers by numbers.

I felt a unique experience when she hit bottom the Oriskany became property of the state of Florida, where I live! I must admit the series of Navy Photos on May 17 of her sinking made her look smaller than I remember her to be, somehow she was helpless but cooperative, in empathy with the sea. A burial at sea is appropriate for a fine warship, where she will rest in grand company.

Being on her in my teen years made her part of my consciousness for life, and a part I will always remember with great respect, and never regret! She was a fine ship and a true sea classic! Looking back my time aboard her was timeless, that ’short-timers calender’ meant far less after we parted company as I grew to miss her.

It is believed it will take over 200 years for her to return to the earth, may she rust in peace! Thank you for sharing.