USS Oriskany: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 01:10, 10 February 2025

USS Oriskany (CV/CVA-34) was one of the few Essex-class aircraft carriers completed after World War II for the United States Navy. Named for the Battle of Oriskany during the American Revolutionary War, she was the only ship of her class to be completed with the SCB-27 modernization, which included an angled flight deck and other improvements.

Construction and Commissioning

Oriskany was laid down on 1 May 1944 at the New York Naval Shipyard. Her construction was suspended in 1946, but she was eventually completed and commissioned on 25 September 1950. The ship was named after the Battle of Oriskany, a pivotal engagement in the American Revolutionary War.

Service History

Korean War

Oriskany was deployed to the Korean War in 1952, where she served as a flagship for Carrier Task Force 77. Her aircraft flew numerous sorties against enemy targets, providing close air support for ground troops and conducting interdiction missions.

Vietnam War

During the Vietnam War, Oriskany was deployed multiple times to the Western Pacific. She played a significant role in air operations over Vietnam, launching thousands of sorties against North Vietnamese targets. On 26 October 1966, a tragic fire broke out on board, resulting in the deaths of 44 crew members. The fire was caused by the accidental ignition of a magnesium flare.

Post-Vietnam and Decommissioning

After the Vietnam War, Oriskany continued to serve in the Pacific Fleet until she was decommissioned on 30 September 1976. She was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 25 July 1989.

Artificial Reef

In 2006, Oriskany was sunk off the coast of Pensacola, Florida, to form an artificial reef. This project was part of a program to create new marine habitats and promote recreational diving. The sinking was carefully planned and executed, making Oriskany the largest vessel ever intentionally sunk as an artificial reef.

Related Pages

Gallery

USS Oriskany underway at sea, 6 December 1950
En route to the Western Pacific, 23 June 1967
On fire, 26 October 1966
With USS Bon Homme Richard off Vietnam, 1970
F-8J Crusader escorting a Soviet Tu-95, 25 May 1974
Returning from her last deployment, 1976
Arriving in Pensacola, 20 December 2004
Leaving port, 15 May 2006
Detonations aboard the USS Oriskany
Sunk to form an artificial reef, 17 May 2006
Sinking of USS Oriskany
Oriskany as an artificial reef, July 2008

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-'''USS Oriskany''' (CV/CVA-34) – nicknamed "Mighty O", and occasionally referred to as the "O-boat" – was one of the few [[Essex-class aircraft carrier|Essex-class aircraft carriers]] completed after [[World War II]] for the [[United States Navy]]. The ship was named for the [[Battle of Oriskany]] during the [[American Revolutionary War]].
+{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2023}}
+{{Ship}}
-The construction of the Oriskany differed considerably from that of her sister ships. Originally designed as a "long-hulled" Essex-class ship (considered by some authorities to be a separate class, the [[Ticonderoga class aircraft carrier|Ticonderoga class]]), her construction was started during World War II but not completed until after the war had ended. She was modernized to operate jet aircraft as a part of the SCB-27 program and was subsequently modernized to operate in an [[Anti-submarine warfare|anti-submarine warfare]] (ASW) role, as an attack carrier (CVA), and then eventually to the role of an antisubmarine aircraft carrier (CVS).
+'''USS Oriskany (CV/CVA-34)''' was one of the few ''Essex''-class aircraft carriers completed after World War II for the United States Navy. Named for the [[Battle of Oriskany]] during the [[American Revolutionary War]], she was the only ship of her class to be completed with the SCB-27 modernization, which included an angled flight deck and other improvements.
-Oriskany was the final Essex-class ship completed. She operated primarily in the Pacific into the 1970s, earning two [[Battle Stars]] during the [[Korean War]] and ten during the [[Vietnam War]].
+==Construction and Commissioning==
+Oriskany was laid down on 1 May 1944 at the [[New York Naval Shipyard]]. Her construction was suspended in 1946, but she was eventually completed and commissioned on 25 September 1950. The ship was named after the Battle of Oriskany, a pivotal engagement in the American Revolutionary War.
-Decommissioned in 1976, she was sold for scrap in 1995 but was repossessed in 1997 because nothing had been done. In 2004 it was decided to sink her as an [[Artificial reef]] off the coast of Florida in the Gulf of Mexico. After much environmental review and remediation to remove toxic substances, she was carefully sunk in May 2006, settling in an upright position in 212 feet (65 m) of water. As of 2008, Oriskany is the largest vessel ever sunk to make a reef.
+==Service History==
+===Korean War===
+Oriskany was deployed to the [[Korean War]] in 1952, where she served as a flagship for Carrier Task Force 77. Her aircraft flew numerous sorties against enemy targets, providing close air support for ground troops and conducting interdiction missions.
+===Vietnam War===
+During the [[Vietnam War]], Oriskany was deployed multiple times to the Western Pacific. She played a significant role in air operations over Vietnam, launching thousands of sorties against North Vietnamese targets. On 26 October 1966, a tragic fire broke out on board, resulting in the deaths of 44 crew members. The fire was caused by the accidental ignition of a magnesium flare.
+===Post-Vietnam and Decommissioning===
+After the Vietnam War, Oriskany continued to serve in the Pacific Fleet until she was decommissioned on 30 September 1976. She was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 25 July 1989.
+==Artificial Reef==
+In 2006, Oriskany was sunk off the coast of [[Pensacola, Florida]], to form an artificial reef. This project was part of a program to create new marine habitats and promote recreational diving. The sinking was carefully planned and executed, making Oriskany the largest vessel ever intentionally sunk as an artificial reef.
+==Related Pages==
+* [[Essex-class aircraft carrier]]
+* [[Battle of Oriskany]]
+* [[Vietnam War]]
+* [[Artificial reef]]
+==Gallery==
+<gallery>
+File:USS_Oriskany_(CV-34)_underway_at_sea_on_6_December_1950_(NH_97408).jpg|USS Oriskany underway at sea, 6 December 1950
+File:USS_Oriskany_(CV-34)_en_route_to_the_Western_Pacific_for_operations_off_Vietnam,_23_June_1967.jpg|En route to the Western Pacific, 23 June 1967
+File:USS_Oriskany_(CV-34)_on_fire,_26_October_1966.jpg|On fire, 26 October 1966
+File:USS_Oriskany_(CVA-34)_and_Bon_Homme_Richard_(CVA-31)_off_Vietnam_1970.jpg|With USS Bon Homme Richard off Vietnam, 1970
+File:F-8J_Crusader_of_VF-194_escorting_a_Soviet_Tu-95_over_USS_Oriskany_(CVA-34)_on_25_May_1974.jpg|F-8J Crusader escorting a Soviet Tu-95, 25 May 1974
+File:USS_Oriskany_(CV-34)_returning_from_her_last_deployment_1976.jpeg|Returning from her last deployment, 1976
+File:US_Navy_050111-N-5328N-015_On_lookers_watch_as_the_888-foot_decommission_aircraft_carrier_Oriskany_arrives_in_Pensacola_on_Dec._20,_2004_from_Corpus_Christi,_Texas.jpg|Arriving in Pensacola, 20 December 2004
+File:Ex-USS_Oriskany_leaves_port,_15_May_2006.jpg|Leaving port, 15 May 2006
+File:Detonations_aboard_the_USS_Oriskany.jpg|Detonations aboard the USS Oriskany
+File:US_Navy_060517-N-7992K-009_The_ex-Oriskany,_a_decommissioned_aircraft_carrier,_was_sunk_24_miles_off_the_coast_of_Pensacola,_Fla.,_on_May_17_to_form_an_artificial_reef.jpg|Sunk to form an artificial reef, 17 May 2006
+File:USS_Oriskany_sinking.jpg|Sinking of USS Oriskany
+File:Oriskany_July_2008_-1.jpg|Oriskany as an artificial reef, July 2008
+</gallery>
 [[Category:Essex-class aircraft carriers]]
-[[Category:Ships built in New York (state)]]
+[[Category:Ships built in Brooklyn, New York]]
-[[Category:1945 ships]]
+[[Category:1950 ships]]
 [[Category:Cold War aircraft carriers of the United States]]
-[[Category:Korean War aircraft carriers of the United States]]
 [[Category:Vietnam War aircraft carriers of the United States]]
-[[Category:United States Navy New York (state)-related ships]]
 [[Category:Artificial reefs]]
-[[Category:Maritime incidents in 2006]]
-{{US Navy ship}}
-{{Essex class aircraft carrier}}
-{{US Navy Vietnam War ship}}
-{{US Navy Korea War ship}}
-{{ship-stub}}