Note: Entries in this index, carried over verbatim from the print edition of this title, are unlikely to correspond to the pagination of any given e-book reader. However, entries in this index, and other terms, may be easily located by using the search feature of your e-book reader.
A3J-1 Vigilante, 18
A-4 Skyhawk, 44, 83
A-4E Skyhawk, 166
A-6 Intruder, 162
acetylene torch, 197
ACOP (aircraft out of commission for parts), 117
administration officer, 230
after steering compartments, 28, 178, 179–84
aircraft:
carrier design for, 16
deck-crew safety risks near, 47, 50, 53–54
emergency jettison of, 163–66, 175, 229
magnesium in brake systems of, 163
aircraft carriers:
in battle group, 80
combat procedures on, 71–72
command of, 29–30
fire-safety instructions improved on, 260, 282n
flight deck design in, 16, 17
improvements in safety preparedness of, 271–72
landing procedures on, 21–24, 26–27
nuclear power used in, 19, 281n
panic reaction to constrictions of, 71
as political threat, 18–19
relative safety of, 8, 12
as sovereign U.S. territory, 19
speed of, 16, 19
status conditions of, 92–93, 153, 157
supercarrier designation of, 15
weapons system safety regulations for, 72–74, 102, 246–50, 255, 260, 267–68
in World War II, 15, 17, 23, 30–31
see also Forrestal, USS; specific aircraft carriers
aircraft out of commission for parts (ACOP), 117
“Airedales,” 226
Alstede, USS, 30
ammunition:
age and instability of, 81–82, 84–88, 92, 120, 256, 260–61, 272–74, 278, 283n, 285n
crew messages written on, 94
emergency jettison of, 166–67, 168–69, 175, 229
heat sensitivity of, 85, 87, 120, 167, 274
shipboard fire in detonation of, 120, 121–24, 128–30, 131, 132–36, 137–39, 144–45, 161, 179–80, 187–88, 235, 256, 257, 260–61, 265, 272–74, 283n
storage of, 88, 137, 166
supply ships’ cargo of, 80, 81
on Zuni rockets, 100–101, 103, 104, 229, 236–37, 246–52, 255–56, 259, 272, 283n
anchor chains, 16, 281n
Angel 20, 107, 171–73
antiaircraft fire, 100, 103–4
antiwar movement, 11, 75–76, 78, 266
Arlington National Cemetery, monument to Forrestal victims in, 270–71
arresting gear, 21–22, 282n
Atlantic Fleet, 29, 39, 56, 83, 239, 252, 262, 263
av-gas, 95
aviation-supply runner, 140
aviators, naval:
brown shoes worn by, 263
carrier command as career goal of, 29–30
crew firefighting effort admired by, 170
ejection systems provided to, 115, 117, 161, 243
electrical system switches of, 255
escapes from shipboard fire by, 105, 107, 114–18, 119–20, 243, 244
fire blamed on, 226–27
grades on landings of, 24
landing challenges of, 26–27
launch procedures and, 62–63
LSO guidance to, 23–24, 99–100
medical care of, 201
mission assignments of, 99–100
nickname for, 226
preflight tasks of, 99, 102–3
stress levels of, 26
survival knives issued to, 244
weapon loads of, 100–101
in World War II, 30–33
Bangert, Jim, 74, 99–100, 101, 102–3, 114, 195
Barrows, Albert, 172
battery-storage compartment, chlorine gas formed in, 225–26
battle groups, 80
beards, 57
bearing mechanism, 135
Beling, Eve, 231, 240
Beling, John, 29–36
administrative criticism of, 263–68, 285n
on age of bomb supplies, 86, 256, 261, 273–74, 285n
on aid from destroyers, 174, 183
on bomb detonations, 126, 128, 129, 131, 162, 256, 257, 273–74
on casualties of fire, 221–22, 236
crew welfare emphasized by, 34, 57, 218, 225
education of, 30, 255
family of, 231, 240
fire control efforts of, 110–12, 129, 138, 139–40, 167, 174, 196–97, 218
fire damage assessed by, 196–97, 217, 234, 235, 236, 238, 257
Forrestal ’s return resisted by, 224, 234–36, 238–40, 241
investigation testimony of, 251–57, 259
launches watched by, 96
leadership style of, 34, 39, 40, 111, 112, 167–68, 170, 196, 217
on men overboard, 71, 96–98
naval career of, 29–30, 83, 236, 242, 259, 263, 264–70
ordnance jettison ordered by, 167
personality contrasts of, 33–34
on possible loss of ship, 284n
post-Forrestal assignments of, 258, 262, 264, 268–70
on preparations for Vietnam deployment, 39–41, 65, 66, 71, 252–53
press statement of, 240–41
on review procedures of investigation, 262–66
rocket-arming design criticized by, 255–56, 257
safety preparedness stressed by, 71, 252–54, 260, 261
on safety-procedure alterations, 251–52, 255–56
sailors’ meals improved by, 34–36
in World War II, 30–33, 59
Bennington, USS, 66, 169
Benzedrine (speed; uppers), 200–201, 226, 227
bilges, 136
Biloxi, USS, 33
“black shoes,” 262–63, 269
Blaskis, James, 3–5, 6, 7, 60, 97
background of, 4
Forrestal deployment of, 8
graffiti signature of, 5
navigation duties of, 27–28, 91–92, 178, 184
steering compartment as site of death, 179–84, 276
Bloedorn, James, 107–9, 111, 126
boiler technicians (BTs), 110
bolters, 22
bomb carts, 168
bombing missions:
messages written on bombs before, 94
misrepresenting success of, 78–79
North Vietnamese targets of, 5, 77, 83–84, 92, 230
refueling on, 99
supply shortages on, 77, 78, 79, 86
support aircraft used on, 99
bombs, see ammunition
Bon Homme Richard, USS, 83, 93, 171, 206, 223, 224
Booth, Thomas, 262, 263
brakes, power-assisted, 49
breakaways, 61
breathing apparatus, 57, 157, 158, 159, 161, 186, 271
Brooks, William, 119
“brown shoes,” 262, 263, 266
BTs (boiler technicians), 110
“bunker busters,” 100
Burgess, W. T., 107–8, 109, 153
burns, third-degree, 203
C-130 Hercules, 18
Caloosahatchee, USS, 61
Campbell, James, 127
Cape Horn, 59
“Cast Your Fate to the Wind” (Werber and Guaraldi), 4
catapult-deck-edge operators, 43–44
catapult officers (shooters), 43
catapult system, 20–21, 43–44, 53, 99, 229
catheters, 214
Central Control, 180–81
Central Park, 1967 antiwar gathering in, 76
Chisum, Clark, 139, 164
chlorine gas, 225–26, 229
“chop line,” 239
Clark, Robert, 145, 146–47
Clement, David, 107, 172, 173
coffee lockers, 95
“cold shot,” 21
combat control, 188, 189–90
communism, Vietnam War and, 11, 75
composition B bombs, 87, 92, 120, 144
conflag centers, 154
corpsmen (medics), 41, 201, 209
court-martial, 265–66
cranials, 43
crash crane, 164
crash-crew shack, 119
crash tractors, 49–50
Crutchley, Milt, 187–95
destroyers:
in battle group, 79–80
fire emergency aid provided by, 174–75, 183, 193–94
Diamond Head, USS, 80–82, 84, 86, 88, 93, 176–77, 285n
Dickerson, John, 145
discipline, military, 142
Dixie Station, 67
Dollarhide, David, 115–16, 117, 118
draft cards, burning of, 76
Dyke (man overboard), 98
Dynasties, 58
E-2A Hawkeye, 99
EA-1F Skyraider, 99
Eiland, Leonard, 107, 172
ejection seats, 115, 117, 161, 243
enemy sailors, rescue of, 52
Enterprise, USS, 25
equator, crossing of, 57
Essex-class carriers, 15
Eurice, Frank, 133, 242
background of, 64–65
bomb explosions and, 135–36
engine-room duties of, 64, 65, 109
firefighting activities of, 157–59, 186–87, 195–96, 197–98
smoke seen by, 110, 195
F4H-1 Phantom II, 18, 100, 101, 169
Fair, John, 224
Family, Friends, and Dependents Cruise, 56–57
Farrier, Gerald, 119–21, 123, 124, 127, 147, 271
Fasth, Kenneth, 180, 182
fat boys, 85, 167
fire-deluge system, 188–89
fire-main pressure, 137
fires, shipboard:
on ammunition supply ship, 81
navy history of, 66, 67–70
newer bombs designed to withstand conditions of, 85, 126
on Oriskany, 67–70, 71, 159, 208–9, 251, 253, 254
training programs in response to, 245–26, 252–53, 271
see also Forrestal, USS, fire on
fish pole, 172
flares, magnesium, 62–63, 67–69, 70, 159, 253
flight deck:
aircraft positioned on, 23, 98–99, 101–2
ammunition stored on, 88
angle design for landings on, 17
armor plate of, 197
camera transmission of activities on, 105, 106, 170
color coding by job on, 42–43
dangers of work on, 27, 44, 46–48, 49–50, 53–54, 62–63, 93–94, 282n
escalator to, 17–18
fire and explosion damage to, 197, 199
fire-safety regulations for apparel on, 271, 282n
Forrestal-class and, 15
heat conditions on, 46–47
island structure on, 127, 128–29
length of, 15
man overboard from, 53–55
planes chained on, 23
safety net on, 24, 117–18
sleeping berths beneath, 131–35, 154
flight operations:
catapult system of takeoff in, 20–21, 43–44, 53, 99
in high tempo, 72, 83
in landing procedures, 21–24, 26–27
launch activities of, 42–44, 62–63, 72, 92–95, 98–100
primary control center of, 130
wind direction accommodated in, 20
flight quarters, 90
flight surgeons, 201
float coats, 282n
FOD walkdown, 47–48
fog-foam firefighting equipment, 70, 118–19, 155, 156, 160, 216
foreign object damage (FOD), 47
forklifts, 168–69
Forrestal, James V., 9
Forrestal, USS:
air-conditioning system on, 17, 18, 197
aircraft capacity of, 16, 19
air strikes launched from, 2, 5, 83–84, 92
anchor chains of, 16, 281n
in battle group, 79–80
building costs of, 17
charity work performed by touring crews of, 9
command of, 129; see also Beling, John
complexity of inner structure of, 19, 50–51
crew size of, 16, 241
daily work schedules on, 1, 5, 88–89, 90–91, 96, 131–32
decommissioning of, 270
design innovations of, 15–18, 281n-82n,
284n duty assignments on, 2–3, 5, 27–28, 44, 48, 60, 63–64, 140, 187
emergency preparedness on, 65–66, 70–71
equatorial crossing of, 57–58
firefighting equipment of, 40, 118–19, 156, 260
firefighting training of crew on, 252–54, 257, 260
first combat operations launched from, 83–84
five-inch gun mounts on, 186, 187, 281n–82n
flight-deck accidents on, 49–50, 93–94, 283n
flight-deck safety film shot on, 282n
flight operations/procedures on, 19–24, 26–27, 42–44, 53, 62–63, 72, 83, 92–95, 98–100, 130
friendships among crew of, 3–4, 28, 59, 120
improved accommodations of, 17–18
landing deck of, 17; see also flight deck landing procedures on, 21–24, 26–27
launching of, 17
liberty calls from, 58–59, 60, 237–38
liquid-oxygen-generating plant on, 145–47, 272, 284n
meals on, 35–36
medical department on, 40–41, 56, 201–7
multiple family members assigned to, 243
navigation department of, 27–28, 178, 179–84
nickname of, 9
nuclear weapons carried on, 15, 221, 281n out-of-date ammunition supplied to, 84–88, 92, 256, 260–61, 272–74, 278, 283n, 285n overboard falls from, 51–55, 70–71, 89, 96–98, 282n
preparations for Vietnam deployment of, 40
public-address system of, 96, 108, 168, 199
recreational activities aboard, 9, 58
resupply operations of, 60–62
Rio stop of, 4
as safe assignment, 8
safety shortcuts on aircraft weapons systems of, 72–74, 102, 246–52, 255, 260, 267–68
size of, 8–9, 15, 19
Soviet spy ship and, 239
speed of, 16, 19, 111, 224, 238–39
steering mechanisms of, 28, 179, 183–84
as supercarrier, 15
supplies budget of, 40
telephone communications capabilities of, 230
as testing site for aviation trials, 18
training cruises of, 56
U.S. return of, 234–36, 238–41, 257
Vietnam as initial combat deployment of, 29, 39–40, 83
voyage to Southeast Asia of, 9, 56–60, 65, 71, 75, 82–83
Weapons Coordination Board of, 72, 73, 74, 249–50
Yankee Station replacement for, 224
young sailors vs. older crew on, 7
Forrestal, USS, fire on:
accidental Zuni-rocket launch as ignition of, 102–4, 105, 229, 236–37, 246, 250–51, 259, 273
aid from other ships during, 158–59, 171, 173–75, 193–94, 206–16
aircraft moved or jettisoned from flight deck in, 106–7, 155, 161–66, 175, 229
berthing quarters below, 131–35, 154
capsize danger in, 185, 186, 217
carrier safety preparedness improved after, 271–72
casualties in, v, 104–5, 116–17, 123–27, 132, 140, 147, 150, 179–84, 219–222, 226, 228–29, 230, 231–33, 236, 237, 242–44, 270–71
chlorine-gas fatalities in aftermath of, 225–26
clean-up efforts in wake of, 218–19, 276–77
command responses to, 107–13, 137–40, 196–97, 217–18, 221–22
crew members in escape from, 187–95
damage control in, 137–38, 146, 147, 154, 155–56, 157, 170, 180–81, 225–26
damage sustained by ship in, 154, 179–80, 196, 197, 217, 229, 234, 235, 236, 238, 257
emotional repercussions of, 223, 226–27, 237–38, 242, 244–45, 274–78
exhaustion of crew in, 200–201, 222, 223, 226–28
extraordinary actions by crew in, 169, 178, 179–84, 211, 240
final extinguishing of, 224
firefighting efforts directed at, 118–21, 127–28, 131, 137, 155–58, 160–61, 170, 174, 186–87, 195–96, 197–200, 216–17, 224, 237, 256, 257, 260
Forrestal, USS, fire on
hangar bays sealed off in, 154–55, 188–89
informing families of crewmembers in, 230–34, 244
liquid oxygen dumped in, 145–47, 272
list developed in, 185–86
local boats dispatched from, 175–76, 284n
medical treatment for injuries from, 148–52, 202–16, 223, 284n
men overboard in, 127, 147, 159, 171–73, 190–91, 193–94, 210–11, 213
mistakes in firefighting tactics used in, 156, 242, 260
morale boosted in, 168, 170, 217
newspaper coverage of, 229–30, 231, 240–41
official navy investigations of, 238, 246–62, 263–68
ordnance explosions in, 120, 121–24, 128–30, 131, 132–36, 137–39, 144–45, 161, 179–80, 187–88, 235, 256, 257, 260–61, 265, 272–74, 283n
ordnance jettisoned in, 166–67, 168–69, 175, 229
photographs of, 229, 285n
pilots in escape from, 105, 107, 114–18, 119–20, 243, 244
progress of, 104–8, 113–14, 120, 123, 128, 130, 131, 144–45, 155, 161, 168, 185, 195–96, 197, 199–200, 216–18, 224, 283n
retrieval of bodies from, 219–21, 228, 237
sailors isolated in, 140–43, 179–84, 275
seawater flooding and, 185, 186
speed reduction in, 111
Vietnamese attack mistaken as cause of, 125, 126, 133–34, 143, 149, 187
water rescue of survivors in, 107, 171–73, 207, 210
frames, 51
Francis, Connie, 225
French (Eurice’s buddy), 109–10, 135
Frenchie (Pritchard’s buddy), 133, 149, 150
Friedman, Paul, 8, 96
background of, 11–12
explosion injury of, 134–35, 205, 242
kitchen assignment of, 63–64
medical treatment received by, 205, 208, 216, 225
on trauma patients, 205
fueling stations, 95
fuel transfers, 61–62
Fugitives, 13, 14, 15
general quarters, 65–66, 109, 133, 135, 136, 141–43, 153, 222, 283n
Gregory, Lieutenant, 97
Guaraldi, Vince, 4
Gulf of Tonkin, U.S. air strikes launched from, 2, 5, 67, 83
gun-mount platforms, 109, 186–87, 189–90, 191–92, 195
H-6 bombs, 85, 87
Hancock, USS, 100–101
hangar bays, fire-control efforts in, 154–55, 156, 188–89
Hanoi Hannah, 222–23
Harry S. Truman, USS, 281n
Hawkeyes, 99
“head knock,” 115
helicopters:
firefighting supplies brought by, 207–8
injured crew transferred by, 208, 211, 224–25
men overboard rescued by, 52, 54, 97, 107, 171–73, 207, 210
as plane guard for launch operations, 107
refueling procedures of, 173
Hercules cargo planes, 18
high tempo combat operations, 72, 83 Hobson, USS, 285n
Ho Chi Minh, 94
Holmes, Ephraim, 262, 263–64, 265, 266, 267–68
hook runners, 22
Hope, Herb, 116–18
hospital ship, 206, 216, 224–25
hot fuel, 173
Hudson, Lonnie, 101–2, 213, 275
Hugo, Donald, 106–7
Hunt, T. J., 114
In Retrospect (McNamara), 78
intervalometer (TER electrical-safety) pin, 73–74, 246–50
Intrepid, USS, 25, 30, 224
Intruders, 162
iron bombs, 78
James, James O., 172
jet aircraft:
deck-crew safety risks near, 47, 50, 53–54
Forrestal designed for, 16
Johnson, Jim, 53–55
Johnson, Lyndon, 75, 76, 78, 230, 235, 236
Julius, Lenny, 209–11, 213–15, 216, 284n
junks, wooden, 175–76
junkyard, 162
KA-3B Skywarrior, 99, 101, 161–63
Kennedy, John F., 25, 75
Kight, Otis, 169
Kilcline, Thomas, 285n
Killmeyer, Kenneth, 8, 242
bodies of fire casualties retrieved by, 219–21
daily duties of, 52, 53, 60, 61, 63, 96, 136
family letters written by, 96–97, 233–34
Forrestal assignment of, 11
navy enlistment of, 9
overboard fall feared by, 51–53, 71
on responses to shipboard fire, 108, 109, 136, 152–54, 155, 233–34
Killmeyer, Patty, 96, 233
Kirchner, G. Gary, 40–41, 56, 93, 200–207, 284n
knives, survival, 244
Kohler, Bob, 219, 230
landing procedures, 21–24, 26–27
landing signal officer (LSO), 23–24, 99–100
Lanham, Harvey, 129, 211, 235, 239–40
LAU 10 device, 255, 256
Lawler, Thomas, 169
liberty calls, 58–59, 60, 237
Life, 229, 285n
life jackets, 190, 192, 207, 217
liquid-oxygen-generating plant, 145–47, 272, 284n
Lodge, Henry Cabot, 77
LSO (landing signal officer), 23–24, 99–100
Lucretius, vii
McCain, John, 83, 115
bomb explosions from plane of, 120, 122, 126, 132, 147
burning of airplane of, 104, 106–7, 113, 117, 119, 161, 204, 229, 243, 259
crew fatalities and, 205–6
deck crew for plane of, 44, 63, 103–4, 205–6
escape from plane by, 118
on firefighting by crew, 170
Forrestal assignment of, 24–26
in Forrestal fire, 118, 124, 167, 242
naval career of, 24–26
in ordnance jettison efforts, 167, 168, 170, 205
political career of, 24
preflight preparations of, 99, 103–4
McGrew, Edmond, 104
McKay, Lawrence, 100, 102, 115
Mackenzie, USS, 93, 171, 174
McMillen, Ken, 62–63, 74, 83, 103
McNamara, Robert, 76, 78, 79
magazines:
ammunition storage in, 136–37
flooding considered for, 138–40
magnesium, in aircraft brake systems, 163
magnesium flares, 62–63, 67–69, 70, 159, 253
main bridge, central command center on, 27–28
man overboard, see overboard falls
Marine Corps, U.S., nuclear weapons guarded by, 221
Martin, Graham, 77
Mason, William, 286n
mass casualty incidents, medical triage procedures in, 203–4
Massey, Forsyth, 238, 246, 247–48, 250, 253–54, 261–62, 263, 267
material condition levels, 92–93
Maxwell, D. W., 113–14
“meatball,” 23
medical treatment:
triage priority procedures of, 203–4
see also sick bay
medics (corpsmen), 41, 201, 209
Menery, Robert, 113–14
Midway, Battle of, 169
Midway-class ships, 15
military:
career opportunities in, 7–8, 10–11
discipline of, 142
draft vs. volunteer service in, 8, 9–10, 11–12, 13–14
see also Navy, U.S.
Millhouse, Lester, 37–38
Mitchell, Robert, 105–6
MK-32 Zuni rockets, see Zuni rockets, MK-32 Moorer, Thomas, 258, 262, 264, 266–69
morgue, 220–21
morphine, 203, 204, 205, 208, 210
motor whale boat, 171
National Guard, 13, 38
naval aviation:
shift to jet aircraft in, 16
see also aviators, naval; flight operations
navigation department, 27–28
Navy, U.S.:
battle groups in, 79–80
black shoes vs. brown shoes in, 262–63, 266, 269
bureaucracy of, 79
career opportunities in, 7–8, 10–11, 12, 29–30, 268
court-martial procedures in, 265–66
facial hair in, 57
firefighting training in, 245–46, 252–53, 260, 271
Forrestal fire investigated by, 238, 246–62, 263–68
initiation traditions in, 57–58
major fire accidents in history of, 66–70
medals awarded by, 271
official reprimands in, 264–68
recruitment in, 13–14, 38
reserve program of, 14, 191
safety procedures improved in, 271–72
ship assignments of family members in, 243–44
swimming requirements in, 191
White House directives vs. combat experience of, 79
New York Times, 229, 230
night landings, 26
“night rats,” 35–36
Norfolk Naval Shipyard, 252, 281n
North Vietnam, U.S. bombing of, 5, 76, 77, 83–84, 230
nuclear power, carriers propelled by, 19, 281n nuclear weapons, 15, 221, 281n
OBA (oxygen-breathing apparatus), 57, 157, 158, 159, 161, 186, 271
Ogring, Ronald, 180
Operational Readiness Inspection (ORI), 57, 252
Oriskany, USS:
injured Forrestal crew treated on, 206, 208–16, 223, 224–25, 284n
1966 fire aboard, 67–70, 71, 159, 208–9, 251, 253, 254
in rescue effort of Forrestal fire survivors, 107, 171, 173, 210–11
at Yankee Station, 83, 93
Ott, Tom, 103–4
overboard falls, 51–55, 70–71, 89, 96–98
in Forrestal emergency, 127, 147, 159, 171–73, 190–91, 193–94, 210–11, 213
hazardous aircraft in, 163–66, 229
helicopter rescues of, 52, 54, 97, 107, 171–73, 207, 210
ordnance jettisoned in, 166–67, 168–69, 229
safety equipment in case of, 282n
oxygen-breathing apparatus (OBA), 57, 157, 158, 159, 161, 186, 271
oxygen-generating plant, 145–47, 272, 284n
Pacific Fleet, 29, 40, 83, 238, 252
pad eyes, 276
pain-relief medication, 204, 208, 210, 212, 274
parachute flares, 67–69, 70
Phantom jets, 18, 100, 101, 165, 169
Philippines, Subic Bay Naval Base in, 81, 234, 235–36, 238
pigtail connectors, 72–74, 102, 103, 249–50, 255, 260
plane captains, 44, 63
plat camera, 105, 106
pollywogs, 57–58
port aft steering compartment, 178, 179–84
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), 274–75, 283n
Pratt, Rocky, 83–88, 92, 278, 283n
Price, Charles, 106, 116, 150–52
primary flight-control center (pri-fly), 130, 196
Pritchard, Gary, 96, 132–34, 149–50, 244–45
Purple Heart, 271
quartermaster, duties of, 27–28
RA-5C Vigilante, 101, 166
Reader’s Digest, 71, 254
ready room, 170
rear admiral, 268
repair crews, 108, 136, 156, 157–58, 180–81
Repose, USS, 206, 217, 223, 224–25
rescue swimmers, 172–73
resupply operations, 60–62
Reynolds, G. L., 106–7
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, liberty call in, 58–59
river rat duty, 276
Roberts, Ed:
background of, 13, 47, 48, 64, 65
on Beling’s leadership, 168
capsize potential considered by, 186
coffee drinking of, 48–49
on dangers of flight deck, 47, 49, 50, 93–94
enlistment of, 12–15
explosion of local enemy boat witnessed by, 176, 284n
fatigue of, 90–91, 93, 95–96
on fire casualties, 124–26, 129
on firefighting training program, 245–46
flight-deck duties of, 44, 46, 47, 48, 49, 64, 90–91, 95, 163
on Hanoi Hannah’s propaganda broadcasts, 222–23
in jettisons of hazardous aircraft, 163–65
as rock-and-roll drummer, 12–13, 14, 15, 16, 58
on Subic Bay liberty call, 237
traumatic clean-up experience of, 276–77
rockets, safety regulations on arming system of, 72–74
see also Zuni rockets, MK-32
Rowland, Merv:
background of, 37–39
beards banned by, 57
on bomb explosions, 137
as chief engineering officer, 39, 112, 113
drills and exercises run by, 65, 66
emergency preparedness stressed by, 65, 66, 71
extreme fatigue experienced by, 200–201, 226–28
firefighting activities overseen by, 113, 131, 137–40, 146, 147, 155–56, 170, 199, 200–201, 225, 277
list problem addressed by, 186
magazine flooding considered by, 138–40
morale concerns of, 170
naval career of, 38–39, 113, 242, 277
night rations sampled by, 35–36
as paternal figure, 36–37, 112, 182, 277
on possible loss of ship, 284n
on trapped crew members, 181, 182–84, 276, 277
on Vietnam deployment, 40
rudder controls, 179
Rupertus, USS, 93, 97, 171, 193
Russell, James, 266–68, 269
safety net, 24, 117–18
safety regulations:
on engagement of pigtail connector, 72–74, 102, 103, 249–50, 255, 260
on flight-deck emergency float gear, 282n
Forrestal fire begun due to failures of, 250–52, 267–68
on TER pins, 73–74, 246–50
sampans, 175
sanitation officer, 209
Sappe, Andrew, 247–48
sea cabin, 110
secondary conn, 27, 28
Sharp, Ulysses S. Grant, 77
Shaver, Gary, 90
background of, 48
in bomb blast, 123, 147–48, 211
broken hand of, 93, 120, 148, 204
on dangers of flight deck, 47, 48, 50, 93–94, 281n
firefighting by, 119, 120, 121
Shaver, Gary
flight-deck duties of, 48, 91, 93, 101–2
jet-blast injuries of, 49–50
medical treatment given to, 148–49, 204–5, 208, 211–13, 216, 225, 274
post-traumatic stress disorder of, 274–75, 283n
in recovery process, 225, 274, 275
Rio liberty call of, 58–59
shellbacks, 57–58
Shelton, Bob, 1–7
background of, 4, 10, 64
on Blaskis’s peril, 179, 181–82
carrier life disliked by, 64
on flight-deck fire, 108, 111, 112, 126–27
on flight-deck launch activities, 42
on Forrestal interior, 19, 64
Forrestal work assignments of, 2–3, 5, 27–28, 91–92, 178, 181, 276
military career of, 2, 8, 9, 10–11, 28, 276
prescient nightmares of, 1, 3, 5–6, 91, 178, 276
survivor guilt of, 276
shooters (catapult officers), 43
Shrike missiles, 101
sick bay, 201–7
central receiving area of, 202
deaths of injured men in, 205, 206, 213–15
explosions felt in, 201, 202
medical staff of, 201, 209
numbers of injured men treated in, 202–3, 284n
pain medication administered in, 204, 208, 210, 214
patients transferred to other ships from, 206–16, 223, 224–25
supply procedures in, 210
transport to, 148–49, 150, 151–52
trauma treatment in, 202, 203–5
triage system implemented in, 203–4, 209
Sidewinder missiles, 101
Sietz, Richard, 119
Skyhawks, 44, 83, 116, 117, 165, 166
Skyraiders, 99
Skywarriors, 99, 101, 161–63
Smith, Leighton W. “Snuffy,” Jr., 78–79
Smith, Ralph, 218–19
smoke, fire control indicated by colors of, 195, 199
smoke inhalation, 229
Soviet spy ships, 239
Sparrow III missiles, 101
speed (Benzedrine; uppers), 200–201, 226, 227
sprinkler system, 154, 155, 272
spy ships, Soviet, 239
Stack, Robert, 225
Stark, Gary, 116–17
steering-control compartments, 28, 178, 179–84
Stilwell, Dick, 77
storms, 59
Strain, Greg, 283n
Strain, Kenneth, 125–26
stray voltage checks, 102, 255
Subic Bay Naval Base:
ammunition brought from, 81–82
Forrestal damage assessed at, 234, 235–36, 238
submarines, Soviet, 239
Sullivan, William, 77
supercarriers, 15
supply ships:
ammunition provided by, 80, 81–82, 84
transfer operations from, 60–62
survival knives, 244
swimming requirements, 191
tail hooks, 21–22
tanker planes, 99, 161–63
telephone communications, 230
TER, see triple ejector rack third-degree burns, 203
Tillie (crash crane), 164
“touch and go” landing, 22
tracheotomy, 202
tractors, 49–50, 101–2, 162, 164–65
triage, 203–4, 209
triple ejector rack (TER):
defined, 72
electrical-safety (intervalometer) pin of, 73–74, 246–50
pigtail connector engagement with, 72–74, 102, 103, 249–50, 255, 260
Tucker, USS, 93, 98, 171
Untouchables, The, 225
uppers (Benzedrine; speed), 200–201, 226, 227
Veterans Administration, 275
VF-11 squadron, 248, 254, 255
VF-74 squadron, 248
Vietnam Veterans Memorial, 270
Vietnam War:
air strikes from Tonkin Gulf in, 2, 5, 83–84, 92
anti-American propaganda in, 222–23
antiwar movement and, 11, 75–76, 78, 266
bomb shortages in, 77, 78, 79, 86, 272
fatalities in, 8, 77
ground troop levels in, 5, 76–77, 230
military draft in, 8, 10, 11–12, 13–14
post-traumatic stress disorder in veterans of, 274
river patrol duty in, 276
U.S. bombing campaign escalated in, 29, 76, 77, 272
White House policies vs. military assessments of, 77–79
Vigilantes, 18, 101, 165–66
VT proximity fuses, 100
vulture’s row, 46
waist cats, 53
walking wounded, 204
wash-down system, 272
Washington, USS, 53
Wasp, USS, 285n
water temperature, 52
Weapons Coordination Board, 72, 73, 74, 249–50
Werber, Carel, 4
Western Pacific (WESTPAC) Fleet, 252
Westmoreland, William, 77
Wheeler, Bus, 78
Whelpley, Robert, 139–43, 275
Wilcox, Walter, Jr., 53
Williams, Ronald, 154
wind conditions, 20, 99, 111
World War II:
aircraft carriers in, 15, 17, 23, 30–31
bombs used in, 85, 87, 101, 120, 285n
Yankee Station, 5, 67, 82–83, 93
Yap, in World War II, 31–32, 33, 59
Yoke, 92–93
Yorktown, USS, 31, 169
Zebra, 93, 153, 157
Zumwalt, Elmo, Jr., 269
Zuni rockets, MK-32, 100–101, 283n
Forrestal fire begun by misfiring of, 103, 104, 229, 236–37, 246, 250–51, 259, 272
safety procedure changes and, 246–52, 255–56
Zwerlein, Bill, 45, 231–33
Zwerlein, Robert, 8
on dangers of flight deck, 53, 63
death of, 233, 277
enlistment of, 45–46
family background of, 44–46
in Forrestal fire, 104–5, 114, 231–33
medical treatment of, 204, 208, 216, 225, 232
as plane captain, 44, 46, 63, 104
Zwerlein, Ruth, 45–46, 231–33, 277