Worst case scenario for the 1967 USS Forrestal Fire

[Ming777]

What could have been the worst outcome during the catastrophic fire aboard the USS Forrestal in 1967. Was the fire serious enough that it might write off the ship? How might it affect the American forces deployed to the Nam?

 

[CalBear]

Worst case?

Ship sinks.

Effect on the War?

Minimal.

Effect on John McCain's career?

Probably terminal.

 

[Emperor Norton I]

If it sank and McCain swam to safety, he'd be Teddy Roosevelt levels of badass.

 

[Librarian]

If it sank and McCain swam to safety, he'd be Teddy Roosevelt levels of badass.

Assuming a butterfly net, would this give him enough badass credibility to win the election?

 

[Riain]

From a site I like.

"With over a dozen major detonations from 1,000 and 500 lb bombs and numerous missile, fuel tank, and aircraft explosions no ship has ever survived the pounding FORRESTAL underwent that day, before or since."

"FORRESTAL would spend seven months in the yards being repaired, she was re-built from the hanger up and forward to aircraft elevator number four, this accounts for about 1/5 the ships length and 5 decks. On April 8, 1968 FORRESTAL was once again ready to take her place in the fleet..."

With so much carnage leading to 7 months in the yard how much more ordnance would have to go off to sink her?

 

[Dathi THorfinnsson]

Assuming a butterfly net, would this give him enough badass credibility to win the election?

Instead of his son? I doubt Admiral John McCain Jr, the candidate's father, had any interest in running for the presidency.

 

[Dathi THorfinnsson]

OT: mental image of Smoky the Bear in a sailor's cap and dungarees saying

Only YOU can prevent Forrestal fires.

 

[Carl Schwamberger]

With so much carnage leading to 7 months in the yard how much more ordnance would have to go off to sink her?

Depends on the location. IIRC the detonated ordnance was on the flight and hanger decks. A magazine detonation is something else.

 

[BlondieBC]

From a site I like.



With so much carnage leading to 7 months in the yard how much more ordnance would have to go off to sink her?

All ships sink for the same reason. The weight of the ship exceeds the weight of the water displaced. The Forrestal survived largely because the explosions were high in the ship, many on the flight deck. I have not read accounts of the ship having major holes to the ocean opened up.

Have these same dozen or so explosions happen where the the bombs would have exploded if dropped from planes as happened in WW2 (i.e much deeper in the ship), and a believe the ship would have easily sunk. Even a bomb timed for point detonation will tend to partially or fully penetrate the armor on the flight deck before exploding. Once this happens, the armor tends to focus (retain) the energy in the ship. Add a weapon designed with some penetration delay, and it will get beyond the flight deck armor, and likely beyond the hanger deck. An explosion that does this will be a lot more damaging to the ship since the structure above the ship will hold in the force, much like when you taper explosives to blow up bridges.

Armor can be both a friend and enemy of a ship, depending on how things work.