The USS Enterprise's Last Tour
After 51 years of service, the historic aircraft carrier is about to be decommissioned.
- By Rebecca Maksel
- Air & Space magazine, November 2012
Ingalls Shipbuilding/U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Scott Pittman
First established in 1957, the Dragonslayers of Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron 11 originally flew the Sikorsky HSS-1 Seabat. They would be the first antisubmarine warfare squadron deployed, in 1969, as part of a modern carrier air wing, on board the Forrestal. The squadron specialized in astronaut recovery during that decade, scooping up various Gemini crew members including Ed White, James McDivitt, James Lovell, and Buzz Aldrin.
Today the Dragonslayers use the Sikorsky HH-60H (here, a Seahawk in the Atlantic Ocean in October 2012) to insert Navy SEALs behind enemy lines, attack submerged targets, and transfer cargo.
What will happen to Enterprise VIII after it's decommissioned? According to the Navy's Enterprise page, the carrier will remain at Norfolk for six months offloading equipment, then will be towed to Huntington Ingalls Industries at Newport News Shipyard for inactivation. After that, Enterprise will be towed to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for dismantling and recycling. The four-year process will take longer than it did to construct the carrier.
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Comments (8)
Correction: the USS Enterprise in 1812 did not 'chase privateers', but participated in a battle in which it defeated and captured the HMS Boxer, a Royal Navy ship. (Read Knights of the Sea). Both Captains perished in the engagement, and are buried side-by-side in Portland, ME.
As someone who as a US dependent got his 'little fannie' (I was six--great helicopter ride!) extracted from the Dominican Republic in 1965 by Marines based on the USS Boxer (whose name we can by tradition use, having captured it), I could not let the sleigh to the Enterprise name, however unintended, go unchallenged.
Posted by Luis Figarella on November 20,2012 | 06:48 AM
When the USS ENTERPRISE was launched in the early 60s, it was a CVAN. At that time it had no weapons on board for offensive use other than airplanes. The close in support weapons weren't installed until we returned from our first deployment at Vietnam. I could be wrong, but there none when i served aboard the "Big E".
Posted by Anthony Zander on November 20,2012 | 11:56 PM
Now, like so many veterans, she will be sent to the junk pile.
Posted by Curtiss L. Poteat on November 20,2012 | 12:59 AM
I do not belive the "Enterprise CVN 65" should be scrapped, but it should be permanently docked so people could see it. It is an historic ship. It is the U S Navy's first nuclear Aircraft Carrier. It is world's largest ship. It is the 8th ship in the U S Navy to carry the name, and the first one was launched in 1755. In World War II there was a Aircraft Carrier named the USS Enterprise that was a sister Carrier named the USS Hornet that a part of the Tokyo Raid in April 1942.
Posted by Charles A. Windham on November 30,2012 | 12:16 AM
I do not belive the "Enterprise CVN 65" should be scrapped, but it should be permanently docked so people could see it. It is an historic ship. It is the U S Navy's first nuclear Aircraft Carrier. It is world's largest ship. It is the 8th ship in the U S Navy to carry the name, and the first one was launched in 1755. In World War II there was a Aircraft Carrier named the USS Enterprise that was a sister Carrier named the USS Hornet that a part of the Tokyo Raid in April 1942.
Posted by Charles A. Windham on November 30,2012 | 12:16 AM
I was the electronic equipment design engineer for the
Radar Switchboards used in the CVN 65's Combat Information Center (CIC room). The switchboards were designed and built
by Hughes Aircraft Company at their Fullerton, California plant.
Posted by Richard Thurston on December 1,2012 | 07:23 PM
USS LAFFEY DD-724, sole escort upon Enterprise service shakedown. Laffey now museam status at Patriots Point. The "BIG E" deserves at a minimum, a place in the sun, forever on!
Posted by Jack Smith on December 2,2012 | 07:38 AM
To whom it may concern,
I was writing to you with questions regarding the USS Enterprise. I was made aware that the Enterprise has been retired as an active ship and wanted to know if the Enterprise has since become a tourist attraction or if tours were allowed to be taken on the ship. The reason the Enterprise is so important to my family and myself is because my father served in the Navy on the Enterprise during the Vietnam War. My father passed away 2 years ago and my mother and I are taking a vacation in June and would love to tour the Enterprise if at possible. Any information regarding my request would be greatly appreciated..
Thank you very much,
April Dameron
aprildameron69@gmail.com
Posted by April Dameron on March 23,2013 | 11:00 PM