The Forrestal Research Paper

253 Words2 Pages

On 10:50 AM July 29, 1967, The Forrestal was conducting combat operations on Yankee Station off the coast of North Vietnam. During the second launch cycle of the day, a pilot accidentally fired a rocket from an F-4 Phantom into a parked A-4 Skyhawk. The Rocket caused the fuel tank and a 1,000 pound bomb on the Skyhawk to fall off. The fuel tank broke open and spilled jet fuel onto the flight deck, which later ignited a fire. Within a minute and a half, the bomb cooked-off and exploded. A chain reaction of explosions ensued and blew massive holes in the flight deck. The fire spread quickly and many pilots were trapped and burned alive while other crewmen were blown overboard by the explosion. Fuel and bombs spilled into the holes in the flight

Open Document