USS Enterprise - final voyage

[ghostrider]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nati ... e/1680333/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[chasfm11]

Interesting story

After more than 50 years of service that spanned the globe, the ship will never move on its own power again. The ship's fuel will be removed in Virginia, and then it will eventually be towed to Washington state to be scrapped.

I guess they don't have facilities to off-load the nuclear material any place on the Left Coast (maybe there is political side to this?) I have a mental image of something the size of aircraft carrier being towed to and through the Panama Canal.

It is a statement that the ship operated for 50 years without published problems in its reactor. We seem to be able to run warships with nuclear power but it is too unsafe for commercial use. Hmmm.

It is sad to see the old girl go. She certainly provided a lot of support for our country.

[Frankie]

I have some fond childhood memories of her from when she was still fairly new. My dad was stationed on her and when he had duty on weekends, my older brother and I often went to the ship with him and spent the better part of our day running around like it was our own private playground.
Other ships I have fond memories of include our very own USS Lexington and the USS Forrestal (a.k.a Forest Fire).
I also got to witness the delivery of the first F14 Tomcats (made famous in the movie Top Gun) and since my dad was Sr Chief of the maint shop, I was sitting in the seat taking in the new plane smell right after they touched down at Pensacola Naval Station in route to the Enterprise. I was home sick from school that day and since mom and dad both worked, I went to work with my dad. That happened a lot when stuff like that was happening.
Ok this concluded my trip down memory lane...

[threoh8]

There have been several ships bearing the name, and there will be another:

[The Annoyed Man]

One of my business associates has a son in the Navy, and he's going to be, or is on (I don't remember which) that final voyage of the Enterprise. But I'm pretty sure that the Big E is putting crossing over to Japan before coming back through the Canal, because Japan is where my friend's son is headed.

[SewTexas]

my dad was on submarines, the Enterprise or the Lexington often seemed to be where we were....at the side of those ships were perfect fishing spots...esp the Lex! when it was docked in FL when I was a kid. wow, that was forever ago...seems like the Enterprise was in Hawaii for awhile when we were there.

Sad to see her go.

[C-dub]

I did not serve on her, but had a model of her when I was around 10y old. I hope I'm around to see the next ship to be named Enterprise.