The end has come, and a new begining begins for the BIG "E".

[Jim West Pa]

A U.S.S. ENTERPRISE has been in service to Her country for 'bout as long as She's had a NAVY in one form of ship or another.
Our most recent, CVN-65,formerly CVN(A)-65, the world's first nuclear powered aircraft carrier, has been in service for 51 years. Longer than any other ENTERPRISE and has seen more combat than any other ENTERPRISE. ( actualy, i believe more than any other American NAVAL vessel )
My 2nd oldest son served 6 years mannig the reactors in the bowels of THE USS ENTERPRISE, CVN-65.
Sadly She is currently in the process of being decommisioned and as of 1 December, deactivated.Her decommisioning will be completed after she is done being defuled.
Happily, Her lagacey will live on.
Although her hull number CVN-65 will be retired, her name USS ENTERPRISE will live on on a Gerald R. Ford class carrier bearing the hull number of CVN-80.
She has served her country well and has served me by bringing my son safely home from two combat tours in the Persian gulf.
I've had the honor of walking Her massive deck from stem to stern, have seen every part of Her that wasn't classified, have eaten in Her galley and even sat in Her Captain's chair on the con.(don't tell anyone )

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The BIG "E" is dead.
[size=large]Long live BIG "E" !!![/size]

 

[charlie (ky)]

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[Craig in Alabama]

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[Steve in Indianapolis]

[size=large]Once as ships company & also as embarked air group! I dodged aircraft on her flight deck during NAM, and I also later did classified stuff in her intelligence center.

I'm not a plank owner but I'm sure going to lobby for a piece of her! Oh, & Charlie? You have no idea Brother just how big the Big E really is until you have to walk ladders from 1st deck (thats 1 deck BELOW waterline to 03 level......thats one deck just under the flight deck!

I'm glad that it was decided to continue the tradition of ENTERPRISE, but, like most nostaligic old sailors, she will always be "Haze Grey & Underweigh" in my heart! [/size]

 

[Elson(La)]

I can only guess the size of it.I was on the USS Orisknay CVA 34 (I think it was 1000ft.long)for a little over 6 Mo.cruise and never seen all of it.Then I was on the USS York Town CVN 10 and it was not to much bigger then the Orisknay,And I never seen all of it in over 6 Mo.cruise.So I know I couldn't have seen that big thing in 6 ,Mo. Thanks Jim

 

[Ed SW Fla]

.... I don't think the Navy provides Segrams and soft drinks while you walk around and make "golly gosh, will you look at that" / "Sure wish Miss Vicki could see this" comments.

 

[Ed SW Fla]

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[charlie (ky)]

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[Steve in Indianapolis]

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[Elson(La)]

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