The world’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier has been plying the seas for 50 years. That’s a long time for a warship. Now the time has come for her final voyage as an active carrier. As a kid in the '70s I lived in San Diego. My mom’s best friend’s ex-husband was Ordnance Officer on Enterprise. He gave me some cool patches from the ship, which are on the WEP flight jacket my mom gave me from an F-4 pilot at NAS Miramar when I was 12. The patches are VF-1, VF-2, VA-196, and the patch from The Big E herself. That one is a little unique, in that Enterprise was still CVAN-65 then. I had models of the ship of course. They still had the conical structure (which was there when I toured the ship) on the top of the island. I have a Tamiya 1/350-scale model yet unbuilt with the new superstructure. It always amused me in ST:TNG that they used the old superstructure on the ship profile that was on the bulkhead of the ready room.
Sadly, I suspect The Big E will be scrapped. The way she’s built, she basically needs to be taken apart to remove the reactors. Perhaps her superstructure can be saved and erected as a monument to one of the great ships of all time.
I was stationed at NAS North Island in the mid-70s, and that’s where I learned to fly. Our departure and approach paths were hugging Coronado, then the west side of the bay till we were abeam the cranes on the east side of the bay, where we could turn east. More than once as I was flying back to the base, crossing over the bridge, I imagined having to do a forced landing on the Enterprise as she sat tied up. I coulda done it, too - Cessna 150s didn’t need a lot of room to land.
I also remember being in the crowd one day when she returned from deployment. I was sorry I wasn’t waiting for anyone on board - it was really exciting and I was an outsider peeking in.
Damn; this is the first time since leaving Norfolk 4 years ago that I wished I was still there; I’d have loved to be there for the send off. And would love to be there for the decommissioning on Dec. 1st.
Here’s to the Enterprise, and all who have served aboard her. Hope the Navy names another carrier after her, instead of some third-rate politico hardly anyone has ever heard of (I’m lookin’ at you, Stennis and Vinson!).
When I reported to the USS Ranger I beheld an incredible sight. There at Coronado Navy Base was the Connie, The Ranger & the Big E herself 3000+ feet of incredible power.
Based on the records of the two Big E carriers I think it is a must that another Carrier receives the name. CV-6 was the most decorated ship of WWII and CVN-65 has served longer continuously as a war vessel then any other is US history I believe. I don’t think the Jersey had 50 total and the Constitution had only 25 years as an actual war vessel I believe.
And let us face it, the tie in to Trek doesn’t hurt at all.
