The aircraft carrier USS America ( CV-66 )

Some years later after a contract in the Sudan,I returned to South Africa and built an Endurance 37 yacht from a set of mouldings,this picture was taken by Clive Cohen one early windless morning in Saldahana,just north of Cape Town,the cap I am wearing is the genuine ships stores issue from the USS America.





Capt. Robert B. Fuller
Apr. 1976 - Apr. 1978


Badge of the USS America CV66

Dennis,Roy and Hugh.


USS Americas flight deck,packed with planes.


The lower deck beneath the Flight deck,thats a game of basket ball in progress.


Our trip to the ship for breakfast and a tour of the ship was on the ships own launch.


USS America,flight deck,Dennis,Hugh,Roy


USS America,a good reason to look behind you.


USS America bow and deck shot.


USS America CV-66 bow shot.
Taken from a declassified US Navy Document:

Mid June saw the USS AMERICA and the embarked aiming deployed for six weeks to South America, visiting Salvador, Brazil and Rio de Janefro. Returning to Norfolk in July,

In 1977 and leaving the Royal Cape Yacht Club (RCYC)in Cape Town,South Africa,we had sailed the 38ft yacht Brer Terrapin,an Atkin Ingrid ketch to Salvador,Bahia,Brasil by way the the south atlantic islands of St Helena and Assencion,both highly recomended as stop overs for a break and to take on fresh water,food is not always available?

Brer Terrapin was anchored in the old harbour at Salvador,its behind an old wall and makes a good place to stay,as long as you have a dinghy,no ferries existed at that time.We had been there for some weeks when news of an American naval vessel came out,to our surprise it was the USS America,its size just blew us away,at around a 1048 ft long,it had an unloaded draft of 36ft with a loaded draft of 39ft,said to do 35 knots,being the minimum speed a plane needs to take of when there is no wind,we were later told that its 280,000 hp four turbines (not nuclear) would push the ship as fast as 40 knots,at which time the rooster tail from the stern of the ship was level with the aft flight deck,She had a compliment of 5000.

We had the great fortune to meet one of the civilians working on board,his name was Hugh C Hollingsworth,he was on board as a Field Operations and Intergrated Logistics Support person for his company Litton Systems Inc,based in Woodlands Hills,California,USA.Litton specialised in Guidence and Control Systems.Due to his job description,Hugh was given officer status and he offered to show Dennis and I over the ship (times have changed) We were invited on board one morning for a full breakfast in the Officers Mess,then a guided tour all over the ship,upper and lower flight decks,Radio Office ,Bridge (no auto pilot) Computer Flight Control Repair Shops and just about every place we asked to go,only the ships engines were off limit.We even met the ships second in command,our cameras were allowed,we could and did climb up ladders next to fighter jets and look inside the cockpits.This was a highlight of our visit to Salvador,it would not happen now in todays unsettled world.

View the ships guest book: http://www.freeguestbooks.net/mg/multi.pl?54:9:0

Entry #: 670
Entry Date: 2009-01-11 06:57:26 this is my own entry below.

Name: Roy McBride
Email: Protected
Site Rating: 10
Visitor Comments:
When the USS America visted Salvador,Bahia,Brasil, in 1977 I was fortunate to meet a Mr Hugh C Hollingsworth,an engineer working for Litton industries,he was working on the ship as a civilian and had officer status,he invited both myelf and Dennis O,Brien to visit the ship and have breakfast with him in the officers mess.We were very well hosted,it was a great ships tour,the full breakfast and coffee still are memorable,can any person give me the exact dates the ship was in Salvador,Brasil?

I have the visit posted on my blog,some pictures never seen are included http://ckdboats.blogspot.com/
Regards
Roy


The end of this famous warship,USS America,came as she was secretly scuttled about 250 miles south east of the US mainland,Cape Hatteras.

Scuttling location

In response to a Freedom of Information Act request from former USS America veterans at CVN78.com, the U.S. Navy released the exact location where USS America was sunk: 33°09′09″N 71°39′07″W / 33.1525, -71.65194, around 250 miles (400 km) southeast of Cape Hatteras. The wreck lies in 2,810 fathoms (5,139 metres or 16,860 feet).[3]

February 16th 2009,this just came in,so more news,amazing to connect ith the ships personel after so long.

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "The aircraft carrier USS America ( CV-66 )":

Dear Mr. McBride: In the summer of 1977 I was a junior petty officer assigned to Fighter Squadron 142 (the "Ghost Riders")which was part of Carrier Air Wing 6 embarked on board U.S.S. America at that time. The summer cruise to Brazil allowed "good will" port visits and also permitted Brazilian Navy aircraft to use the flight deck of the "America", as the only aircraft carrier possessed by the Brazilian Navy was in poor material condition and had been in the yards for several years. As a young man of 21 years age I must say I fell in love with Brazil; the memories of Salvador and Rio haven't faded after all this time. From saved letters the date of the arrival of the ship was June 22nd 1977. As I recall it was a three day port call (of which I spent two days ashore) which would put our departure date on the 26th of June 1977. The other vessels in our group were the U.S.S. DuPont and the U.S.S. Claude V. Ricketts (destroyers), the U.S.S. Neosho (a fleet oiler), and the U.S.S. Virginia (I think; a nuclear powered guided missile cruiser.) I hope this information is of use. Yours, David L. Gordon (a former naval person!)casilin

Posted by Anonymous to CKD Boats - Roy Mc Bride at 15 February, 2009 18:36