View source for USS Oriskany

{{short description|Essex-class aircraft carrier of the US Navy}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=USS Oriskany (CVA-34) near Midway Atoll 1967.jpeg
|Ship caption=USS ''Oriskany'' near [[Midway Atoll]] {{circa}} 1967
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=[[United States]]
|Ship flag={{USN flag|1961}}
|Ship name= ''Oriskany''
|Ship namesake=[[Battle of Oriskany]]
|Ship ordered=7 August 1942
|Ship builder=[[New York Naval Shipyard]]
|Ship laid down=1 May 1944
|Ship launched=13 October 1945
|Ship commissioned=25 September 1950
|Ship decommissioned=2 January 1957
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=yes
|Ship recommissioned=7 March 1959
|Ship decommissioned=30 September 1976
|Ship reclassified=*CVA-34, 1 October 1952
*CV-34, 30 June 1976
|Ship struck=25 July 1989
|Ship fate=Sunk as [[artificial reef]], 17 May 2006
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class={{sclass|Essex|aircraft carrier}}
|Ship type=
|Ship tonnage=
|Ship displacement= {{cvt|30,800|LT|lk=on}}
|Ship length={{convert|888|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|129|ft|m|abbr=on}} overall
|Ship draft={{convert|30|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship power=
|Ship propulsion=
*4 × [[steam turbine]]s
*4 × screw [[propeller]]s
|Ship speed={{convert|33|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range={{cvt|14100|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|20|kn}}
|Ship crew=2,600 officers and enlisted men
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=
|Ship armor=
*[[Belt armor|belt]]: {{cvt|2.5|-|4|in|0}}
*[[Deck (ship)|Deck]]: {{cvt|1.5|in}}
*[[Hangar]] deck: {{cvt|2.5|in}}
*[[Bulkhead (partition)|Bulkheads]]: 4&nbsp;in (102&nbsp;mm)
|Ship aircraft= 
*[[A-7 Corsair]]
*[[F-8 Crusader]]
*[[A-4 Skyhawk]]
*[[A-1 Skyraider]]
*[[F-9 Cougar]]
*[[E-1 Tracer]] 
*[[S-2 Tracker]]
*[[C-1 Trader]]
*[[A-3 Skywarrior]]
*[[SH-2 Seasprite]]
*[[SH-3 Sea King]]
|Ship aircraft facilities=
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

'''USS ''Oriskany'' (CV/CVA-34)''' ({{IPAc-en|ɔːr|ˈ|ɪ|s|k|ə|n|iː}} or  {{IPAc-en|ə|ˈ|r|ɪ|s|k|ə|n|iː}}) was one of the few {{sclass|Essex|aircraft carrier}}s completed after [[World War II]] for the [[United States Navy]]. The ship was named for the [[Battle of Oriskany]] during the [[American Revolutionary War|Revolutionary War]].

The history of ''Oriskany'' differs considerably from that of her sister ships. Originally designed as a "long-hulled" ''Essex''-class ship (considered by some authorities to be a separate class, the {{sclass|Ticonderoga|aircraft carrier|4}}), she was not completed and construction was suspended in 1946 after the end of World War II. She eventually was converted to an updated design called [[SCB-27]] ("27-Charlie") and commissioned in 1950. This updated version became the template for modernization of 14 other ''Essex''-class ships. ''Oriskany'' was the final ''Essex''-class ship completed.

She operated primarily in the Pacific into the 1970s, earning two [[battle star]]s for service in the [[Korean War]], and ten for service in the [[Vietnam War]]. In 1966, one of the worst shipboard fires since World War II broke out on ''Oriskany'' when a [[magnesium]] flare was accidentally ignited; forty-four men died in [[USS Oriskany fire|the fire]].

''Oriskany''{{'}}s post-service history also differs considerably from that of her sister ships. Decommissioned in 1976, she was sold for scrap in 1995, but was repossessed in 1997 because nothing was being done. In 2004, the Navy decided to sink her to create an [[artificial reef]] off the coast of Florida in the [[Gulf of Mexico]]. After much environmental review and remediation to remove toxic substances, the ship was carefully sunk in May 2006. She settled in an upright position at a depth accessible to recreational divers. As of November 2025, ''Oriskany'' is the largest vessel ever sunk as an artificial reef, a record that is set to be broken by the ocean liner [[SS United States|SS ''United States'']].<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/19/science/earth/19ship.html | work=The New York Times | first=Erik | last=Olsen | title=Out of Commission Above Water, but Not Below It | date=19 August 2008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author=WEAR Staff |date=2025-02-25 |title=Historic SS United States to become world's largest artificial reef off Florida coast |url=https://cnycentral.com/news/offbeat/florida-in-sight-track-the-ss-united-states |access-date=2025-02-27 |website=WSTM |language=en}}</ref>

==Construction and commissioning==

The name "Oriskany" was originally assigned to {{USS|Wasp|CV-18|1}}, but that hull was renamed ''Wasp'' when the keel was laid in 1942. ''CV-34'' was laid down on 1 May 1944 by the [[New York Naval Shipyard]] (NYNSY), launched on 13 October 1945, and sponsored by [[Clarence Cannon|Mrs. Clarence Cannon]]. Construction was suspended on 22 August 1946, when the ship was approximately 85% complete.

Beginning on 8 August 1947, ''Oriskany'' was redesigned as the prototype for the [[SCB-27]] modernization program and torn down to 60% complete. To handle the new generation of carrier aircraft, the [[flight deck]] structure was massively reinforced. Stronger elevators, more powerful [[hydraulic catapult]]s, and new [[arresting gear]] were installed. The [[Aircraft carrier#Flight deck|island structure]] was rebuilt, the anti-aircraft turrets were removed, and blisters were added to the hull. Blistering the hull (also known as adding bulges) increases the cross-sectional area of a ship's hull, thereby increasing its buoyancy and stability. It also provides increased bunker volume. In the case of ''Oriskany'', this would have been for aviation fuel. These features would have been crucial to a ship that had so much topside weight added after its original design. ''Oriskany'' was [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] in the New York Naval Shipyard on 25 September 1950.

==Service history==

===1950–1956===
[[File:USS Oriskany (CV-34) underway at sea on 6 December 1950 (NH 97408).jpg|thumb|USS ''Oriskany'' as completed, 1950]]
''Oriskany'' departed New York on 6 December 1950, for carrier qualification operations off [[Jacksonville, Florida]], followed by a [[Christmas]] call at [[Naval Station Newport|Newport, Rhode Island]]. She resumed operations off Jacksonville through 11 January 1951, when she embarked [[Carrier Air Wing One|Carrier Air Group 1]] for shakedown out of [[Guantánamo Bay, Cuba|Guantanamo Bay]], [[Cuba]].

After major modifications at New York Naval Shipyard from 6 March to 2 April, she embarked [[Carrier Air Group 4]] for training off Jacksonville, then departed Newport on 15 May 1951, for [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]] deployment with the [[United States Sixth Fleet|6th Fleet]].

Having swept from ports of [[Italy]] and [[France]] to those of [[Greece]] and [[Turkey]], from there to the shores of [[Tripoli, Libya|Tripoli]], ''Oriskany'' returned to [[Quonset Point, Rhode Island]], on 4 October 1951. She entered [[Gravesend Bay]], New York, on 6 November 1951 to offload ammunition and to have her masts removed to allow passage under the [[East River Bridges]] to the New York Naval Shipyard. Overhaul included the installation of a new flight deck, steering system, and bridge. Work was complete by 15 May 1952, and the carrier steamed the next day to take on ammunition at [[Naval Station Norfolk|Norfolk, Virginia]], from 19 to 22 May. She then got underway to join the [[United States Pacific Fleet|Pacific Fleet]], steaming via Guantanamo Bay, [[Rio de Janeiro]], [[Cape Horn]], [[Valparaíso]], and [[Lima]], arriving [[San Diego, California]], on 21 July.

Following carrier qualifications for [[Carrier Air Group 19]], ''Oriskany'' departed San Diego on 15 September 1952, to aid [[United Nations]] forces in [[Korea]]. She arrived at [[U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka|Yokosuka]] on 17 October and joined [[Task Force 77 (U.S. Navy)|Task Force 77]] off the Korean Coast on 31 October. Her aircraft struck hard with bombing and strafing attacks against enemy supply lines and coordinated bombing missions with surface gunstrikes along the coast. Her pilots downed two [[Soviet Union|Soviet]]-built [[MiG-15]] jets and damaged a third on 18 November.<ref>{{cite web|first=Corey C. |last= Jordan |url=http://www.airwaroverkorea.totalh.net/VF-781.html |title= Panthers Prevail |year=2001 |work=A Frozen Hell... The Air War Over Korea}}</ref>

Strikes continued through 11 February, attacking enemy artillery positions, troop emplacements, and supply dumps along the main battlefront. Following a brief upkeep period in [[Japan]], ''Oriskany'' returned to combat on 1 March 1953. On 6 March, three men were killed and 13 were injured when a [[general-purpose bomb]] from a [[F4U Corsair]] broke loose and detonated. She continued in action until 29 March, called at [[Hong Kong]], then resumed air strikes on 8 April. She departed the Korean Coast on 22 April, touched at Yokosuka, and then departed for San Diego on 2 May, arriving there on 18 May.

Following readiness training along the California coast, ''Oriskany'' departed [[San Francisco]] on 14 September 1953 to aid the [[United States Seventh Fleet|7th Fleet]] watching over the uneasy truce in Korea, arriving in Yokosuka on 15 October. Thereafter, she cruised the [[Sea of Japan]], the [[East China Sea]], and the area of the [[Philippines]]. After providing air support for Marine amphibious assault exercises at [[Iwo Jima]], the carrier returned to San Diego on 22 April 1954. She entered [[San Francisco Naval Shipyard]] for overhaul; the overhaul was completed on 22 October, when she put to sea for the first of a series of coastal operations, and participation in the production of the [[Korean War]]-era film ''[[The Bridges at Toko-Ri]]'', where she stood as the fictitious fleet aircraft carrier USS Savo Island (not to be confused with CVE-78, the Casablanca Class World War II era escort carrier of the same name).

''Oriskany'' arrived at Yokosuka on 2 April 1955, and operated with the Fast Carrier Task Force ranging from Japan and [[Okinawa Prefecture|Okinawa]] to the Philippines. This deployment ended on 7 September, and the carrier arrived at [[NAS Alameda]], California, on 21 September.

She cruised the California Coast while qualifying pilots of Air Group 9, then put to sea from Alameda on 11 February 1956 for another rigorous Western Pacific (WestPac) deployment.

===1957–1968===
[[File:USS Oriskany (CV-34) en route to the Western Pacific for operations off Vietnam, 23 June 1967.jpg|thumb|''Oriskany'' showing angled flight deck and [[History of the aircraft carrier#Hurricane bow|hurricane bow]]|left]]

''Oriskany'' returned to San Francisco on 13 August 1956, and entered the shipyard to undergo the [[SCB-125A]] modernization program on 1 October. She was decommissioned there on 2 January 1957. ''Oriskany'' received a new angled flight deck, aft deck edge elevator, enlarged forward elevator, and enclosed [[hurricane bow]]. Powerful new [[steam catapult]]s replaced the older hydraulic catapults. The wooden flight deck planking was also replaced with aluminum planking.

''Oriskany'' was recommissioned at the San Francisco Naval Shipyard on 7 March 1959. Four days later she departed for shakedown out of San Diego with [[Carrier Air Group 14]] embarked. Operations along the [[West Coast of the United States|West Coast]] continued until 14 May 1960, when she again deployed to WestPac, returning to San Diego on 15 December. She entered San Francisco Naval Shipyard on 30 March 1961, for a five-month overhaul that included the first aircraft carrier installation of the [[Naval Tactical Data System]] (NTDS).

''Oriskany'' departed the shipyard on 9 September for underway training out of San Diego until 7 June 1962, when she again deployed to the [[Far East]] with [[Carrier Air Wing 16|Carrier Air Group 16]] embarked. She returned to San Diego on 17 December for operational readiness training off the West Coast.

The carrier was again stationed out of San Diego on 1 August 1963, for Far Eastern waters, with Carrier Air Wing 16 embarked. She arrived at [[U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay|Subic Bay]] on 31 August 1963, and from there steamed to Japan. She was at the port of [[Iwakuni]], Japan, on the morning of 31 October, ''en route'' to the coast of [[South Vietnam]]. There, she stood by for any eventuality as word was received of the [[1963 South Vietnamese coup|coup d'état]] taking place in [[Saigon]]. When the crisis abated, the carrier resumed operations from Japanese ports.

''Oriskany'' returned to San Diego on 10 March 1964. After overhaul at [[Puget Sound Naval Shipyard]], she steamed for refresher training out of San Diego, followed by qualifications for Carrier Air Wing 16. During this period her flight deck was used to test the [[E-2 Hawkeye]], the Navy's new airborne early warning aircraft. She also provided orientation to senior officers of eight allied nations.

''Oriskany'' departed San Diego on 5 April 1965, for WestPac, arriving at Subic Bay on 27 April. By this time more United States Marines had landed in the South Vietnam to support [[Army of the Republic of Vietnam]] (ARVN) troops against increased [[communist]] pressure. ''Oriskany'' added her weight to the massive American naval strength supporting South Vietnam. In combat operations that brought her and embarked Carrier Air Wing 16 the [[Navy Unit Commendation]] for exceptionally meritorious service from 10 May to 6 December 1965, she carried out over 12,000 combat [[sortie]]s and delivered nearly 10,000&nbsp;tons (9,100&nbsp;tonnes) of [[Ammunition#Ordnance ammunition|ordnance]] against enemy forces. She departed Subic Bay on 30 November, and returned to San Diego on 16 December.

''Oriskany'' again left San Diego for the Far East on 26 May 1966, arriving in Yokosuka, Japan, on 14 June. She steamed for "[[Dixie Station (Vietnam War)|Dixie Station]]" off South Vietnam on 27 June. The carrier shifted to "[[Yankee Station]]" in the [[Gulf of Tonkin]] on 8 July. In the following months there were brief respites for replenishment in Subic Bay, then back into the action that saw her launch 7,794 combat sorties.

====1966 fire====
[[File:USS Oriskany (CV-34) on fire, 26 October 1966.jpg|thumb|''Oriskany'' on fire]]
{{Main|USS Oriskany fire}}

The carrier was on station the morning of 26 October 1966, when [[USS Oriskany fire|a fire]] erupted on the starboard side of the ship's forward hangar bay and raced through five decks, killing 44 men. Many who lost their lives were veteran combat pilots who had flown raids over Vietnam a few hours earlier. The cause of the fire was a [[magnesium]] [[parachute flare]] that caused an explosion in the forward flare locker of Hangar Bay 1, beneath the carrier's flight deck.<ref name = Time>{{cite web | url = http://www.baconlinks.com/USS_Oriskany/LifeMag/Fire34.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20050518230502/http://www.baconlinks.com/USS_Oriskany/LifeMag/Fire34.html | url-status = usurped | archive-date = 18 May 2005 | title = The on-board drama of the fire that racked 'Oriskany' – A Carrier's Agony — Hell Afloat | access-date = 18 May 2012}}</ref> Subsequent investigation showed the flare functioned as designed and the explosion was caused by human error. A seaman accidentally ignited the flare, and in a panic, threw it into the weapons locker where the flares were kept for storage, instead of throwing it over the side into the water; this ignited all the flares in the locker and caused horrific damage. Some of her crewmen jettisoned heavy bombs which lay within reach of the flames, while others wheeled planes out of danger, rescued pilots, and helped quell the blaze throughout the next three hours. Medical assistance was rushed to the carrier from carriers {{USS|Constellation|CV-64|2}} and {{USS|Franklin D. Roosevelt|CV-42|2}}.

Later investigation by Captain John H Iarrobino of ''Oriskany'' and analysis by the [[Naval Ammunition Depot]] in [[Crane, Indiana]], showed that one in every thousand flares could ignite accidentally if jarred. Five crew members were [[court-martial]]ed as a result of the incident but were acquitted. After this incident and others, the flare design used by the Navy was changed to a safer design immune to accidental ignition, and crews were increased to stabilize numbers so all activities could be properly supervised.<ref>''Over the Beach'', by Zalin Grant, pages 101–103</ref>

''Oriskany'' steamed to Subic Bay on 28 October, where victims of the fire were transferred to waiting aircraft for transportation to the United States. A week later the carrier departed for San Diego, arriving on 16 November. San Francisco Bay Naval Shipyard completed repairs on 23 March 1967, and ''Oriskany'', with Carrier Air Wing 16 embarked, underwent training.

====Return to service====
She then was stationed out of San Francisco Bay on 16 June to take station in waters off Vietnam. Designated flagship of [[Carrier Air Wing 9|Carrier Division 9]] in Subic Bay on 9 July, she commenced "Yankee Station" operations on 14 July. On 26 July she provided medical assistance to the [[1967 USS Forrestal fire|fire-ravaged]] attack carrier {{USS|Forrestal|CV-59|6}}.

On 26 October 1967, then–[[Lieutenant commander (United States)|Lieutenant Commander]] [[John McCain]] flew off ''Oriskany'' in an [[A-4 Skyhawk]] on his 23rd bombing mission of the Vietnam War. He was [[Early life and military career of John McCain#Prisoner of war|shot down that day and was a prisoner of war]] until January 1973.

The carrier turned for home on 15 January 1968, having completed 122 days of combat operations over North Vietnam. During the combat tour, Carrier Air Wing 16 suffered perhaps the highest loss rate of any naval air wing during the Vietnam War, losing half of assigned planes – 29 to combat damage and another 10 to operational causes – and had 20 pilots killed and another 9 taken prisoner. One contribution to this heavy loss rate was the air wings’ unrelenting pace, as the pilots flew over 9,500 missions, including 181 air strikes into the heavily defended [[Hanoi]]–[[Haiphong]] corridor. Another contribution was the existence of safe havens for trucks and munitions within Haiphong in particular, as that meant targeting the flow of supplies in more heavily protected chokepoints further south.<ref name="ussoriskany.us">http://www.ussoriskany.us/.../USS%20Oriskany%20historyb.pdf{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> ''Oriskany'' returned to Naval Air Station Alameda on 31 January 1968, and entered San Francisco Bay Naval Shipyard on 7 February for an eight-month overhaul to have new electrical generators, air conditioning and water distillers installed. The carrier also received repairs to her flight elevators and had her boilers refurbished, in addition to the usual hundreds of post-deployment routine maintenance fixes. With yard work complete in the fall, the crew conducted refresher and pre-deployment training over the winter.

In early 1969, ''Oriskany'' embarked a new air wing for familiarization and qualifications in preparation for her fourth deployment to Vietnam. In contrast to her previous air wing, [[Carrier Air Wing 19]] (CVW-19) did not include any [[Douglas A-1 Skyraider|A-1 Skyraiders]], having two squadrons of [[Vought F-8 Crusader|F-8J Crusaders]] in [[VF-191]] and [[VF-194]], and three squadrons of A-4 Skyhawks in [[VA-23 (U.S. Navy)|VA-23]], [[VFA-192|VA-192]] and [[VFA-195 (U.S. Navy)|VA-195]], as well as the usual detachments of reconnaissance, tanker, and early warning aircraft. Upon completion of work, the carrier underwent refresher training and flight qualifications before deploying to the Far East in April 1969.<ref name="ussoriskany.us"/>

From 16 April 1969, Carrier Air Wing 19 made six deployments aboard ''Oriskany'' (the first four to support the Vietnam War in the Gulf of Tonkin until the end of the war in 1973).

===1969–1976===
[[File:USS Oriskany (CVA-34) and Bon Homme Richard (CVA-31) off Vietnam 1970.jpg|thumb|400px|''Oriskany'' (foreground) and her sister {{USS|Bonhomme Richard|CV-31|2}} conducting operations in the [[Gulf of Tonkin]] in 1970]]
The ''Oriskany'' arrived at Yankee Station in May 1969; and began combat operations in a much more restricted environment than the previous deployment. Previously, in April 1968, [[Lyndon B. Johnson|President Johnson]] had [[Operation Rolling Thunder#Opposition|restricted armed attacks]] south of the nineteenth parallel, which limited strikes to the southern third of North Vietnam. Following a massive six-month interdiction effort that shut down all North Vietnamese rail traffic out of Haiphong, closed two inland waterways and eliminated virtual all coastal shipments, the air campaign was suspended on 1 November 1968. Domestic political considerations, mainly the upcoming presidential elections, played the critical role in this decision as President Johnson was leaving office.<ref name="ussoriskany.us"/> With operations focusing further south, the only pilot loss of the cruise took place on 20 July 1969 when Lt. Stanley K. Smiley's Skyhawk crashed and exploded after being hit by small arms fire. The second line period ended on 30 June and, after ten days at Subic, the warship's third line period took place between 13 and 30 July. After a fourth line period between 16 August and 12 September, ''Oriskany'' steamed north to Korea to fly intermittent reconnaissance escort missions into early October. During that time, on 20 September 1969, Captain John A. Gillcrist took over as the commanding officer.<ref>[http://navysite.de/cruisebooks/cv34-70/016.htm USS ''Oriskany'' (CVA 34) WestPac Cruise Book 1970, Captain John A. Gillcrist]</ref> Following a fifth line period off Vietnam between 8 and 31 October, the aircraft carrier turned for home, arriving at Alameda via Subic Bay on 17 November.

Following a dry dock period at San Francisco Naval Shipyard over the winter, where the aircraft carrier was modified to support [[LTV A-7 Corsair II|A-7 Corsair II]] aircraft, Oriskany embarked CVW-19 that spring for refresher operations. In contrast to previous deployments, she carried only four combat squadrons – VF-191 and VF-194 equipped with the familiar F8 Crusaders and [[VA-153 (U.S. Navy)|VA-153]] and [[Second VA-155 (U.S. Navy)|VA-155]] equipped with A-7. Commencing her fifth Vietnam deployment on 14 May 1970, ''Oriskany'' inchopped on 1 June and began combat operations at Yankee Station on 14 June. Like her last deployment, Oriskany launched strikes against North Vietnamese logistics targets in eastern Laos, initially targeting storage areas, bunkers and lines of communication in conjunction with strikes by the [[Seventh Air Force]]. Equipped with better electronics gear, the A-7 proved especially useful during night raids on the [[Ho Chi Minh trail]]. The missions remained dangerous, however, with an A-7 from VA-155 lost in a failed catapult shot on 25 June and a VA-153 A-7 crashing in Laos on 28 June. In the latter case, the aircraft – flown by [[Commander (United States)|Cdr.]] Donald D. Aldern, in command of Air Wing Nineteen – exploded during a night attack run, presumably after taking flak damage. ''Oriskany'' conducted three line periods – 14–29 June, 13–21 July, 3–25 August and 18 September to 13 October – and launched over 5,300 sorties. During the latter line period, Captain Frank S. Haak relieved Captain Gillcrist on 11 September 1970, and became the new commanding officer.<ref>[http://navysite.de/cruisebooks/cv34-70/222.htm USS ''Oriskany'' (CVA 34) WestPac Cruise Book 1970, 11 September 1970]</ref>

About a month later, during heavy seas, a VF-191 F-8 returning from a night combat air patrol on 6 October crashed the flight deck and exploded, killing Lt. John B. Martin II. In November, as part of the Navy's efforts to reduce costs, the number of aircraft carriers off Vietnam was reduced to one, meaning that ''Oriskany''{{'}}s sole focus in her fourth line period 7–22 November was missions over Laos. In that effort, she joined the Seventh Air Force in strikes against four identified bottleneck points along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The carrier suffered another deadly accident on 14 November, when an RF-8G from [[VFP-63]] skidded off the flight deck after a material failure caused a failed catapult launch, ultimately causing the death of Lt. Joseph R. Klugg. Then, in an unusual assignment, ''Oriskany'' flew 14 diversionary sorties over North Vietnam early on 21 November in support of the [[Operation Ivory Coast|Son Tay POW rescue mission]] and another 48 missions during retaliatory strikes later that day. The aircraft carrier turned for home the next day, arriving in Alameda on 10 December 1970.
[[File:F-8J Crusader of VF-194 escorting a Soviet Tu-95 over USS Oriskany (CVA-34) on 25 May 1974.jpg|thumb|right|An [[F-8 Crusader]] intercepts a [[Tupolev Tu-95#Variants and derivatives|Tu-95 "Bear-D"]]. ''Oriskany'', from which the F-8 launched, can be seen in the background.]]
''Oriskany'' underwent a restricted availability at Hunter's Point Naval Shipyard in San Francisco during January 1971, receiving a much looked-for upgrade in the SPN-41 all-weather carrier landing system. Refresher training passed uneventfully in March, and on 14 May the aircraft carrier departed Alameda for her sixth Vietnam deployment. During this 1971 deployment, the main mission remained to strike operations in Laos; and while there were no combat losses, CVW-19 did lose four aircraft to operational accidents. Two cases were fatal, with Cdr. Charles D. Metzler killed when his F-8 inverted and splashed while in a landing holding pattern on 21 June and Cdr. Thomas P. Frank drowned after ejecting from his stricken A-7 following a catapult launch failure on 1 November. A week later, ''Oriskany'' aircraft took part in [[Operation Proud Deep]], the successful 7–8 November strike (the largest in three years) against three North Vietnamese airfields whose fighters were beginning to worry Air Force planners. Following these last missions, ''Oriskany'' sailed south to Singapore for eight days of upkeep. ''Oriskany'' departed Singapore on 3 December 1971, and crossed the Pacific to arrive at Alameda via Subic Bay on 18 December. As per her custom, ''Oriskany'' entered Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, San Francisco, on 17 January 1972 for her winter restricted availability. Refresher training followed in April 1972 and she embarked CVW-19 for qualifications in May. Events in Vietnam meanwhile, forced the warship into feverish preparations for deployment; and she sailed for her seventh Vietnam tour on 5 June. Following refueling stops at Pearl Harbor and Guam, the aircraft carrier arrived at Subic Bay on 21 June. The 1972 deployment was met with various problems, including a collision with ammunition ship {{USS|Nitro|AE-23|6}} during an underway replenishment, the death of Lt. Leon F. Haas, and loss of two propellers and one shaft, which required the ship much of August and November in Yokosuka, Japan, to make repairs.<ref name="ussoriskany.us"/>

With peace talks in Paris stalled, ''Oriskany''{{'}}s aircraft returned to Yankee Station and continued to strike communist targets in South Vietnam. Later, she joined the [[Operation Linebacker II]] "Christmas bombing" campaign, for her sixth line period, 27 December – 30 January 1973. Attacks were then restricted to enemy targets south of the 20th parallel for the first two weeks of January and then below the 17th parallel starting on the 16th. With the [[Paris Peace Accords]] signed on 27 January 1973, ''Oriskany''{{'}}s aviators finished up their last strikes over South Vietnam that same day. After a short rest period at Cubi Point in early February the aircraft carrier conducted one final combat line period, 11–22 February, when CVW-19 bombed enemy targets in Laos in a last effort to assist indigenous allies there against Communist infiltration. Following upkeep at Cubi Point 8–14 March, ''Oriskany'' sailed for home, arriving at Alameda on 30 March after completing 169 days on the line, her longest – and what proved to be her last combat tour; all-in-all receiving ten battle stars for its Vietnamese service.<ref name="ussoriskany.us"/>
[[File:USS Oriskany (CV-34) returning from her last deployment 1976.jpeg|thumb|''Oriskany'' comes alongside at the end of her final WESTPAC cruise in March 1976.]]
After her usual fast-paced refit and training cycle, ''Oriskany'' got underway for the Far East on 18 October 1973. After arrival at Subic Bay on 5 November, the aircraft carrier began preparations for operations in the Indian Ocean, a change of pace from her last seven tours off Vietnam. The aircraft carrier sailed south, transited the Straits of Malacca and rendezvoused with {{USS|Hancock|CV-19|6}} in the Indian Ocean. The two carriers conducted training operations there, and ''Oriskany'' visited [[Mombasa]], Kenya, 22–27 December, before returning to the South China Sea in January 1974. The carrier then conducted various type training exercises out of Subic Bay in February and March, primarily concentrating on day and night flight operations in conjunction with other 7th Fleet units. Following a series of three Fleet exercises in April, the warship visited Manila in May before sailing for home, arriving at Alameda on 5 June 1974.

Two months later, the ship entered Long Beach Naval Shipyard on 15 August for an extended availability that lasted until 9 April 1975. Following refresher operations with CVW-19, ''Oriskany'' sailed on her fifteenth WESTPAC deployment on 16 September 1975. The carrier conducted war at sea and other exercises out of Subic Bay before returning home on 3 March 1976. Owing to defense budget cuts, together with the ship's increasingly poor material condition, ''Oriskany'' was listed for inactivation on 15 April 1976.

===1976–2004===
Following 25 years of service, ''Oriskany'' was decommissioned on 30 September 1976, and laid up for long-term storage in [[Bremerton, Washington]], to be maintained as a mobilization asset. [[Reagan Administration]] proposals to reactivate ''Oriskany'' were rejected by the [[United States Congress]] on the basis of her poor material condition and limited air wing capability. The cost of reactivation was estimated at $520 million for FY 1982 (${{Format price|{{Inflation|US|520000000|1982}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}}).<ref name="GOA1">{{cite web |url=http://archive.gao.gov/f0102/115403.pdf |title=Update of the Issues Concerning the Proposed Reactivation of the Iowa class battleships and the Aircraft Carrier Oriskany |access-date=2005-05-25 |author=United States General Accounting Office |author-link=Government Accountability Office |date=1981-04-20 |publisher=United States General Accounting Office |pages=3–18 |archive-date=20 June 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070620005632/http://archive.gao.gov/f0102/115403.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> At the end of the Cold War and the subsequent reduction of the U.S. Navy's active force, ''Oriskany'' was recognized as being obsolete and was struck from the [[Naval Vessel Register]] in 1989. Her hull was stripped of all equipment that could be reused or recycled. The ship's bell (removed during decommissioning in 1976) is now on display in [[Oriskany, New York]], and various parts were scavenged to support the [[USS Hornet Museum]] in [[Alameda, California]], and other Navy ship museums.

''Oriskany'' received two [[battle star]]s for Korean War service and ten for [[Vietnam War]] service.

In the early 1990s, a group of businessmen from Japan wanted to buy ''Oriskany'' and display her in [[Tokyo Bay]] as part of a planned "City of America" exhibit.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dKhAAAAAIBAJ&jtp=18 Japanese plan to buy U.S. carrier], Ocala ''Star-Banner'', 19 June 1991, p. 18]
</ref> Congressional legislation was initiated to transfer ''Oriskany'', but the project failed due to lack of financing.

''Oriskany'' was sold for scrap by the [[Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service]] on 9 September 1995 to [[Pegasus International]], a start-up company at the former [[Mare Island Naval Shipyard]] in [[Vallejo, California]]. The contractor towed the ship from Bremerton to Vallejo, but the contract was terminated on 30 July 1997 because of lack of progress. While berthed at Mare Island in rusted and decrepit condition, she was used as a setting for the [[Robin Williams]] film, ''[[What Dreams May Come (film)|What Dreams May Come]]'' (1998) as part of the representation of [[Hell]].

The Navy took back possession of the ship and after a few more years at the former Mare Island Navy Yard.  In 1999 she was towed 15,000 miles via the [[Strait of Magellan]] by ''[[Sea Victory]]'' to the [[United States Maritime Administration|Maritime Administration]]'s [[Beaumont Reserve Fleet]] in [[Beaumont, Texas]], for storage pending availability of funding for her disposal.

===2004 – artificial reef===
[[File:US Navy 050111-N-5328N-015 On lookers watch as the 888-foot decommission aircraft carrier Oriskany arrives in Pensacola on Dec. 20, 2004 from Corpus Christi, Texas.jpg|thumb|''Oriskany'' arrives at Pensacola in December 2004. The original intention was for the ship to be sunk in the summer of 2005, but an EPA assessment meant that more work was required to make her environmentally safe for disposal.]]

The Navy announced on 5 April 2004 that it would transfer the former aircraft carrier to the State of [[Florida]] for use as an [[artificial reef]]. In September 2003 the Navy awarded a contract to Resolve Marine Group/ESCO Marine Joint Venture for the [[environmental remediation]] work necessary for [[scuttling|sinking]] the ship as an artificial reef. The contractor towed the ship to [[Corpus Christi, Texas]], in January 2004 and completed the environmental preparation work in December 2004.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}}

''Oriskany'' was the first United States warship slated to become an artificial reef, under authority granted by the fiscal 2004 [[National Defense Authorization Act]] (Public Law 108–136). ''Oriskany'' was towed to Pensacola in December 2004 and was originally scheduled to be sunk with controlled charges {{convert|24|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} south of [[Pensacola, Florida|Pensacola]] by June 2005. Exhaustive ecological and human health studies were conducted by Navy scientists in consultation with the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency|Environmental Protection Agency]] (EPA) to demonstrate no adverse impact from reefing the ship. Failure to gain EPA approval caused a delay, so ''Oriskany'' was then towed back to Texas in June to ride out the 2005 hurricane season.<ref>[http://www.ussoriskany.com/id18.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090503142919/http://www.ussoriskany.com/id18.html|date=3 May 2009}}</ref> Completion and peer review of a complex Prospective Risk Assessment Model developed in consultation with EPA, the first for any ship reefing project, was necessary to support EPA's February 2006 decision to issue a risk-based [[Polychlorinated biphenyl|PCB]] disposal approval for the estimated 750&nbsp;lb (340&nbsp;kg) of polychlorinated biphenyls contained in solid form, mostly integral in the insulation layers of the electrical cabling throughout the ship.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}}

Based on the EPA's approval, after a public comment period, the ship was towed to Pensacola in March 2006 for final preparations for sinking. A team of Navy personnel accomplished the sinking of the ship on 17 May 2006, supported by the [[Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission]], Escambia County Department of Natural Resources, the [[U.S. Coast Guard]], the [[Pensacola Police Department]], and several sheriff departments of [[Escambia County, Florida|Escambia County]] and surrounding counties. A Navy [[Explosive Ordnance Disposal]] team from [[Panama City, FL]] detonated [[C-4 (explosive)|C-4]] explosive charges of approximately 500&nbsp;lb (230&nbsp;kg), strategically placed on 22 sea connection pipes in various machinery spaces. The ship sank stern first 37 minutes after detonation in {{convert|210|ft|m|abbr=on}} of water in the [[Gulf of Mexico]].

As was intended, the ship came to rest lying upright. The flight deck was at a depth of {{convert|135|ft|m|abbr=on}}, and its island rose to {{convert|70|ft|m|abbr=on}}.<ref name=Barnette>{{cite book |author=Barnette, Michael C. |title=Florida's Shipwrecks |year=2008 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |isbn=978-0-7385-5413-6 |author-link=Michael C. Barnette|title-link=Florida's Shipwrecks }}</ref> Following [[Hurricane Gustav]] in 2008, the ship shifted 10 feet deeper leaving the flight deck at {{convert|145|ft|m}}.<ref name=AP2008>{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |title=Oriskany's Shift Endangers Pensacola Scuba Divers |publisher=FirstCoastNews.com |date=2008-11-11 |url=http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/florida/news-article.aspx?storyid=123454 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130103053326/http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/florida/news-article.aspx?storyid=123454 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-01-03 |access-date=2009-02-23 }}</ref> The island structure is accessible to recreational divers, but the flight deck requires additional training and equipment.<ref name=AP2008/> It is now popularly known as the "Great Carrier Reef",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldculturepictorial.com/blog/content/warship-now-a-home-fish-uss-oriskany-the-great-carrier-reef-largest-vessel-ever-sunk-make-a- |title=Warship now a home for fish: U.S.S. Oriskany, The Great Carrier Reef, is largest vessel ever sunk to make a reef &#124; WcP Blog |publisher=Worldculturepictorial.com |date=2008-09-05 |access-date=2012-08-15}}</ref> a reference to Australia's [[Great Barrier Reef]].

''[[The Times]]'' of London named the ''Oriskany'' wreck as one of the top ten [[wreck diving]] sites in the world.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/holiday_type/winter_sports/article1461444.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110924120359/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/holiday_type/winter_sports/article1461444.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 September 2011|title=World's best wreck diving |work=[[The Times]] |date=2007-03-03 |access-date=2009-11-09 | location=London | first=Tim | last=Ecott}}</ref> ''[[The New York Times]]'' Web video ''Diving the U.S.S. Oriskany'' explored the ''Oriskany'' wreck two years after its sinking.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/video/science/earth/1194817093092/diving-the-u-s-s-oriskany.html Diving the U.S.S. Oriskany]</ref>

<gallery mode="packed">
Image:Ex-USS Oriskany leaves port, 15 May 2006.jpg|''Oriskany'' leaves port for the last time, bound for the Gulf of Mexico to become an artificial reef.

Image:Detonations aboard the USS Oriskany.jpg|Detonations aboard ''Oriskany''
File:US Navy 060517-N-7992K-009 The ex-Oriskany, a decommissioned aircraft carrier, was sunk 24 miles off the coast of Pensacola, Fla., on May 17 to form an artificial reef.jpg|Beginning to sink
Image:USS Oriskany sinking.jpg|''Oriskany'' slips beneath the waves.
File:Oriskany July 2008 -1.jpg|''Oriskany's'' Primary Flight Control, photographed in July 2008
</gallery>

==Awards==
{| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=U.S. Navy Unit Commendation ribbon.svg|width=110}}{{Ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=Navy_Meritorious_Unit_Commendation_ribbon.svg|width=110}}{{Ribbon devices|number=|type=service-star|ribbon=China_Service_Medal_ribbon.svg|width=110}}
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Army_of_Occupation_ribbon.svg|width=110}}{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon, 2nd award.svg|width=110}}{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=Korean_Service_Medal_-_Ribbon.svg|width=110}}
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=Armed_Forces_Expeditionary_Medal_ribbon.svg|width=110}}{{ribbon devices|number=10|type=service-star|ribbon=Vietnam_Service_Medal_ribbon.svg|width=110}}{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Vietnam_gallantry_cross_unit_award-3d.svg|width=110}}
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=United Nations Service Medal Korea ribbon.svg|width=110}}{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Vietnam Campaign Medal ribbon with 60- clasp.svg|width=110}}{{ribbon devices|number=0|ribbon=Republic of Korea War Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=110}}
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|-
|[[Navy Unit Commendation]]<br>(thrice)
|[[Meritorious Unit Commendation]]<br>(thrice)
|[[China Service Medal]]<br>(extended)
|-
|[[Navy Occupation Service Medal]]<br>(with Europe clasp)
|[[National Defense Service Medal]]<br>(twice)
|[[Korean Service Medal]]<br>(2 [[battle star]]s)
|-
|[[Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal]]<br>(thrice)
|[[Vietnam Service Medal]]<br>(10 battle stars)
|[[Gallantry Cross (Vietnam)|Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation]]
|-
|[[United Nations Service Medal Korea|United Nations Korean Medal]]
|[[Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal]]
|[[Korean War Service Medal|Republic of Korea War Service Medal]]<br>(retroactive)
|-
|}

==References==
* {{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/o/oriskany.html}}
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Art Giberson. ''The Mighty O: USS Oriskany CVA-34''. Patriot Media Publishing, 2011.
*Zalin Grant. ''Over the Beach.''  Pocket Books Publishing, 1988, 1989.  Originally published 1986 by W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.oriskanymuseum.com/ USS ''Oriskany'' Reunion Association]
* [https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/o/oriskany.html Navy history of ''Oriskany'' (CV-34)]
* [https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/o/oriskany.html DANFS: USS ''Oriskany'' ]
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20050518230502/http://www.baconlinks.com/USS_Oriskany/LifeMag/Fire34.html 1966 Fire: ''A Carrier's Agony: Hell Afloat,'' Life Magazine 11/25/1966]}}
* [http://destinsharks.com/uncategorized/20 1st Hand Photos, Video, and Story of the ''Oriskany'' Sinking] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204193201/http://destinsharks.com/uncategorized/20 |date=4 February 2012 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070322205630/http://www.fortunecity.com/boozers/whitehorse/506/ "USS ''Oriskany'' CVA-34 – Vietnam Era"]
* [https://www.nytimes.com/video/2008/08/18/science/earth/1194817093092/diving-the-u-s-s-oriskany.html Diving the ''Oriskany''], ''New York Times'' video.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120220122018/http://floridasportfishing.com/magazine/featured-articles/may-june-2006/shes-goin-down.html "She's Goin' Down"]
* [https://parallaxfilm.com/episode/sinking-an-aircraft-carrier/ "Sinking an Aircraft Carrier – Megastructures"]
* {{YouTube|id=1jf4Umevwjo|title=USS ''Oriskany'' from the Inside}}

{{Essex class aircraft carrier}}
{{2006 shipwrecks}}
{{Recreational dive sites|wresit}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Oriskany (Cv-34)}}
[[Category:1945 ships]]
[[Category:Cold War aircraft carriers of the United States]]
[[Category:Essex-class aircraft carriers]]
[[Category:Korean War aircraft carriers of the United States]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1966]]
[[Category:Ships built in Brooklyn]]
[[Category:Vietnam War aircraft carriers of the United States]]
[[Category:World War II aircraft carriers of the United States]]
<!-- wreck-related categories -->
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 2006]]
[[Category:Ships sunk as artificial reefs]]
[[Category:Ships sunk as dive sites]]
[[Category:Shipwrecks of the Florida coast]]
[[Category:Scuttled vessels]]
[[Category:Aircraft carrier fires]]