1981 Hearings. Possible reactivation, not only of Oriskany but also of Bon homme Richard
Interesting read. I knew that Oriskany had been looked at pretty heavily for reactivation as part of Regan's 600 ship Navy, to the point that the Navy was willing to can the reactivation of all 4 Iowa class to get her, but I didn't know that they also wanted Bon Homme Richard recommisoned. It does give some interesting info on how they planned to refit them. Especially the part about putting steel decks and Hornets on them.1981 Hearings. Possible reactivation, not only of Oriskany but also of Bon homme Richard
Ship | Program | Shipyard | Work Began | Recommissioned | Decommissioned |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
USS Oriskany (CV-34) | SCB-27 | New York | Aug 1947 | Sep 1950 | September 1976 |
USS Essex (CV-9) | SCB-27A | Puget Sound | Feb 1949 | Jan 1951 | June 1969 |
USS Wasp (CV-18) | SCB-27A | New York | May 1949 | Sep 1951 | July 1972 |
USS Kearsarge (CV-33) | SCB-27A | Puget Sound | Feb 1950 | Feb 1952 | February 1970 |
USS Lake Champlain (CV-39) | SCB-27A | Norfolk | Aug 1950 | Sep 1952 | May 1966 |
USS Bennington (CV-20) | SCB-27A | New York | Dec 1950 | Nov 1952 | January 1970 |
USS Yorktown (CV-10) | SCB-27A | Puget Sound | Mar 1951 | Feb 1953 | June 1970 |
USS Randolph (CV-15) | SCB-27A | Newport News | June 1951 | Jul 1953 | February 1969 |
USS Hornet (CV-12) | SCB-27A | New York | July 1951 | Sep 1953 | June 1970 |
USS Hancock (CV-19) | SCB-27C | Puget Sound | Dec 1951 | Feb 1954 | January 1976 |
USS Intrepid (CV-11) | SCB-27C | Newport News | Apr 1952 | Jun 1954 | Mar 1974 |
USS Ticonderoga (CV-14) | SCB-27C | New York | Apr 1952 | Sep 1954 | September 1973 |
USS Shangri-La (CV-38) | SCB-27C/125 | Puget Sound | Oct 1952 | Jan 1955 | July 1971 |
USS Lexington (CV-16) | SCB-27C/125 | Puget Sound | Sep 1953 | Aug 1955 | November 1991 |
USS Bon Homme Richard (CV-31) | SCB-27C/125 | Hunters Point | May 1953 | Sep 1955 | 2 July 1971 |
"Worn out" applies to pretty much all of the Essex class by the mid 70s. The Navy rode them hard in Vietnam. As an example, BHR deployed for a combat tour in Southeast Asia 5 times between 1965 and 1970.A pity for Hancock, but maybe it was just worn out.
Hancock got her SCB-125 from Apr 1956 - Nov 1956.Bon homme Richard had been the first of the SCB-27C (= C-11 steam catapult Essex) to be retired in 1971. So it had already spent a decade in storage. Wonder about the five other SCB-27C. Were these ships in poor shape ?
Wiki has a detailed list (as usual)
SCB-27 - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
Ship Program Shipyard Work Began Recommissioned Decommissioned USS Oriskany (CV-34) SCB-27 New York Aug 1947 Sep 1950 September 1976 USS Essex (CV-9) SCB-27A Puget Sound Feb 1949 Jan 1951 June 1969 USS Wasp (CV-18) SCB-27A New York May 1949 Sep 1951 July 1972 USS Kearsarge (CV-33) SCB-27A Puget Sound Feb 1950 Feb 1952 February 1970 USS Lake Champlain (CV-39) SCB-27A Norfolk Aug 1950 Sep 1952 May 1966 USS Bennington (CV-20) SCB-27A New York Dec 1950 Nov 1952 January 1970 USS Yorktown (CV-10) SCB-27A Puget Sound Mar 1951 Feb 1953 June 1970 USS Randolph (CV-15) SCB-27A Newport News June 1951 Jul 1953 February 1969 USS Hornet (CV-12) SCB-27A New York July 1951 Sep 1953 June 1970 USS Hancock (CV-19) SCB-27C Puget Sound Dec 1951 Feb 1954 January 1976 USS Intrepid (CV-11) SCB-27C Newport News Apr 1952 Jun 1954 Mar 1974 USS Ticonderoga (CV-14) SCB-27C New York Apr 1952 Sep 1954 September 1973 USS Shangri-La (CV-38) SCB-27C/125 Puget Sound Oct 1952 Jan 1955 July 1971 USS Lexington (CV-16) SCB-27C/125 Puget Sound Sep 1953 Aug 1955 November 1991 USS Bon Homme Richard (CV-31) SCB-27C/125 Hunters Point May 1953 Sep 1955 2 July 1971
1981 Hearings. Possible reactivation, not only of Oriskany but also of Bon homme Richard
Back up a page or two and you'll see Admiral Foley's ambition for a dedicated Indian Ocean fleet based out of Perth (Shades of Fifth Fleet some 15 years early). The conversation is somewhat sidetracked by utilizing Harrier equipped LPH/LHD's to supplement/replace CVs operating in the Indian Ocean, which Foley wholly disagrees with. The Navy's view that Harriers were far too limited leads well to activating both Oriskany and Bon Homme Richard to reach 15-16 CVs. Had the fortune of speaking with Bob Foley a few times before his passing in 2019; had some amazing stories. Great find @Archibald !Interesting read. I knew that Oriskany had been looked at pretty heavily for reactivation as part of Regan's 600 ship Navy, to the point that the Navy was willing to can the reactivation of all 4 Iowa class to get her, but I didn't know that they also wanted Bon Homme Richard recommisoned. It does give some interesting info on how they planned to refit them. Especially the part about putting steel decks and Hornets on them.
From what I've read, Guam completed the SCS tests on 1 July 1974. And the trials had begun in January 1972.About LPH & Harriers: obviously USS Guam was tested as a makeshift SCS between 1972 and 1975. With Harriers. AV-8A performance wasn't very good, for sure. Then again, it was first generation Harrier, itself first operational VSTOL, ever.
Another first was racked up by USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT when, on 4 October 1976, the first overseas operational commitment on a carrier for the AV-8A Harrier began when VMA-231 embarked aboard for a Sixth Fleet deployment. On 13 January 1977, two other Harriers made bow-on approaches and landing aboard the carrier, marking the first time a fixed wing aircraft had made a bow-on, downwind landing aboard a carrier at sea.
October 4, 1976 - April 21, 1977; Mediterranean
Ports of call: Rota, Spain; Naples, Italy; Catania, Sicily, Italy; Taranto, Italy; Genoa, Italy; Monaco; Cannes, France; Barcelona, Spain
CVW-19 (tail code NM): VF-51 (F-4N); VF-111 (F-4N); VA-153 (A-7B); VA-215 (A-7B); VA-155 (A-7B); VMA-231 (AV-8A);
RVAW-110 Det. 4 (E-1B); VFP-63 Det. (RF-8G); HC-1 Det. 3 (SH-3G)
The ship continued to write a chapter in the evolution of naval aviation. The first overseas operational commitment on a carrier for McDonnell Douglas AV-8As began when 14 Harriers of Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 231, embarked with Franklin D. Roosevelt and CVW-19 as they set out for what became the ship’s final deployment on a voyage to the Mediterranean (4 October 1976–21 April 1977).
The ship and her wing resolutely continued to experiment with new ideas. A pair of AV-8As made a bow on approach downwind and landed on board Franklin D. Roosevelt on 13 January 1977. The Harriers landed with the other jets facing aft and demonstrated the capabilities of vertical and/or short take-off and landing (V/STOL) aircraft to land on carriers without many of the conditions necessary for fixed-wing, non-V/STOL aircraft. Throughout the cruise the Harriers validated that they could integrate and operate with predominantly fixed-wing air wings, though their exhaust damaged painted non-skid elements of the flight deck and blew some pieces off, creating a foreign object damage threat to aircraft.
Is the long white line in front of the two AV-8s a special marking for Harriers ?Note the aircraft aboard:
...
Yes... that is their take-off run marking, as no Harrier variant ever had catapult bridle/towbar or arresting hook fittings..Is the long white line in front of the two AV-8s a special marking for Harriers ?
This was to considerably complicate operations at the same time as the catapulted aircraft.Yes... that is their take-off run marking, as no Harrier variant ever had catapult bridle/towbar or arresting hook fittings..
Harrier GR.3s have also been used successfully in Falkland."Sea Harrier in the Falklands"
But Harrier GR.3 and AV-8A performance badly sucked.
Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVB-42)
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (30 January 1882–12 April 1945), the 32nd President of the United States (4 March 1933–12 April 1945). (CVB-42: displacement 45,000; length 968'; beam 113'; extreme width 136'; draft 35'; speed 33 knots; compliment 4,104; armament 18 5-inch, 84 40-millimeter; aircraft...www.history.navy.mil
If FDR had been given a full modernization (instead of her "austere overhaul") in 1969 to either SCB-110A as per CV-43 Coral Sea or to SCB-101.66 (preferably a slightly less-exaggerated version than Midway received) she could have served to at least the end of the 1980s, rather than being decommissioned on 1 October 1977 (and immediately stricken from the USN's books and sold for scrap on 1 April 1978, specifically to prevent her re-activation).
She could have operated F/A-18s & A-6s and E-2Cs just like her sisters did.
The problem with doing that, is that just sticks you with a far less capable carrier than an SCB-27C/125 Essex for the exact same operational costs. The Navy itself had zero interest in operating Harriers. For several reasons. As @Archibald pointed out, the AV-8A kinda sucked. The Navy's existing strike planes were far more capable than early Harriers.I'd like to imagine if the Essex without angled deck had been used as Harrier carrier/SCS or Marines' support carrier.
The Essex that could have become this are :
USS Franklin (CV-13) in reserve until July 1966,
USS Tarawa (CV-40) in reserve until October 1968,
USS Leyte (CV-32) in reserve until September 1970,
USS Boxer (CV-21) in reserve until March 1971, as amphibious assault ship in 1958,
USS Valley Forge (CV-45) in reserve until October 1971, modified as amphibious assault ship in 1961,
USS Princeton (CV-37), in reserve until September 1972, as aphibious assault ship in 1959,
USS Bunker Hill (CV-17), in reserve until July 1973.
I think that with a mix of SCB-27/125, they would have been a good platform for a Harrier carrier/Sea Control Ship.
Keeping the Hurricane bow, but without the angled deck, and of course without the catapult or arresting wire.
Such a ship almost existed, since in the mid-70s, Spain considered buying the USS Lake Champlain (CV-39), and it would probably have become a Harrier carrier in the style of the Dédalo (R01).
View attachment 717613
And finally, politics. The Navy desperately wanted more Super Carriers, and more Nimitz class in particular. Converting straight deck Essex class to operate Harriers gives congress an easy way to kill the Nimitz class, something they tried to do several times. Why give them an even easier time of it?
Initially, President Gerald Ford cancelled the order for CVN-71 in 1976 and substituted two CVV-type carriers that were expected to operate V/STOL aircraft. The existing T-CBL design formed the basis for the new CVV, serving as a replacement for the aging Midway-class carriers, while capable of operating all existing conventional carrier aircraft. In any case, construction of the proposed CVV medium-sized carrier never took place.
Authorization for CVN-71 was further delayed when President Jimmy Carter vetoed the 1979 Fiscal Year Department of Defense authorization bill because of the inclusion of this Nimitz-class nuclear supercarrier in the Navy ship-building program.
As a result of the Iran hostage crisis, President Carter reversed his stand on Nimitz-class nuclear supercarriers, and CVN-71 was subsequently authorized under the 1980 Fiscal Year authorization bill for the U.S. Department of Defense.