KJakker 901 Posted August 21, 2014 http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/uss-saratoga-carrier-heads-off-scrapped-25066827 USS Saratoga Carrier Heads off to Be Scrapped NEWPORT, R.I. — Aug 21, 2014, 2:45 PM ET By JENNIFER McDERMOTT Associated Press The decommissioned aircraft carrier USS Saratoga left its port in Rhode Island on Thursday for its final journey to Texas, where it will be scrapped. The ship departed Naval Station Newport and made its way down Narragansett Bay to the Atlantic Ocean. It is heading to the Esco Marine ship recycling plant in Brownsville, Texas. The Saratoga was supposed to leave Wednesday, but the voyage was postponed because of concern that storms were developing along the route. Esco Marine is being paid a penny by the Navy to dispose of the Saratoga. It plans to make money by selling what it recovers from the ship. "It's a sad day in a way to see a great lady finish her career by being towed off to be scrapped," said Bill Sheridan, who was involved in the effort to try to save the ship by turning it into a museum. Tugs arrived at the station at about 6 a.m. Thursday and the lines that had held the carrier to the pier for 16 years were cut. The carrier passed under Newport's Claiborne Pell Bridge and by Fort Adams at midmorning, where people had gathered to watch it go. The trip is expected to take about 16 days. More than 100 veterans from all eras of the carrier's life took part in a farewell ceremony at the naval station earlier this month. They walked along the pier, taking pictures and looking up at the Saratoga one last time. The Saratoga — named for the decisive battle of the American Revolution fought in upstate New York — was commissioned in 1956 and completed 22 deployments before it was decommissioned in 1994. It was off the coast of Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis, off of Vietnam during the Vietnam War and in the Persian Gulf during the first Iraq War. It arrived in Newport in 1998 and fell into disrepair. The Navy took the Saratoga off the donation list in 2010 after another carrier, the USS John F. Kennedy, became available for a museum. There are plans for a memorial to the Saratoga on board the future Kennedy museum. The Saratoga, Sheridan said, is "gone but not forgotten, and always remembered in our hearts." 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
colmack 662 Posted August 22, 2014 I think Connie is OTW too didn't she leave PSNY a few days ago?.......... sad to see these "old" ladys go... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Antares81 16 Posted August 22, 2014 Good-bye Super SARA :'( Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MAKO69 186 Posted August 22, 2014 I get the whole new Navy thing of naming our carriers after US Presidents(good President's, not b00bs) now, but there should be a few names like the Sarratoga, or carriers that were scrapped that took place in epic battles or were at key places in time in U.S. History. Ships that have ben sunk in battle or are current museums aside. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+daddyairplanes 10,248 Posted August 22, 2014 the second Gerald Ford class is supposed to be named Enterprise. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lexx_Luthor 57 Posted August 22, 2014 mako, that's a good thought. The names of ye olde Royal Navy fighting ships, like AJAX love that name. Although there is the post-modern USNS Impeccable today, sounding like an old RN ship. The most inspiring names have to be the classical US NAVY submarines, named after sea life, best fitting diving ocean going vessels. We too once had amazing designs on our gold and silver coins, as did Mexico, and Europe in its true pan-European common currency of the 1900s. Germany became teutonically efficient at naming ships after men...Politicians and Admirals. Naming ships after men and picturing men on currency could be a sign of Empire decay, as the only thing men can do by themselves since Adam is decay. Its almost biblical lol. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
colmack 662 Posted August 22, 2014 the second Gerald Ford class is supposed to be named Enterprise. I think the second G_F_class is the new JFK CVN 79, Enterprise is number 3 or CVN 80 and will replace the Nimitz in 2025 so we will have 12 years with no Enterprise in the fleet as far as the UK's carrier I have read that the second ship that is supposed to be HMS Prince of Whales might be renamed Ark Royal...... like the USN should never not have an Enterprise the RN should never not have Ark Royal.... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
