USS Oriskany (CVA-34)

Originally uploaded by MajorMike.
On May 17, 2006, the USS Oriskany, an aircraft carrier on which I served from 1974 to 1976, was sunk off the coast of Pensacola, FL, in about 200 ft of water. It’s to be the largest man-made reef in the world. Divers are already swarming over it taking photos and videos.

I served in the Combat Information Center and as one of the COD (Carrier Onboard Delivery) pilots, flying the Grumman C-1 Trader. My final duties were to help mothball the ship as it retired.

Now 30 years later, she’s out of mothballs and into the deep.

See the whole set of photos on Flickr.