The fire began as the crew was preparing to launch planes for a bombing run against North Vietnam. Planes crowded the flight deck as the crew loaded bombs, rockets and other ordnance onto them. A series of mistakes and electrical problems caused a rocket to launch from one of the planes and streak across the deck, striking the plane of pilot John McCain.
     The rocket ignited the fuel from McCain's plane, and then a 1,000-lb. bomb exploded soon after. More explosions followed, killing men and spreading the fire throughout the ship.
     The photo to the right shows one of the bomb explosions at the rear of the ship, with smoke billowing.

Real audio from the USS Forrestal fire
Audio clip
Captain John Beling updates crew about seriousness of fire.
Audio clip
Chief engineering officer Merv Rowland warns about danger of chlorine gas.
Audio clip
Late on the day of the fire, Captain Beling explains that a hospital ship is on the way
Audio clip
Captain Beling reads the crew a message received from President Lyndon Johnson

     In the photos to the right, the crew tries to fight the fires on the flight deck.

     As the crew realized that some of the bombs were exploding in the fire very quickly, they decided to get rid of them in any way possible. The photo at left shows crew members rolling a bomb over to the deck edge so they could throw it over.

     As the Forrestal burned, a huge black cloud rolled off the Tonkin Gulf. Note how small the carrier looks in relation to the smoke plume. (It is just barely visible on the extreme lower left.)

To Part II of About the Forrestial Fire

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