The Ranger is now on her way to the scrap-heap, after attempts to turn her into a museum piece failed. She was one of four Forrestal-class supercarriers, and saw service in Vietnam, the Middle East, and elsewhere. As you can see from the "60" yard marker, Ottawa is getting squeaky close to the larger ship (the other end of the line is attached to Ranger).
We never knew how much we were tossed about in even these moderate seas until we were close to a rock-solid behemoth such as Ranger.
In this snapshot, also taken on Ottawa's bridge, as very junior sublieutenant I have as a backdrop Ranger pulling away, flanked by two destroyers.
2 comments:
I'm often amazed by how items of such vast expense to their makers are so unceremoniously junked in later years.
Not that they can all be kept, but for very items of very high value, they certainly have a massive depreciation in the end.
It is amazing. One would think the value of metal in the ship would make her far more valuable than the cost of breaking her up.
And so they go, but not with a bang. Which I suppose is just as well.
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