IN MEMORIUM - CYNTHIA S. JONES

REMEMBER -- 1967 -- VIETNAM WAR

Can you find Nicky (Johnson) among the crewmates on the USS Forrestal? He worked on the flight deck launching jet planes.


A narrative of the Forrestal fires written by Nicky follows - - - -

"We fought fires all the way from Gulf of Tonkin No. Vietnam to Subic Bay in the Phillipines. We fought fires all the way -- it took two weeks. Senator John Mccain was in a jet on the rear catapult when a sidewinder missile dislodged from his plane, shot across deck starting a number of explosions. If anyone wants more info, google USS FORRESTAL CVA-59. The fire -- they have pics and more info.

Here's something you won't read. There were gaping holes in the flight deck from our own bombs and ordinance. Out of 134 dead, we killed a substantial amout ourselves. Carriers are air tight and thats why its hard to sink them. Each compartment has a hatch that locks and seals in order to put fires out below flight deck. We could only put fire hoses down thru holes caused by exposions, consequently the crew members who were on night shift were sleep and were drowned. We'll never know how many. This was heralded as the worst naval tragedy since WW II. I'll leave out the two week gore-fest to Subic Bay.

One other major note: our cousin Harry Ellis was also on same ship in the marine detachment. When we got to Subic, I finally saw him in one of the smokey passageways. He looked at me and said, "They didn't get you!" God bless his soul."

This is a colorful trip down Memory Lane for Nick and an opportunity for us to understand a little of what he went through during the war.
Thanks, Nick!

LOOK WHAT I FOUND !

This is a picture of Aunt Alice (Ellis)when she was a young girl. I looked high and low for this pic when I did the Slaughter Family Album in 2007. It has finally emerged for all to see. Notice the strong 'dimple' legacy found in others of our family.