USS Enterprise (CV6) Trip to Scrap Yard 58'

Here is a clip of the heroic USS Enterprise (CV6) Aircraft Carrier that fought "the most" in WWII, being towed to Lipsett, NJ, for scraping in 1958. NYC is in the background. Because of that ship, we have our freedom today. May she rest in peace.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• USS
• Enterprise
• CV6
• WWII
• US
• Navy
• Aircraft
• Carrier

[jers59]

You cannot compare the scrapping of the Enterprise in the 50,s as if it happened today, 1950,s U.S. was in recession, Eisenhower had initiated nationwide highway bill, costing fortune, the navy was building nuclear powered warships and subs also designing guided missile warships, Congress passed bill limiting navy to 15 attack carriers so many mdernized Essex class carriers were converted to ASW carriers The navy had no money to keep Enterprise in mothballs

[paulpsyche]

From what I read about this, your argument is similar to that made at the time, but like anything there were other ways to get money, other ships, etc. Nimitz himself advocated for her survival. To me it is ashame that it was scraped, but value your opion also, what can you do.... it is just a sad loss.

[cirian75]

Only ship EVER in the world outside of the Royal navy to get the British Admiralty Pennant, the Royal Navy highest award for a ship.

She should have been saved.

[bodyandspirit224]

My grandpa served on The Big E!



[strikers1944]

We must carry her name she is and will be the embodiment of the us navy

[saulpaulus]

@jers59 No one's suggesting that Big E should have been kept in active service. It could have been inactivated and mothballed as many many other WW II ships were LONG after it was scrapped. There really was no reason to scrap her.

[jers59]

@saulpaulus 1958 the Enterprise was long obsolete was not modernized after WW2 never could have handled jet aircraft was worn out. US had 24 Essex class carriers, 3 Midway class carriers, 4 Forrestal class carriers in service or on building ways, The Enterprise was laid down, couple light carriers and escort carriers in mothballs just how many carriers did the navy need? room was needed in Bayonne mothball fleet and Enterprise had to go.

[saulpaulus]

@jers59 Was born in 1956 just a few miles away from Levittown, have studied history all my life, & teach social studies. Quite familiar with post war consumerism. To suggest that because people wanted more consumer goods the Navy had to scrap the Big E. is absurd. Many other WW II ships were kept in mothballs for years after the Big E was scrapped. There was simply no good reason to scrap it.

[jers59]

@saulpaulus Start thinking like you are in 1950,s the vast amount of people had 0 concern with turning warships into museums they wanted consumer goods after going through depression and WW2 why do you think they built zillion 55 to 57 chevys, they wanted new housing starting with Levit town in long Island the first suburban mass building of housing, The only future for Enterprise was tow to kearny New Jersey . You can thank the GM for saving the Enterprise name plate now in River Vale

[saulpaulus]

@jers59 The US is always building new ships and other weapons. The point is that the Big E wasn't just another obsolete ship. It was the 20th century's USS Constitution. The US would simply not have survived in the Pacific in 1942 without the Big E. Money could have and should have been found to preserve her until someone could raise the fund needed to make a museum out of her.

[saulpaulus]

@Nightdare Signing on Missouri doubtless had something to do with who was President at the time.

[jers59]

@saulpaulus Late 1950,s US Navy was building expensive nuclear powearships, Enterprise, Long Beach, Bainbridge, latter Truxton + nuclear power subs, polaris missile, Talos and Terrier missiles, super carriers, the mothball fleet in Bayonne was overflowing with obsolete ships, Enterprise, Franklin, North Carolina, Washington, Alaska +many others, Halsey was giving chance to raise money to save Enterprise he failed and it was scrapped, same latter on with Franklin and Essex ,