Fire, Fire, Fire on the Flight Deck Aft; This Is Not a Drill: An Inconceivable Story of Brave Men Battling Raging Fires and High-Order Explosions to ... and the World'S First Super Aircraft Carrier

by Kenneth V. Killmeyer

In March of 1967, Ken Killmeyer became a crew member of USS Forrestal CVA-59, the first of the super aircraft carriers. In 1995, Ken was offered the position of historian of the USS Forrestal Association. During his time as a historian, Ken began collecting personal experience narratives of crew members who were aboard along with him during the worst naval disaster to befall a ship since World War II. Ken has combined those stories with USS Forrestals deck logs and the official investigation report into the cause of the Forrestal fire and has given the reader an undeniable window into this devastating event. Ken takes the reader on a journey like none other, from high above the busy flight deck on the navigation bridge down to deep within Forrestals hull in the hot, steamy engine rooms. The reader will hear from the crew in their own words what they experienced before, during, and after this most tragic day in the lives of USS Forrestals Westpac 1967 crew. Further interest in USS Forrestal can be obtained using the following USS Forrestal Association Inc., www.USS-Forrestal.com Facebook.com, USS Forrestal CVA-59, CV-59, and AVT-59 Facebook.com, USS Forrestal CV-59 Facebook.com USS Forrestal AVT-59 Decommission Facebook.com USS Forrestal Crew Members

898 pages, Paperback

Published July 24, 2018

Reviews

[Daniel Kehrberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Masterfully combines the big picture and the small -- the personal experiences and the official reports. If you ever served aboard an aircraft carrier, this story will return you to those days, passageways and compartments, sites, sounds, and smells, duties, shipmates, travels, adventures, and dangers. The book is as thorough and comprehensive as the NTSB's aircraft accident investigation reports. The author's phenomenal precision, persistence, and passion are evident and commendable.

[Matthew Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're a veteran or researcher (or both) who wants an all-encompassing record of the Forrestal tragedy, look no further. This goes into excruciating detail about the men and events that happened, but if excruciating detail is what you're looking for, then this book is for you.

[Al Cadondon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A true story brimming with emotional journey.