An Epiphany on the Oriskany
Epiphany: noun; a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the
essential nature or meaning of something (2) : an intuitive grasp of reality
through something (as an event) usually simple and striking (3) : an
illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosure b : a revealing scene or
moment.
My dear friend Becky Gilham was the first person I ever heard use this word. We had just finished her first openwater dive into the bottom of Vortex Springs and she used it to describe her experience. Being an old country boy from Cullman County, I had no idea what the word meant. I didn't know if she had enjoyed her first dive, or if she was contemplating a lawsuit against me ! I came home, looked up the word, and was relieved to find that she meant it was a memorable moment, a revealing moment that you will never forget.
That is exactly the way I felt when I rolled over in the Gulf of Mexico and saw the USS Oriskany laying on the bottom below me. The top of her superstructure 70' deep, yet it looked like you could reach out and touch it! The visibility 120' +, the current non-existent. I could not hardly wait to tie the anchor line off on the top of the superstructure and begin my adventure and exploration of this historical ship below me.
We were diving from a private boat: our captain was US Navy Dive Instructor and Water Safety/Rescue Instructor Jonathan Glasscock. Diving with me was Instructor Bruce Tumlin of Tidepool Diving, and our friend David Shirley. Between the three of us, we represented over 75 years of diving experience. And during our post dive talk, we all agreed that this was the best wreck dive we had ever had in the Gulf of Mexico.
The Oriskany has a long and storied history. Built at the end of WWW II, she served her country valiantly through the Korean War, the Viet Nam conflict, and the Cuban Missile Crisis. In October of 1966, 44 crewmen, including a large number of wing officers, died when a fire broke out on the hangar deck. LtCdr. John S. McCain was a pilot assigned to Attack Squadron 163 onboard the aircraft carrier USS ORISKANY (CVA-34). On October 26, 1967, he launched in his A4E "Skyhawk" attack aircraft. As McCain rolled into his dive over Hanoi, his aircraft was observed by his wingman to take a direct hit from anti-aircraft fire and to burst into flames. He was captured and held as a POW for 5 1/2 years.
The Oriskany is almost 900' long, and sits in 212' of water, yet today the top of her superstructure is only 70' below the surface. My goal for my first dive on the Oriskany was to follow the superstructure down to the flight deck which is 137' deep, then swim across the width of the flight deck to the port side, drop off the side, and try to find the open hangar bay doors. I swam directly to the flight deck, across to the port side, and looked off. It was like looking off a bluff on Smith Lake; only it was a bluff of walkways, stairs, and open doors! I dropped to the first walkway, and swam for a short distance looking in a couple of doors, looking for the hangar bay doors. I discovered that they were deeper than my Nitrox mix would allow me to go, so I returned to the flight deck, taking in as many sights as I could along the return trip.
I returned to the superstructure, ascended to about 90' deep, and began a slow ascending spiral of the superstructure. Exploring the walkways, ladders, and rooms until I came to the Captain's Wheelhouse. As I looked out on the huge flight deck below me, that went on well beyond the 120' visibility, I could not help but picture the Captain standing in this very spot, looking down on the aircraft taking off and landing below him, returning from missions to North Korea, South and North Vietnam.
I continued slowly on up the superstructure. (It is in itself more than enough to explore on one tank of air.) My bottom time running low, I stopped at the top, and just looked down. From this viewpoint, I could see the entire superstructure all the way down to the huge flight deck below. As bad as I hated to leave her, my computer demanded that I begin my ascent. As I made my safety stop, she still loomed below me; the sound of jet engines and commands of her officers gone , replaced with the silence of the underwater world, the only sound the exhaust bubbles of my own regulator. The only activity now is from divers, barracuda, and the new marine animals that are beginning to call this mighty warship home!
Could it be any better? Yes ! That is the amazing part. I was amazed at the marine life already on the Oriskany. Amberjack and barracuda circle her; her stairways and railings already covered with plant life. If you look closely, if you can get past the sheer size of the wreck and look for the little details , already you will find damsels, trigger fish, and filefish in her cracks and crevices. With each passing day, she will get better and better for the Gulf of Mexico wreck diver. This valiant warship, this lady of valor did not die with her sinking, she only entered a new exciting stage of her life!
It is with honor and reverence that we look forward to our next trip to the USS Oriskany.
Phil Hutchens
Barracuda Divers
Email from Tom Wimberly, Captain, US Navy (Retired)
Posted with permission
Someone sent me your story about the Oriskany dive. I enjoyed it very much.
I was never aboard Oriskany, but had two friends who died in the fire.
Oriskany was here in Corpus Christi where I live during much of her preparation time for reefing. I took lots of people to see her. It was sad to see her condition -- rusting and deteriorating. When she was towed into port, I went down to watch. As she went by in the ship channel, a lady behind me said, "Poor baby."
I served in and flew from the decks of several carriers which were of the same class as Oriskany: Kearsarge, Hancock, Bon Homme Richard, Intrepid, Lexington, and Shangri-La.
I feel very good that Oriskany is remaining as an attraction for the public, and is providing so much enjoyment to people like you. Thanks for the piece.
Tom Wimberly
Captain, US Navy (Retired)
Email from Tom Wimberly, Captain, US Navy (Retired)
Posted with permission
Phil,
If you want some good Oriskany history, see if you can find a copy of "Fire on the Hangar Deck" by Captain Wynn Foster. I have a copy but can't find it. Have promised to loan it to a Hancock shipmate from Forest MS who also served aboard Oriskany when I do find it. If you read anything about the fire, be aware that I knew two fatalities very well -- the Air Wing Commander was Cdr Rod Carter, and LCDR Clem Morissette. Carter was Wing Operations officer in Air Wing Ten aboard Shangri-La in 1963-64, and Morissette and I were flight instructors at Sherman Field in Pensacola 1959-61. Also an instructor with us at the same time was Marvin Reynolds, who survived by sticking his head in a porthole while the fire was going. If you read the book, you'll see his story. I am still in touch with him by email.
Will you ever have the capability to dive to the hangar deck of Oriskany? If you do, you will want to know where that little compartment is in which the fire started. It's starboard side, hangar deck level, just about event with the aft edge of the no. 1 elevator pit. If you ever lead a dive there, it would be a very interesting tidbit to know about.
Terry, I got two rides in submarines during my time in the Navy. First was in the old boat in the 1950s I think, the only one which had two reactors. Triton, I think it was. Then in the 60s I think it was I got a ride in one of the nuclear attack boats. Both just one day at sea trips. I am curious if you were on an attack boat. "Conn, sonar. Crazy Ivan!" I love that movie. In my later years in the Navy, most of us became pretty sure that our aircraft carrier was shadowed by an attack boat, but it was a well kept secret. It was never discussed, and it never appeared in any of the op orders, etc. When I was XO of Hancock, I had Top Secret and SI clearances, and was never told anything about it. As a LCDR and CDR, I was personal aide to a distinguished submariner of WW II - Vice Admiral Ignatius J. Galantin. He was CO of Halibut, and on her last war patrol, he got her back but they scrapped her on account of the extensive battle damage.
Sure, you have my permission to post my letter and anything else of interest that I may have written to you.
All the best,
Capt. Tom Wimberly
