Men of Forrestal

In the early morning hours of July 29, 1967, crew members aboard the USS Forrestal had no clue that their being awakened by a "Man overboard" alarm could have served as a possible omen of events to come only a few hours later. Events that would alter the course of each life aboard.

While operating in the Gulf of Tonkin, off the shores of North Vietnam, the USS Forrestal and her crew would soon be witness to the worst naval disaster to occur since World War II. The calamity that resulted forced the ship's crew to literally fight for their lives and the existence of their ship against an enemy of raging fires and multiple high-end explosions. The cost to the ship and her crew, the lives of 134 souls, and multiple injuries to others.

The story begins at Arlington National Cemetery, and the moment one particular sailor reflects back to what brought him to that hallowed place. It continues with his travels to the other side of the globe and his long wait for the ship's arrival in Subic Bay, Philippines.

Written as accurately as possible after so many years, it's the telling of one sailor's experiences while working the flight deck aboard the mighty carrier. A story detailing the hard work of those aboard, the love for their captain, and the sacrifices made by so many on a morning of pain, intense fear, and gut-wrenching heartache. A morning whose date has been seared into the minds of those aboard: July 29, 1967.