USS Forrestal (CVA 59)

The USS Forrestal (CVA-59) was the lead ship of her class and the first "supercarrier" of the United States Navy, commissioned on October 1, 1955. Named after James Forrestal, the first Secretary of Defense, she played a pivotal role in Cold War naval operations, serving in both the Atlantic and Mediterranean fleets. Forrestal notably suffered a catastrophic fire in 1967 while deployed off the coast of Vietnam, resulting in significant loss of life and prompting major improvements in carrier safety procedures. Throughout her service, she participated in numerous exercises, deployments, and crisis responses until her decommissioning in 1993.