Talk:USS Coral Sea (CV-43)

On the ships displacement, is it 43,000 tons when it first entered service, and 70,000 tons by the time it was scrapped (after numerous upgrades) ? Adeptitus 23:22, 17 July 2006 (UTC)

72.88.147.203 03:46, 17 May 2007 (UTC)

Coral Sea's full load displacement was 65,000 tons, per Jane's Fighting Ships 1989-90. Coral Sea's sister ship, the USS Midway, had a full load displacement of 64,000 tons at this time period (same reference source).

The 1971 "Mutiny"
I am very interested in verifying this event as it has been reported on a number of historical anti-war websites. If the "mutiny" did occur then more external references are needed to verify it, including more reliable sources than anti-war/socialist sites (which, due to their heavy bias, may not be reliable as a source). If the "Mutiny" was a figment of the antiwar imagination, then it is important to have a reliable source to back this up. The "Mutiny" claims would still be in the article, but with the clear understanding that the reported claims were false.

Just to make sure I am being careful here - I am not advocating one side or another. I think if a mutiny occurred then the truth should come out. If it didn't occur then this should be made clear in the article (along with clear evidence that it didn't happen).

--One Salient Oversight 06:33, 1 August 2007 (UTC)

The "mutiny" is well attested. See for example Congressional Record, 92nd Congress, 1st session, October 28, 1971 p 38083 exhibit B. It is "A statement to the news media from crew-members of the U.S.S. Coral Sea - Oct 11, 1971" and includes "Members of the U.S.S. Coral Sea have begun taking part in ending the war by starting the Stop Our Ship movement (SOS). .. On the original petition we gathered over 300 signatures in three days when it was ripped off by two chiefs who turned it over to the Executive Officer... [Another] petition now has been signed by over 1,000 members of the crew. .. We are going to stop our ships. And we, the military men, are going to stop this war."

The city of Berkeley offered sanctuary to deserters from the Coral Sea. That's also well attested. See for example this UPI article published in the Eugene Register-Guard from November 12, 1971, which says "The 63,000-ton carrier with a crew of 4,300 has been picketed by a small number of sailors the past few weeks. They said they represented a much larger proportion of the crew which opposes the war." The UPI estimated about 600 protestors, but doesn't list the number of sailors.

Quoting from Richard Moser's scholarly look at soldier anti-war dissent in Vietnam, "The New Winter Soldiers: GI and Veteran Dissent During the Vietnam Era": In 1971, “The Navy reported almost 500 cases of arson, sabotage, or willful destruction on its ships, while 1000 sailors on the USS Coral Sea petitioned Congress to stop its cruise to Vietnam. These ‘flattop revolts’ expanded the next year, as sailors signed petitions or disrupted operations on the Kitty Hawk, Oriskany, Ticonderoga, America, and Enterprise. Sabotage on the Ranger and Forrestal prevented their scheduled port departures while pilots became increasingly concerned about their role in the bombing campaign and questioned the war openly.” The USS Ranger, one of the mightiest warships in the world at the time, was taken out of action for more than three months, and all it took was a single disgruntled US Navy sailor to do it (who was later acquitted).

What more is needed to show that this isn't "a figment of the antiwar imagination"? For that matter, why is there even the idea that it might be imaginary? The history is well documented and a large percentage of service members were against the war. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 83.252.32.169 (talk) 17:35, 27 July 2014 (UTC)

Cannibalization
Why is Cannibalization listed as a fate? I can't find anything about that. --Most Wanted Emo 03:32, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

WikiProject Military history/Assessment/Tag & Assess 2008
Article reassessed and graded as start class. Referencing and appropriate inline citation guidelines not met. With appropriate citations and references, this article would easily qualify as B class if not higher. --dashiellx (talk) 15:48, 30 June 2008 (UTC)

Decommissioning and Scrapping
I'm really not that familiar with wikipedia policies nor have I edited a page, but I wanted to note that there is decent discussion on the Coral Sea's shipbreaking throughtoutThe Baltimore Sun - The Shipbreakers which is a link to a Baltimore Sun investigative series (that won the Pulitzer Prize) on ship decommissioning in the United States and elsewhere. It's pretty interesting and I think would add some substantive info the the Decommissioning and Scraping section of this article, however, I'm not sure of the best way to digest the info and incorporate it so I'll leave it to others.

72.83.90.44 (talk) 03:12, 22 September 2009 (UTC)-Chris

Renamed
Moved this from article to talk, until it can be substantiated.LizardJr8 (talk) 13:45, 2 November 2009 (UTC)


 * Before 8 May 1945, the aircraft carrier CVB-42 had been known as USS Coral Sea; after that date, CVB-42 was renamed in honor of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the late President, and the name Coral Sea was changed to CVB-43. What is unknown to this day is, what Coral Sea ' s name was prior to her renaming in 1945. After further investigation many believe the original name of CV 43 was USS Leyte, because the name Leyte was given the same day to USS Crown Point (CV-32).  The following is a quote from the reply to in inquiry made to: (Public Affairs Officer Naval HIstorical Center Washington Navy Yard 805 Kidder Breese SE Washington, DC 20374-5060) on 18 June 2008 regarding the name of CVB-43 prior to being named USS Coral Sea.  "When CVB-42 was renamed from USS Coral Sea to USS Franklin D Roosevelt, no name for CVB-43 had been determined.  So there was no "original" name for the ship.  From my study of the WWII Navy and its ship naming policies, it is possible that it would have been named USS Okinawa when the CVE of that name was canceled on 11 August 1945."
 * Fixed "second" to "third" since there's no controversy that there were three Coral Seas. One of the links below:
 * http://www.usscoralsea.net/pages/mtjas.php
 * discusses a plan to name the Midway class after the three naval battles Midway, Leyte and Coral Sea. If someone is interested in finding some notable authority, it can be added.TjoeC (talk) 15:58, 9 July 2014 (UTC)

Yellow Ribbon on Coit Tower (June 2, 1975)
While awaiting for the U.S.S. Coral Sea (CVA-43, Aircraft Carrier) to arrive home from their 1974/75 Westpac Tour in Vietnam on June 2, 1975 the Alameda Navy Wives created a large "Yellow Ribbon" that was hung near the top of the Coit Tower (see Coit Tower). The Yellow Ribbon was made from a very large chicken wire skeleton with many hundreds of small pieces of yellow cloth tied to it to make one large Yellow Ribbon. Several new Sailors awaiting to board the ship upon it's return to the U.S., including Robert P. Hampton (Radioman, 17 years old), carried the big Yellow Ribbon up the Coit Tower circular inner-stairwell and with the help from San Francisco city workers and Coit Tower volunteers draped the large and heavy Yellow Ribbon over the near-top arches opening, under very windy conditions.

The returning Crew of the U.S.S. Coral Sea (CVA-43) saw this "welcome home" symbol while steaming through the San Francsco Bay towards the Alameda Naval Air Station (NAS). The Yellow Ribbon stayed up on teh Coit Tower for several days after the ship's return. (Pictures needed) 69.236.187.159 (talk) 05:39, 14 October 2010 (UTC) Robert P. Hampton Radioman3rd (talk) 22:56, 10 October 2013 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by Radioman3rd (talk • contribs) 05:22, 14 October 2010 (UTC) Radioman3rd (talk) 22:57, 10 October 2013 (UTC)

USS Coral Sea CV43 - 1977 Westpac Cruise
I don't see any mention of the USS Coral Sea (CV-43) 1977 Westpac Cruise. There were many good and sad stories and incidents that happened during that cruise to be told... Got kicked out of Japan; Lost a well liked Sailor overboard playing Frisbie on the hanger Bay; Changed Homeport from Alameda NAS to the Bremerton Shipyards after our return (Got to put our family cars on the flight deck during the Homeport change to Bremerton, WA), etc.. If you were on board during the USS Coral Sea's 1977 Westpac Cruise please add your stories and interesting operational events, and fill in the missing details. Bless you all! Robert P. Hampton RM3 (1975 to 1978). Email: Radiobiker@yahoo.com (Posted Oct 10, 2013) Radioman3rd Radioman3rd (talk) 23:11, 10 October 2013 (UTC)

Nixon and Haiphong harbor mining
According to at least one sailor on board at the time, due to the time difference or some other confusion, the mining of Haiphong harbor started hours before the Nixon announcement. Is this true? Joel.sbateman (talk) 00:10, 9 July 2014 (UTC)

Accidents
Would it be proper to add an incident list to the USS Coral Sea page?

Once a plane came in too high, didn't have enough runway, went off the end, pilot throttled, two pilots ejected, and then the plane rose and continued flying for a time. Only one pilot was rescued. Planes crashing on deck, etc. Joel.sbateman (talk) 00:13, 9 July 2014 (UTC)

USS Coral Sea Anchor
Raising this topic to assess if Contributors think it would be acceptable to add a small section to acknowledge that one of Coral Sea's Anchors was gifted by the US Navy to the City of Townsville to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea.

Reference here :

http://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/conflict/ww2/display/103057-battle-of-the-coral-sea — Preceding unsigned comment added by Dora Domino (talk • contribs) 13:34, 15 January 2018 (UTC)

Adding more history context or Pictures from U.S.S Coral Sea Net
I recently read through The U.S.S Coral Sea's History on (https://www.usscoralsea.net/mtjas.php) found some or more information about her history that was not present on the current wiki page.

As well pictures that of her in 1948's to present one the interesting pictures I founded was U.S.S Coral Sea CVB-43 in her pre 1950's looks in background with also picture of USS Missouri BB-63 both underway in the Atlantic together. Likely from 1948's. (https://www.usscoralsea.net/pics1940s1.php)

Other information was missing during this information I copied and pasted. "Shortly before she was to leave Yankee Station, tragedy struck the ship 25 October when a Zuni rocket ignited during a routine test in the forward assembly area; nine sailors suffered burns (three critical) in the accident. The Zuni penetrated a bulkhead 20 feet from the testing area and its warhead lodged in a power panel. That panel was isolated, securing the ventilation to number two engine room, which had to be evacuated as temperatures shot up in excess of 200 degrees. Fortunately, well trained Coral Sea sailors promptly extinguished the blaze and removed their injured shipmates to sickbay for treatment, and the ship remained fully operational, launching strikes as scheduled the following morning." (When I compared it to wiki one I found no mentions of a Zuni rocket during exactly that)

(I am guessing information about U.S.S Coral Sea on Wikipedia is more basic compared to Coral Sea.net which is more detailed. I am not very good at adding pictures on a Wikipedia or adding information while not breaking something for me it's still learning experience) Big Confused Noob (talk) 08:09, 26 May 2023 (UTC)

Adding Coral Sea's Farewell
This information diffidently needs be added as it was from her Rear Admiral Paul Peck, USN(Ret.) from August 14, 2000 Admiral Peck entered the Naval Service as an apprentice seaman in 1944 and 35 years later retired a Rear Admiral. He is a heavily decorated veteran. He commanded and flew many strikes into Viet Nam. He rose through the ranks and in 1972 he reported aboard the USS Coral Sea as the Commanding Officer. In later years he would again return to the USS Coral Sea as an Admiral, using her as his flagship.

"Regarding the gotterdammerung of the Coral Maru; what a shame. But all good things must come to an end and the "Ancient Warrior" had a pretty good run at it. I know my feelings about her demise are not shared by many who loved her but, I for one am somewhat pleased that Coral Sea went out as she lived, not with a whine but with a challenge. I'm told that no less than three companies who tried to demolish her went broke in the process. Yeah, they finally got to her, but it wasn't easy. That ship, more than any I know was built to steam, to fly airplanes and to do battle. She sure did all three very well and for more years than most any other. Frankly, I would hate to see her as a museum or tourist trap somewhere - something for the uninitiated to gawk at in not understanding what made her great, just missing the point. Yes, she was well built, expensively equipped and the product of an outstanding design. Sure she wallowed in any sea at all but, when the chips were down, Coral Sea ALWAYS met the challenge - head on, and came away a winner. And no, it wasn't steel, gray paint or money that made her great. It was the spirit and morale of her crews, all who manned the ship over her 40 year history. I was aboard shortly after she became operational in Norfolk and was impressed by the esprit de corps of her crew and their pride in her massive dimensions, cleanliness and beauty. I was there for her decommissioning more than a generation later. Long since dwarfed by newer, bigger, faster and now, jazzier carriers, the Coral Sea still looked pretty good, at least on the outside. But, though she may have suffered a little in comparison with newer ships, the pride of her decommissioning crew in THEIR ship pervaded the pier and the ceremony. When one of her crewman sang her hymn, "God Bless the Coral Sea" there may have been some dry eyes there, but I didn't see them and certainly my own watery optics didn't help. The obvious question is why? What was it that brought this wonderful result? This great spirit? How can we duplicate it? Like the father in "Fiddler on the Roof," I have the answer: I don't know. But now and again, such ships just seem to come along. In my career I would place Enterprise and Kitty Hawk in this group (albeit not QUITE as high). But that begs the question and, again, I just don't know. If I ever find out and can sell it to today's more politically correct Navy, we'll set records for years to come. Anyway, there she goes. She has done her bit for her country and for those who manned the ship and made her great. Perhaps the Coral Sea will soon be forgotten as former crewmen who manned her, die, and go away. I won't see that. I'll never forget her. God bless her."

(Source: https://www.usscoralsea.net/farewell.php) Big Confused Noob (talk) 08:12, 26 May 2023 (UTC)


 * Why? Wikipedia is not a memorial or tribute site, among other things. BilCat (talk) 00:07, 27 May 2023 (UTC)