Incognito said:Survey USA Pennsylvania:
Obama 50%
McCain 44%
RubxQub said:WHAT THE FUCK!!!!!!
:lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol
John McCain is such a total fuck-up.....holy fuck is that bad.
Navy Releases McCain's Records
USS Forrestal, July 29, 1967 - The worst accident aboard a US Navy surface vessel since WWII
BY WAYNE MADSEN/WAYNE MADSEN REPORT
The Navy released John McCains military record after a Freedom of Information Act request from the Associated Press. The record is packed with information on McCains medals and commendations but little else. The one thing that the McCain campaign does not want to see released is the record of McCains antics on board the USS Forestal in 1967. McCain was personally responsible for the deadliest fire in the history of the US Navy. That catastrophe, with 27 dead and over 100 wounded trumps McCains record as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam.
WMR has learned additional details regarding the deadly fire aboard the Navy aircraft carrier, the USS Forrestal, on July 19, 1967 in the Gulf of Tonkin. The additional details point to then-Lt. Commander John McCain playing more of a role in triggering the fire and explosions than previously reported.
On January 16, 2006, WMR reported that according to a US Navy sailor who was aboard the Forrestal on the fateful day of the fire, McCain and the Forrestals skipper, Capt. John K. Beling, were warned about the danger of using M-65 1000-lb. bombs manufactured in 1935, which were deemed too dangerous to use during World War II and, later, on B-52 bombers. The fire from the Zuni missle misfire resulted in the heavy 1000 pound bombs being knocked loose from the pylons of McCains A-4 aircraft, which were only designed to hold 500-pound bombs.
WMR further reported, The unstable bombs had a 60-second cook-off threshold in a fire situation and this warning was known to both Beling and McCain prior to the disaster. WMR also cited the potential that McCains Navy records were used against him by the neo-cons in control of the Pentagon, The neo-cons, who have had five years to examine every file within the Department of Defense, have likely accessed documents that could prove embarrassing to McCain, who was on board the USS Forrestal on July 29, 1967, and whose A-4 Skyhawk was struck by an air-toground Zuni missile that had misfired from an F-4 Phantom.
WMR has been informed that crewmen aboard the Forrestal have provided additional information about the Forrestal incident. It is believed by many crewmen and those who have investigated the case that McCain deliberately wet-started his A-4E to shake up the guy in the plane behind his A-4. Wet-starts, done either deliberately or accidentally, shoot a large flame from the tail of the aircraft.
In McCains case, the wet-start apparently cooked off and launched the Zuni rocket from the rear F-4 that touched off the explosions and massive fire. The F-4 pilot was reportedly killed in the conflagration. Wet starting was apparently a common practice among young hot-dog pilots.
McCain was quickly transferred to the USS Oriskany (the only Forrestal crewman to be immediately transferred). Three months later, McCain was shot down over North Vietnam on October 26, 1967.
As WMR previously reported, at the time of the Forrestal disaster, McCains father, Admiral John McCain, Jr., was Commander-in-Chief of US Naval Forces Europe (CINCUSNAVEUR) and was busy covering up the details of the deadly and pre-meditated June 8, 1967, Israeli attack on the NSA spy ship, the USS Liberty.
The fact that both McCains were involved in two incidents just weeks apart that resulted in a total death count of 168 on the Forrestal and the Liberty, with an additional injury count of 234 on both ships (with a number of them later dying from their wounds) with an accompanying classified paper trail inside the Pentagon, may be all that was needed to hold a Sword of Damocles over the head of the family honor-oriented McCain by the neo-cons.
WMR has also been informed by knowledgeable sources, including an ex-Navy A-4 pilot, the wet-start game was a common occurrence. However, it is between very unlikely and impossible for the Forrestal wet start to have been accidental. Wet starts were later rendered impossible by automated engine controls.
Wayne Madsen reports on military and political affairs in Washington at his website, WayneMadsenReport.com
Cheebs said:I still am in shock. I didn't know him doing that killed 168 american navy officers. 168!!! My god. Thats a fucking lot of people.
RubxQub said:No no, 20 something dead and 100 injured.
John McCain is responsible for killing 20 members of the US Navy and injuring 100 more because he was fooling around.
HOLY...FUCK
This is easily the most damning thing I've ever heard of. How the fuck did I not hear about this before?!
No no, 20 something dead and 100 injured.Cheebs said:Well I guess him catching his plane on fire killed a lot more than a dozen. That site says the explosion he caused killed 168.
I know it was a accident but jesus...if I accidentally killed 168 navy officers I dunno how I'd be able to sleep at night.
Xisiqomelir said:WHAT THE FUCK
I knew about 5x crash but I never knew about this!
If the parties were reversed you can bet you would have heard about it by now as the Republicans would have spent millions building TV ads around it, the same way they destroyed Kerry (whose war record is 1000% more admirable than McCain's)RubxQub said:This is easily the most damning thing I've ever heard of. How the fuck did I not hear about this before?!
[url=http://www.latimes.com/business/investing/la-na-campaign26-2008sep26 said:There were indications today that McCain intends to attend the debate after all, despite his request Wednesday for its postponement. Campaign aides told reporters traveling with the candidate to be prepared to fly to Mississippi after this afternoon's meeting about the bailout plan with President Bush at the White House.
You didn't know that? He crashed 5 navy planes over the course of his career. The one he ended up exploding due to him messing around which is the one mentioned above, the one he was shot down in (which shouldn't count, that wasn't his fault) and then 3 more he destroyed randomly.Dax01 said:
Edit outrage removed!Cheebs said:I heard about it, but it rarely gets mentioned.
If McCain was a democrat hannity would mention it daily.
What is damning about it is it isn't like he did it in the call of duty. He killed them because he was just messing around for the hell of it and wasn't paying attention.RubxQub said:This guy is talking about his service in the military...and this fucker KILLED AMERICAN TROOPS. He is personally responsible for the deaths of more than 2 dozen Americans, injuring A HUNDRED MORE.
I'll be collecting my $10 now. Unless you wanna wait for tomorrow when he lauds his own "efforts" on the economic situation so that you can pay me my $20.Soybean said:Looks like McCain will show up at the debate after all.
NEW YORK - John McCain expressed confidence Thursday that Congress and the Bush administration can reach consensus before markets open Monday on a $700 billion bailout plan to rescue financial institutions from crippling debt.
His Democratic rival, Barack Obama, also called for prompt bipartisan action.
McCain, the Republican presidential candidate, told the Clinton Global Initiative in New York that it's often difficult to act quickly and wisely. But he said that is what's required now to come up with a plan that can achieve bipartisan support in the House and Senate.
"Time is short and doing nothing is not an option," McCain said. He headed to Washington after his speech.
Incognito said:Survey USA Pennsylvania:
Obama 50%
McCain 44%
RubxQub said:How have I not heard about this at all, though?!
This guy is talking about his service in the military...and this fucker KILLED AMERICAN TROOPS. He is personally responsible for the deaths of more than 2 dozen Americans, injuring A HUNDRED MORE.
I cannot fucking stand this guy now.
Fucking eat dirt, McCain, you piece of shit. How the fuck can you take pride in your "service" to America with this on your record?!
1967 USS Forrestal fire
Rupertus (DD-851) maneuvers to within 20 feet (6.1 m) of Forrestal so fire hoses could be effectively used on the worst US carrier fire since WWII.
Date: 29 July 1967
Time: About 10:50 a.m. local time
Location: Gulf of Tonkin
Casualties
134 dead[1] 161 injured[1]
cost to USN $72 million[1]
On 29 July 1967, a devastating fire and series of chain-reaction explosions caused great loss of life on the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal (CV-59) after an unusual electrical anomaly discharged a Zuni rocket on the flight deck. One hundred thirty-four sailors were killed, and 161 were injured. Forrestal was engaged in combat operations in the Gulf of Tonkin during the Vietnam War at the time, and the damage totaled $72 million (not including damage to aircraft).[2][1]
Contents [hide]
1 Background
2 Fire
3 Aftermath
4 Investigation
5 Further reading
6 See also
7 References
8 External links
[edit] Background
Forrestal had departed Norfolk earlier that month. For four days in the gulf, aircraft of Attack Carrier Air Wing 17 flew about 150 missions against targets in North Vietnam. Because of a shortage of 1,000 lb (450 kg) bombs, old Composition B bombs had been loaded from the ammunition ship USS Diamond Head, instead of newer Composition H6, capable of withstanding high heat or exploding with low order.
[edit] Fire
Crew members fighting fires on board Forrestal.About 10:50 (local time) on the 29th, while preparations for the second strike of the day were being made near 19°9′5″N, 107°23′5″E,[3] an unguided 5-inch Mk-32 "Zuni" rocket, one of four contained in a LAU-10 underwing rocket pod mounted on a F-4 Phantom II, was accidentally fired due to an electrical power surge during the switch from external power to internal power.
A drawing of the stern of Forrestal showing the spotting of aircraft at the time. Likely source of the Zuni was F-4 No. 110. White's and McCain's aircraft are in the right hand circle.The rocket flew across the flight deck, striking a wing-mounted external fuel tank on a A-4 Skyhawk awaiting launch[3], either aircraft No. 405, piloted by LCDR Fred D. White[1], or No. 416, piloted by future U.S. Senator and Presidential candidate, LCDR John McCain.[4] The warhead's safety mechanism prevented it from detonating, but the impact tore the tank off the wing and ignited the resulting spray of escaping JP-5 fuel, causing an instantaneous conflagration. Other external fuel tanks overheated and ruptured, releasing more jet fuel to feed the flames which spread along the flight deck, leaving pilots in their aircraft with the options of being incinerated in their cockpits or running through the flames to escape. LCDR Fred D. White, waiting to launch in Aircraft No. 405, leaped out of his burning Skyhawk but was killed instantly (along with many firefighters) by the cooking off of the first bomb. LCDR Herbert A. Hope of VA-46 (and operations officer of CVW-17) jumped out of the cockpit of his Skyhawk between explosions, rolled off the flight deck and into the starboard man-overboard net. Making his way down below to the hangar deck, he took command of a firefighting team. "The port quarter of the flight deck where I was", he recalled, "is no longer there."[3] With his aircraft surrounded by flames, McCain escaped by climbing out of the cockpit, walking down the nose and jumping off the refueling probe.
The impact of the Zuni on the first aircraft to be hit dislodged two of the 1,000 lb (450 kg) bombs, which lay in the burning fuel. The fire teams chief, Gerald Farrier (without benefit of protective clothing) immediately smothered the bombs with a PKP fire extinguisher in an effort to knock down the fuel fire long enough to allow the pilots to escape. According to their training, the fire team normally had almost three minutes to reduce the temperature of the bombs to a safe level, but the chief did not realize the bombs were already critically close to cooking-off until one split open. The chief, knowing a lethal explosion was imminent, shouted for the fire team to withdraw but the bomb exploded seconds later.[citation needed]
One minute and 34 seconds after the impact and initial fire, and with the on-deck firefighting teams still battling the blaze, a 1,000 lb (450 kg). "Comp. B" bomb exploded beneath McCain's plane. The force destroyed the aircraft (along with its remaining fuel and armament), blew a smoking crater in the armored flight deck, and sprayed the deck and crew with shrapnel and burning jet fuel. It killed the entire on-deck firefighting contingent, with the exception of three men who survived with critical injuries. The two bomb-laden A-4s in line ahead of McCain's were riddled with shrapnel and engulfed in the flaming jet fuel still spreading over the deck, causing more bombs to detonate and more fuel to spill.
Exhausted crewmembers in front of what remains of a row of F-4B Phantoms that were parked along the starboard stern quarter.Nine bomb explosions occurred on the flight deck, eight caused by the "Comp. B" bombs and the ninth occurred as a sympathetic detonation between an old bomb and a newer H6 bomb. The explosions tore large holes in the armored flight deck, causing flaming jet fuel to drain into the interior of the ship, including the living quarters directly underneath the flight deck, and the below-decks aircraft hangar.
Sailors and Marines controlled the flight deck fires by 12:15, and continued to clear smoke and to cool hot steel on the 02 and 03 levels until all fires were under control by 13:42. They finally declared the fire defeated at 04:00 the next morning, due to additional flare-ups.[3]
Throughout the day the ships medical staff worked in dangerous conditions to assist their comrades. HM2 Paul Streetman, one of 38 corpsmen assigned to the carrier, spent over 11 hours on the mangled flight deck tending to his shipmates. The large number of casualties quickly overwhelmed the ships Sick Bay staff, and Forrestal was escorted by USS Henry W. Tucker (DD-875) to rendezvous with hospital ship USS Repose (AH-16) at 20:54, allowing the crew to begin transferring the dead and wounded at 22:53.[3]
[edit] Aftermath
Forrestal about one month after the fire.The fire left 134 Forrestal crewmen dead[5] and 161 more injured.[1] Many planes and armament were jettisoned to prevent them from catching fire or exploding. Twenty-one aircraft also sustained enough damage from fire, explosions and salt water to be stricken from naval inventory, including seven F-4 Phantom IIs (BuNos 153046, 153054, 153060, 153061, 153066, 153069 and 153912); eleven A-4E Skyhawks (149996, 150064, 150068, 150084, 150115, 150118, 150129, 152018, 152024, 152036 and 152040); and three RA-5 Vigilantes (148932, 149282 and 149305). The fire also revealed that Forrestal required a heavy duty, armored forklift for use in the emergency jettisoning of aircraft (particularly heavier types such as the RA-5B Vigilante),[3] since the sailors of Forrestal had been forced to manually jettison numerous aircraft through human force,[citation needed] which was both inefficient and dangerous to the exposed crew.
From 31 July to 11 August 1967, Forrestal was moored at Leyte Pier at Naval Air Station Cubi Point in the Philippines for temporary repairs. On September 12-13 , Forrestal arrived at Mayport and unloaded aircraft and the crews of squadrons based in Florida. On September 14, the ship returned to Norfolk and was welcomed home by over 3,000 family members and friends gathered on Pier 12 and on board Randolph, Forrestals host ship.[3]
From 19 September 1967 to 8 April 1968, Forrestal underwent repairs in Norfolk Naval Shipyard. The carrier occupied drydock number 8 from 21 September 1967 to 10 February 1968. The ship floated from drydock and shifted to Berths 42 and 43 in front of the drydock to complete repairs.[3] During the post-fire refit, the ship's four aft 5"/54 caliber Mark 42 guns were removed. The forward four guns were removed prior to 1962.
From April 8 - 15 1968 CAPT Robert B. Baldwin sailed the carrier down the Elizabeth River and out into the waters off the Virginia capes for her post repair trials, the ships first time at sea in 207 days. While accomplishing trials the ship also recorded her first arrested landing since the fire when CDR Robert E. Ferguson, Commander, CVW-17, landed on board.[3]
Flags and photos displayed at a 40th anniversary memorial ceremony in Norfolk, VA.Even today the Navy commonly refers to the fire aboard the Forrestal, and the lessons learned, when teaching damage control and ammunition safety. The Navy circulated the lessons which the men of Forrestal re-learned at such cost throughout the Fleet, and the flight deck film of the flight operations, subsequently entitled Learn Or Burn, became mandatory viewing for fire fighting trainees for years.[3] All new Navy recruits are required to view a training video titled "Trial by Fire: A Carrier Burns", produced from footage of the fire and damage control efforts, both successful and unsuccessful. On the one hand there were damage control teams spraying foam on the deck to contain the flames, which was the correct procedure, while on the other hand crewmen on the other side of the deck sprayed seawater, washing away the foam and worsening the situation by washing burning fuel through the hole in the flight deck into the decks below; burning fuel is not easily extinguished and can in fact be spread by water. Due to the first bomb blast killing nearly all of the specially trained firefighters on the ship, the remaining crew, who had no formal firefighting training, had to improvise.[6]
Nowadays, it is said that every Navy Sailor is a firefighter first. A large portion of basic training is dedicated to firefighting and prevention tactics. Though there were many firefighting tools available on the Forrestal, including emergency respirators, the general crew were not trained in their use and failed use them correctly.[citation needed]
In response, a "wash down" system was incorporated into all carriers, which floods the flight deck with foam or water. Many other fire safety improvements stemmed from this incident.
The Farrier Fire Fighting School Learning Site in Norfolk is named for Aviation Boatswain's Mate Chief Gerald W. Farrier, the sailor who died in the initial explosion in an attempt to extinguish the fire with a single PKP extinguisher.
Eighteen crew members were buried at Arlington National Cemetery.[7] Names of the dead are also listed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
The Forrestal was unkindly nicknamed the "Forest Fire" for the remainder of her career.[citation needed]
RubxQub said:How have I not heard about this at all, though?!
This guy is talking about his service in the military...and this fucker KILLED AMERICAN TROOPS. He is personally responsible for the deaths of more than 2 dozen Americans, injuring A HUNDRED MORE.
I cannot fucking stand this guy now.
Fucking eat dirt, McCain, you piece of shit. How the fuck can you take pride in your "service" to America with this on your record?!
BenjaminBirdie said:I don't think anyone believed McCain did this because he's afraid of debating Obama.
It's not merely "messing around". He was deliberately reckless on two counts, the first with the payload of his plane (knowingly overburdened, twice as much as it was rated to hold) and the second with the wet-start.Cheebs said:What is damning about it is it isn't like he did it in the call of duty. He killed them because he was just messing around for the hell of it and wasn't paying attention.
It'd be like someone running over and killing 20 people in a car because he was too busy playing with his radio.
RubxQub said:WHAT THE FUCK!!!!!!
:lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol
John McCain is such a total fuck-up.....holy fuck is that bad.
artredis1980 said:Pennsylvania 1,094 LV, 3%
Obama 50, McCain 44
artredis1980 said:New Polls!!!!!
NY and PENN!
SurveyUSA: NY, PA (9/23-24)
By Eric Dienstfrey
SurveyUSA
9/23-24/08
Mode: IVR
New York State 668 LV, 3.8%
Obama 57, McCain 38
Pennsylvania 1,094 LV, 3%
Obama 50, McCain 44
New National Poll
US: Obama 47, McCain 44 (DemCorps-9/22-24)
By Eric Dienstfrey
Democracy Corps (D) /
Greenberg Quinlan Rosner (D)
9/22-24/08; US - 1,007 LV 3%, Battleground - 1,128 LV 3%
Mode: Live Telephone Interviews
Cheebs said:I still am in shock. I didn't know him doing that killed 168 american navy officers. 168!!! My god. Thats a fucking lot of people.
well obviously you're not a maverickCheebs said:Well I guess him catching his plane on fire killed a lot more than a dozen. That site says the explosion he caused killed 168.
I know it was a accident but jesus...if I accidentally killed 168 navy officers I dunno how I'd be able to sleep at night.
CNN covered it a week or so ago. To their credit they did say McCain resulted in the death of over 20 due to his lack of paying attention/messing around/etc. And they showed footage of McCain in his plane starting to set things on fire and explosions going off all over the place.Xisiqomelir said:I am still FUCKING AMAZED. I know we rip the fuck out of the media here in these threads, but obviously we haven't done it nearly enough. How the hell does no one ask about this ever?!
No, I didn't know. Never seen it in here, or at least, from what I can catch in this thread.Cheebs said:You didn't know that? He crashed 5 navy planes over the course of his career. The one he ended up exploding due to him messing around which is the one mentioned above, the one he was shot down in (which shouldn't count, that wasn't his fault) and then 3 more he destroyed randomly.
Y2Kev said:I really don't think John McCain's past history of ACCIDENTS should be dragged into this unless he campaigns on the idea that he NEVER MADE ANY ACCIDENTS EVER.
It got brought up because McCain today stated he wants to run the economy like he runs a navy deck ("all hands on deck"...etc). Which spurred me to bring up this story because he once ran a navy deck and when he did he blew it up.Y2Kev said:I really don't think John McCain's past history of ACCIDENTS should be dragged into this unless he campaigns on the idea that he NEVER MADE ANY ACCIDENTS EVER.
Yeah this was on CNN's "Inside McCain" special, McCain commented on it. You people need to pay attention!Xisiqomelir said:
Barack Obama is committed to hosting a public, televised event Friday night in Mississippi even if John McCain does not show up, a source close to the Obama campaign tells the Huffington Post.
The Senator, the source says, is willing to make the scheduled debate a townhall meeting, a one-on-one interview with NewsHour's Jim Lehrer, or the combination of the two in McCain's absence.
Such a course of action could make life incredibly difficult for McCain, who has called for the suspension of the debate in light of the current economic crisis. Should he stay in Washington D.C. -- if a bailout if not completed by then -- and let Obama alone reach tens-of-millions of television viewers?
A lot, of course, depends upon what the debate commission decides to do. At this point in time, there is no indication that they are going to postpone the affair, as the McCan campaign has asked.
While it is true that the media did not do a good job of covering McCain career as a naval aviator, I would take this article with a grain of salt.RubxQub said:WHAT THE FUCK!!!!!!
:lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol
John McCain is such a total fuck-up.....holy fuck is that bad.
Yeah I am equally shocked this is news, I've known about it since well I don't know how long but long enough where when I saw the CNN special it wasn't news to me.Gary Whitta said:Yeah this was on CNN's "Inside McCain" special, McCain commented on it. You people need to pay attention!
But if the article is true, it wasn't merely an accident, it was reckless endangerment. And the more you piece together the man's history, the more you realize he hasn't learned a damn thing from those days.Y2Kev said:I really don't think John McCain's past history of ACCIDENTS should be dragged into this unless he campaigns on the idea that he NEVER MADE ANY ACCIDENTS EVER.
It wasn't an accident, it was the result of gross negligence and lack of responsibility. And if he's going to serve up a softball about being a navy pilot and "all hands on deck" during a crisis, he should expect to have this thrown in his face, especially after the disgraceful GOP treatment of Kerry four years ago.Y2Kev said:I really don't think John McCain's past history of ACCIDENTS should be dragged into this unless he campaigns on the idea that he NEVER MADE ANY ACCIDENTS EVER.
It's 34 for the Liberty and 134 for the Forrestal...Chichikov said:While it is true that the media did not do a good job of covering McCain career as a naval aviator, I would take this article with a grain of salt.
Lumping the USS Liberty incident with this (thats where the 168 killed number is coming from) seems like a giant stretch.
Exactly. He asked for it when today he claimed he can manage the economic crisis cause of his experience with navy decks. It's fair to bring up well, his experience on navy decks.Gary Whitta said:It wasn't an accident, it was the result of gross negligence and lack of responsibility. And if he's going to serve up a softball about being a navy pilot and "all hands on deck" during a crisis, he should expect to have this thrown in his face, especially after the disgraceful GOP treatment of Kerry four years ago.
If his father was not a admiral he most obviously would have been discharged, no question.Big-E said:Wow at the McCain thing if true. The guy should have been courtmarshaled and dishonorably discharged. That's what having admirals or whatever as a father gets you.