Fire on the Hangar Deck: Ordeal of the Oriskany [Hardcover]

Wynn F. Foster (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2002

Ever since man first ventured to sea, fire has been his worst enemy. No less so on the modern aircraft carrier where high explosives, volatile fuels, and flaming engines are often mixed with sailors working long hours under arduous conditions. In 1966, this hazardous situation led to a catastrophe costing the lives of 44 men, injuring hundreds more, and doing millions of dollars of damage. USS Oriskany, a twenty-one-year-old Essex-class carrier, was conducting combat flight operations in the Gulf of Tonkin when a night illumination flare ignited on her hangar deck and instantly transformed her into a flaming holocaust. Wynn Foster, an attack pilot who flew missions from Oriskany until just before the tragedy, has recreated the tragic story of this terrible fire. He draws on firsthand knowledge of the ship, extensive research, and in-depth interviews with survivors.

The result is a gripping account that vividly describes efforts to combat a situation that was out of control from the beginning. It is a story of disappointing errors, impressive professionalism, dark tragedy, breathtaking heroism, and lessons to be learned. In the ongoing tradition of the Naval Institute's open forum, Foster explores the preventable causes of the fire and assesses the Navy's handling of the aftermath. He reinforces current concerns about high-tempo operations conducted with dwindling resources and warns of the consequences of the mismatch that occurs when warfare is coupled with a peacetime economy. His book offers an eye-opening view of the challenges faced by military units whose daily routine is filled with lurking danger and an exciting, inspiring tale of man meeting disaster head-on.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...a superior account." -- Sea Power, Norman Polmar, January 2003

"This is an excellent book, and well worth a read." -- The Hook, Spring 2002

About the Author

Wynn F. Foster, a retired Navy pilot who flew more than 200 combat missions over Korea and Vietnam, lost an arm in combat over North Vietnam. His book Captain Hook, describes that fateful mission and his successful struggle to remain on active duty in the aftermath.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 200 pages
• Publisher: US Naval Institute Press (January 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1557502900
• ISBN-13: 978-1557502902
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,208,041 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A graphic picture of those in peril on the sea..., March 14, 2002

By 

T. E. Vaughn (Chattanooga, Tennessee USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fire on the Hangar Deck: Ordeal of the Oriskany (Hardcover)

The hangar deck fire that cost the lives of 44 men on the USS ORISKANY is little known to most. It was the first of three fires aboard carriers operating in the Tonkin Gulf during the VietNam war and in comparison to the other two, the loss of life was small. The other two fires, on board the FORRESTAL and the ENTERPRISE, began on the flight decks and so were captured on film by the PLAT cameras. The ORISKANY's trial by fire began in a stowage space, below decks, just after dawn. The casualties were 36 officers, almost all aviators, and 8 enlisted men. The aviators died in their rooms, asphyxiated by smoke and then, in some instances, burned.

CAPT Foster served aboard the ORISKANY with VA-163, an attack squadron, and had left the ship shortly before the fire after being wounded, so he writes feelingly of men and a ship he knew.
This is far from just a documentation of a tragic event, made doubly so by the fact that it stemmed from an accident. Losses are expected in combat, but not from misadventure and the shock was intense for the air wing and ship's company. Like all naval vessels, there were countless drills for fire at sea, but when the real thing happened, it was first broadcast over the 1MC as a "drill." Five sailors may have died because they made no attempt to leave a threatened space, thinking it was just a practice; they were found asphyxiated.

The culprit in this incident was a Mark 24 Mod 3 aerial flare that was mishandled by two young, and as it turned out, poorly trained sailors. It was accidentally ignited and in a panic move, thrown into a locker containing even more flares. As the flares burn at 4,500 degrees, there was no easy way to extinguish them and the fire raged.

The book contains details of the ship and portraits of the men, both victims and survivors. One particularly poignant story is that of an aviator who lost contact with his roommate in the smoke filled passageways, blamed himself for his buddy's death, and then was himself killed in action a year later. The story of Dick Bellinger, skipper of VF-162, and his escape through a 14" porthole is legendary and is retold here.

The investigation that followed the fire is also recounted and there is much about the Navy's bedrock value of command responsibility. There have been other books with accounts of this fire included but this is the first full treatment of it and is long overdue. CAPT Foster has done an excellent job of reminding everyone that not all the dangers in carrier aviation are in the sky. Bravo Zulu, Captain Hook!

4.0 out of 5 stars October 1966, July 21, 2011

By 

Abear - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Fire on the Hangar Deck: Ordeal of the Oriskany (Hardcover)

Fire on the hanger deck describes in detail the events that lead to the fire onboard the Oriskany that October day. Fire is the worst thing that can happen at sea. It sites several of the heroics that were the norm for what happened. Captain Hook as he is now called; A4 Skyhawk was hit over Vietnam and he lost his right arm from the incident. He flew back to the Tonkin Gulf and ejected to be picked up by one of the carrier escorts. At the time we wondered if he would return to the carrier or be mustered out. A fine officer and commander of Attack Squadron VA-163 Saints.

4.0 out of 5 stars Rush to publish?, July 9, 2010

By 

geezerguy - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Fire on the Hangar Deck: Ordeal of the Oriskany (Hardcover)

I also served on the Oriskany during the fire. Mr. Foster, the author, contacted me in the 80's asking me (and apparently many others) to write down my personal recollection of the events so that he could document the tragedy in a book. That was the last I heard from him. About 6-7 years ago I met another Oriskany sailor who told me that the book was in print.

Overall Foster did a great job, and I am sure his research work was arduous, however, as a contributor I would have appreciated a "heads up" that it was being published, as well as a chance to defend my version of some of the events which were apparently ignored. Overall, it is very good history, and I am grateful to have been able to contribute as well as read the whole story.