USS FORRESTAL

 

Why is the USS Forrestal being recycled?

The USS Forrestal was decommissioned on Sept. 11, 1993. The Navy later announced that the aircraft carrier would be available for donation to an eligible organization for use as a museum or memorial. However, no viable applications were received, and the maintenance of the USS Forrestal simply became too expensive, costing the government millions of dollars a year. As a result, the USS Forrestal was assigned for disposal in 2003.

 

How did All Star Metals, LLC (ASM) and the Navy decide on a price of $0.01 for the USS Forrestal?

The price paid by the Navy reflects ASM's best estimate of proceeds from the sale of the scrap metal generated from the aircraft carrier. Payments for scrap services paid by the Navy, and other clients, is highly dependent on the often volatile commodities market in scrap iron.  There are also significant costs that ASM must incur to recycle the aircraft carrier.

 

What is the timeline of the recycling process?

In January 2014, ASM will tow the USS Forrestal from its current berth at the Navy’s inactive ship facility in Philadelphia, PA, to its facility in Brownsville, TX. The recycling process will begin once the vessel arrives, and is expected to take 24 months from the October 22, 2013 contract start date to complete.

 

Can I visit the USS Forrestal?

The contract awarded by the Navy requires ASM to have a facility and personnel security clearance. For this reason, ASM is unable to have visitors on or near the vessel during the dismantling process.

 

We are exploring opportunities for individuals to visit the USS Forrestal when it arrives in Brownsville, Texas, and will provide an update when we have more information.  

 

Are you planning on providing any memorabilia of the USS Forrestal?

We recognize the significance of the USS Forrestal to our Veterans who served on the vessel, their families and all Americans. ASM is currently working on a process whereby you can acquire a piece of history. We will provide more information on this website at a later date.