USS CONSTELLATION DEPARTURE FROM BREMERTON
August 6, 2014
The Corbin Foss and the USS Constellation will now be departing from Bremerton on August 8, 2014 around 1:00pm for the first leg of the journey to Long Beach, California for fuel stop and U.S. Customs clearance from United States (last U.S. port).
Please check back for updates as we will post arrival times and locations as we receive it.
please give us up dates on constellation. nice job on cva 59. have corbin foss skipper try to out do them. I am a plank owner of connie would love to see her one more time. please give us eta Brownsville asap. Bob.
Thank you for your comments. We will update her ETA once she departs from Bremerton.
Take good care of our gal. Over the years, her and her crew have served our country with pride and professionalism. Proud to be a Connie Sailor!
Was onboard her as my first ship. Please keep us posted to when she will be in Long Beach.
Thanks,
Thomas
As soon as she departs and has an ETA we will update the blog.
Will they be pulling Connie in to long Beach or will it be just the tug? I wish it was her home of San Diego you were stopping. San Diego would be grateful if you came close enough to see her underway if they can’t stop.
She will be arriving to Long Beach Anchorage area for fueling the tug.
ETA to Long Beach? Will you actually tow CV64 into Long Beach harbor or will it remain at anchor?
Thanks!!
Will be going to Long Beach anchorage area.
I’ll be on Pt. Fermin with a large telephoto lens. More info on the anchorage (distance out) will be appreciated when you get it.
I’m also interested in when the Connie will pull out. I have lots of friends on Whidbey who would love to take some final pics.
Would love to see her in Long Beach. I’m in SoCal. Even if it’s only from afar. Would love to show my kids the old girl.
As you all can probably notice, there is gonna be a lot of old sailors interested in Our USS Constellation and her final voyage. Appreciate this site and when you all can give a ETA on arrival to Brownsville. Thank you ahead of time and know she kept a lot of sailors in her care over the years and even though its her last voyage she was one hell of a ship. Proud to have served on her!
Will be following along up until she reaches the Texas coast. Then, Dad and I (it was his favorite ship) will jump in the car and head to Brownsville, hopefully getting one last view of her and one last goodbye for Dad. May she have fair winds and following seas.
Was Aboard From Jan. 1967-Aug. 1970………….I Made 4- Wes-Pac Cruises With Her, Went In An 18 yr. Old Kid…….FA. Left A 22-Yr. Old Sailor !..EN-2……..Proud To Have Served Aboard Her !
Evertt Eudy…you were there when my Dad was! He was part of the VAH-10 squadron.
Talked with aircraft coming off the Connie in 1966 as Joyride, 1st MAW Tactical Air Control Center, Da Nang. Now my Son has the honor to be aboard the Corbin Foss on the first leg of her final journey. It is a small world, his efforts will due her proud I’m sure.
Will there be any way to track progress via GPS data or any other method? Would love to share with family and friends.
You are indeed honored twice on this historic event! What a proud moment for you!
We will be posting the daily position of the vessels as they make their journey on this blog site.
Do U have a time to come into Port Brownsville tomorrow?
maybe I will see it at brownsville
Seeing different times of departure from Bremerton. Can you update? Live on Rich Passage and want to be here when she comes thru!
They should be departing Bremerton right about now (14:01) as soon as we have confirmation, will update the blog.
Just parked to watch the “progress” a few minutes ago… Still hasn’t left yet. We heard departure time from Bremerton is now closer to 5pm.
Update from our operations people on site advise that lines were let go at 14:15.
Where is she? Waited at Kingston til 830 pm no sign of thr tow!
Passing South Beach, Bainbridge Island, 7:48 pm. Impressive, even in its old age.
Would have been a good idea to fly the ensign or the flag while she is underway. She is still a navy ship until she is scrapped.
Please do keep us posted as to when the Connie is expected to arrive in the port of Long Beach, it would be such an honor to have one last look at the old girl before she is no more. I Served aboard the Connie from 90-93 as as ABE3 working on the flight deck (mostly in dry dock PA). Man, do I miss that period of my life, meet some great people and had some incredible times. Sure I’m going to miss the old gal, Connie will forever be my girl.
Thank you Tony! We will post updates as soon as we have them.
Will miss you Connie. Served as a corpsman from 1974 to 1976. Am proud to have been a sailor aboard her.
Would it be possible while anchored to take a boat out to take pictures.
We will need to check on this with our agents and local port authorities, but I don’t know immediately if there would be any regulations which would prohibit this.
http://www.marine traffic,com shows a consistent track of the Corbin Foss. The last position update was at 1514UTC on August 11. She is west of Tillamook, Oregon USA at 5.8 Knots, Course 173 degrees.
Will be watching for updates. Best friend, Rob Smith proudly served abroad “Connie” until injured on duty…
Several questions. Why is the stacks angled the way they are? How big the crew? Length of tow line? Size of tow line? Thanks!
The stacks are angled the way they are to prevent intrusion of exhaust gases into the accommodations.
The main tow wire is 3,501 feet long and is 2 1/2 inches in diameter.
The vessel is manned with 8 crew members.
I watched the USS Missouri go by (magnificent at 5:00AM) some years ago but I missed seeing this show. Dang!
/
John
Port Angeles, WA
I was on the connie from 64 to 67 as a etr 3rd class oe div. sorry to see her go. she relieved the forrestal after the fire.
She just passed Sunset Beach CA last night. We saw her immediately south of Seal Beach Naval Base around 6 pm August 18.
Served on the Connie 1979 – 1983. She lives in my mind everyday. The Officers I served and the crew that worked with me on the Flight Deck are some of the finest people I have ever meet. I will be heading to Brownsville when she gets to Texas.
Served my first Navy tour on CONNIE June 76 – Oct 80. Retired on CARL VINSON 23 yrs later. I plan to visit CONNIE in Brownsville shortly after she arrives. Keep the updates coming and ETA Brownsville. Thank you.
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Is there anyone riding on the carrier during this operation?
There is no one riding the USS CONSTELLATION on this voyage.
Marie clearing, saw they got headed back south, question,
how are they going to bunker in Balboa? assume no anchoring capabilities with the tow. It was a long enough trip already without losing time to the wx. Wish em luck on down.
They will anchor on the gear and the escort tug who will be joining us at Balboa will be standing by while the Corbin takes on fuel.
I was only on her for a couple of years, but she was my home as well. GODS SPEED CONNIE….she deserved a better end than being scrapped!
I am sad to her go. I was aboard with VAW-113 squadron E-2A birds. From 1968, 69 & 70. I was also a dj for a radio show. Ernie ‘ s country hour on board if any one cares to remember. Captain Christensen was skipper back then. I had a wonderful time and loved every minute of my 4 year enlistment. I hate to see her end this way. Too bad someone can’t save her as a museum.
If anyone has photos from that time please post. I would love to remember more.
Thanks
I was on the1969-70 and 1971-72 Westpac in E Division Power Shop and also did a C&W evening DJ show on KCON the Connie Radio Station. This was on the 1971-72 cruise and I worked with IC-1 in charge Art Spenser. I reenlisted on the cruise in early 1972 and got orders to Subic Bay at Service Craft Tugs. I enjoyed my Subic Bay tour from August 1972-May 1974.
Please be carefully with her………
Commissioned the Connie in NY Naval Shipyard Oct 62 served 2 years aboard w/ Marine Detachment as Orderly for Capts Walker and Vejtasa……made first around The Horn, Shellback and WESTPAC cruises. I will never forget her and the great Sailormen and Marines I served with.
DF Hennessy
CPL USMC
LTC US ARMY RET
Served on Kitty Hawk from 1/10/68 to 6/71. We shared quiet a few line periods with the Connie. Like looking at your reflection when we were close enough, when I came up to get sun.
History that hulls were switched after fire 12/19/60. If so, part of Kitty Hawk is going to Texas. Because the K/H Vets Ass. will try in a few years buy the Hawk, I found out that the plaque that was hanging in hangar deck honoring workers killed & injured in the fire, has been removed & is in the museum in NY. I salute all who served aboard my sister ship especially the ones served below the water line, BT3 Lyda
Where is she now ? And is she dodging all those tropical / hurricanes.
She is 224 miles from Balboa, Panama with an ETA of 9/16 07:00
Chief Engineer under Capt Jack Christensen on 69 and 70 Vietnam deployments. I worry about our girl with no power and no one aboard. Take good care of her, Corbin Foss. Very depressing for one who was charged with not losing the electrical load and producing water for Y’ALL.
When is she supposed to be in Brownsville? we are in Missouri and my dad served on her and I would like to take him down to see it as a surprise. Are they going to allow former ship personnel see it maybe get a memento to remember?
They still have over 11,000 miles to go, but best guess would be first or second week of December by just running the numbers. We cannot answer the question as to whether the customer will allow former ship personnel on board the ship on arrival to Brownsville.
Thank you for answering my question. Now i know i have the time to plan the trip.
ON CONNIE IN69/70 W/VA165 ASSIGNED TO AIMD SHIPS COMPANY AMID 74THRU76 PERSION GULF ,YARD PERIOD AND RETURN TO SAN DIEGO CA. HOW COME THE MARINE TRAFFIC.COM SHOWS THE CORBIN FOSS IN NEW YORK? AND NOT IN PANAMA?
I do not know how Marine Traffic.com works, but they are definitely underway to Valparaiso, Chili.
THANK YOU MARY! THERE IS IS MORE THAN ONE CONNIE BLOG I THINK I’LL FOLLOW THIS ONE!
OR MAYBE THIS ONE? CORBIN FOSS/RACHEL/USS CONSTELLATION- (THE CORRECT DATE YOU WANT TO SEE?
I was on the Connie 1966-70………….will try to drive to Brownsville to see her one more time. Please let us know when you have a date.
I was at the keel laying in October 1957, and the commissioning in October 1961 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. I saw the ship being built and also remember the fire that killed 50 men on Dec. 19, 1960. My favorite ship of all time. I never served on the ship but will miss her greatly.
I was on Constellation for The Westpac 68-69 cruise.
I was in RVAH-5 as an AT. I was attached to AIMD during the cruise. This was my first of 2 Westpac cruises. My next cruise was on Ranger Westpac 69-70.
The Connie was by far the better of the 2 carriers in my opinion (it was newer). Except for the warped screw. We had to stop the carrier off the Philippine Islands to install a lathe (as I remember) in order to prepare the shaft for a new bearing. We actually drug the screw in freewheel in order for the lathe to do its job. After some time, we stopped again in order to reconnect everything and install the new bearing.
I’m sure this helped. However, whenever we were making speed to create the winds necessary for flight operations, you still had a vibration if you were in the aft end of the ship.
As I remember, it was most noticeable when dining in the Aft mess deck. Your tray would vibrate around somewhat.
As I remember, we were enroute to Yokusuka, Japan(on our way back stateside) in January ’69 when Enterprise had the fire off Hawaii. At first we thought we may be extended and sent back to Vietnam. Thankfully, we were not extended and arrived back in San Diego at the end of January (30th or 31st).
I have a lot of good memories of my time aboard Connie. I could go on and on.
She had several problems with the screws and shafts, after the yard period in 75/76 she stopped in long beach to have new shafts and screws installed again. Did they remove the screws for towing? Seems to me that should reduce drag and save the tug much fuel.
My source reports that the screws have been removed.
I reported aboard in74 ships company AIMD as such did zone inspections. She had missed a yard period. The forward pump room was unmanned, the deck plates were lifting as several 400 hp pumps were keeping the water level down. Later in dry dock Bremerton I found holes in outer hull I could stand up in. A IC chief took me down in the dry dock as the primsall? tubes had to be marked for the yard birds. The tubes were used to determine the ships draft. At the end of the yard period we did again as they were plugged. There were fish in the drydock both times and the yardbirds had a field day and no I did not get any.
John: Big holes in the hull!? Wonder how she got those? Rich
Just ran across this “Blog”. Knew “Connie” was up in Bremerton waiting for her final destiny……really kind of sad! I served aboard the Constellation from Dec. ’66 – Sept. ’68 in Division S-7 (Data Processing) and wouldn’t trade that experience for anything!……anyone out there I served with? Watched many a flight operations, never got tired of that….probably the reason I am “hard of hearing”….so says my wife. My departure from “Connie” was VIA the “Mail Cod” from sea to Clark Air Force Base. Great experiences that will never be forgotton….including serving with my older Brother who was with VA 97 (Pilot, A7) my second West-Pac tour in ’68! Difficult to believe this GREAT Ship is now “history”!
The above comments about the fire and parts of Kitty Hawk bring to mind a lecture givin to brown shoes by black shoes on conducting zone inspections.2 years after comishioning a zone inspector noted a discrepancy in plans /frame numbers, holes were drilled in bulkheads and light was observed, a complete machine shop was discovered, lights on but no way to access.
Thank you for your information. This is pretty interesting!
You may have already answered this, but why has the hull number “64” been blacked out on the island?
Possibly because the ship has been decommissioned is the only reason we can think of.
I was on board Connie 72 through 75 air department v1 division yellow shirt n fly 3 made 2 westpac cruises was in drydock in Bremerton when I got my discharge, thanks for all of the memories Connie you were the best! Stairway to the Star’s indeed!!
Hi, I am one of the marine pilot onboard Corbin Foss, the tug towinng the Constellations, we board in Valpaiso-Chile and navigate more than 1500 nautical miles, our job was advise the captain durin the transit through the Magellan Strait (the passage that join the Pacific and Atlantic oceans). The voyage was a great experience, Captain Jon and his crew are really competent. Congratulations
Congratulations to you! The strait is a nasty piece of work! At least as I have read. Winds calm then a 100 mph pops out of a fiord 90 degrees to your course and your done for
Well here it is Thanksgiving day tomorrow, hope the replenishment included the Turkey!
Please, Let me know when she arrives into Brownsville. Don’t want to miss this ship’s arrival. It is a shame for such a great ship to go for scrap. Port Isabel/SPI could sure use it as a museum.
Are there any photos of the tow thus far that can be posted?
Please see the Foss Blog for all photos posted under gallery.