USS Belleau Wood LHA-3 Sank!

[Gilldiver]

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Hi 1towman1,

I am a plank owner of the USS Belleau Wood and like many of us was unaware of the decomissioning and sinking of the ship.

I looked up your coordinates and am now curious as to how it was sunk at this location given the following:

1) All of the media information mentioned that the BW was being sunk to create an artificial reef.
2) If I charted your coordinates correctly, the location is in aproximately 2246 fathoms of water (aproximately 70 mi from Makaha Pt. Kuai). I'm not a marine biologist, but I don't think that that depth is conducive to any kind of productive reef.
3) There is a shallower area aproximately 16 NM southwest of this position with 34 fathoms.
4) Is it possible that the intention was to sink the BW in this area of 34 fathoms and that somehow it drifted too far away from the mark?

If you have any more information about this please let me know, if there is any chance that the coordinates are off and that the BW actually sank in 34 fathoms then there may be an opportunity to dive her some day.

Best Regards,

J Jaume, formerly SK2 (DV) S-1 Div.

Its simple, sink it outside of 24 miles and put a defence priority on it and you don't have to clean it - No EPA!

Sink it deep, no pesky SCUBA divers to worry about - No Liability!

Don't believe me, look into why the Navy had sunk the USS Bluegill in under 200 feet, found out that sport divers were diving her, raised her as a "training mission", then sank her way out and real deep.

 

[indeep56]

Its simple, sink it outside of 24 miles and put a defence priority on it and you don't have to clean it - No EPA!

Sink it deep, no pesky SCUBA divers to worry about - No Liability!

Don't believe me, look into why the Navy had sunk the USS Bluegill in under 200 feet, found out that sport divers were diving her, raised her as a "training mission", then sank her way out and real deep.

Thanks Pete,

That makes sense, although I understand that the Bluegill was a submarine that was moored in place as a training platform, then when they were done, they disposed of it elseware.

In the case of the Belleau Wood, they expressly stated that it was to become an artificial reef. Do you think that that was just PR and they really didn't care about the artificial reef? Or do you think that they intended on sinking it in shallower water but somehow messed up?

JJ

 

[Bill Toops]

I would love to get a copy of the long version of the video. I was on the Wood from 88-92. I jumped ship just before it left for Sasebo in august of 92. It made me sad to hear about it being sunk.

B Toops HT2 R-Div
cudamant@msn.com

 

[Bobtailr]

I spent two tours abour Belleau wood. Once as a plankowner going aboard her for the first time in Pascagoula Mississippi and living on her for 3 years and later from 1986-1988. How may I get a copy of the complete sinking video. I like others, found out she was decommissioned and sunk long after she was gone.

 

[abf34]

i would love to get a video of the of the full sinking of the belleau wood lha 3, i was that ship from 94-03.

Hello all!

First off, Let me state my appreciation to the US Navy for letting me participate in and observe the sinking of what was once my home for 8 years..The USS Belleau Wood LHA-3.

As a Veteran of V-1 division it saddened me deeply to see such a fantastic ship dissapear beneath the waves.

I realize that some of you are interested in knowing her exact location so here you go:

22:58.756N 160:46.63W

Although she is too deep to dive (What a thrill that would be) I am going to embark on the possibility of having a memorial service for the big girl at the site within the next 2 years.

Also, I have the complete sinking video (Not the short one as has been posted on the web) if anyone is interested.

 

[CPLWeeks]

I was aboard the Big Dog for Operation Desert Fox in 1998 as a Marine with BLT 2/4. It wasn't until, through pure chance, I ended up sitting next to a former pilot on a flight from Dulles to Nashville that I learned of the fate of the USS Belleau Wood. I was only with her for several months, but from Cleaning Quarters to the tune of The William Tell Overture each morning, to sneaking food out of the bakery after mid-rats, I miss her. Part of me wants to see the video, and part of me doesn't. I can understand the preference for her being at the bottom rather than scrapped. I'd rather have her be somewhere than nowhere. Semper Fi.