I was their I was in 4mmr at the time of the fire within minutes it was like the lights were out but the battle lanterns didn't come on it was all the smoke. WE went to GQ but there was so much smoke it traveled up out of 1 main and down in to 4 main so fastwe thought the fire came threw the bulkhead. I had only been aboard about 3 months when this happened I remeber one of the guys that died had a rack in the same ial as mine and had talked about going over the hill some of us talk to him about it and he didn't go when he had the chance. after that i never talked to anyone about their desicion to leave the ship and go a wall, i tell myself i didnt make him stay. One of the guys was from the oil lab the rest were from 1main Lower level,burnerman, pumpman, feed pumpman Checkman and generator watch, i seanm to remember thoughs in the booth all made it out.

Thank you for your service & for giving respect to my brother while getting his body off the ship and eventually to us, his family. Seemed like a million years to me!! His name was Michael Randy Deverich , he was only 19. I still miss him terribly, especially this time of year. December 11th I go to his gravesite to talk with him and make sure he has a flag and is never forgotten... I was only 12 so losing my big brother and not being able to say goodbye is the worst of it all. I remember my dad making phone calls, writing letters etc. constantly. But he always got the run around, never a clear cut answer or the honors and recognition I believe my brother deserved.. God Bless you...

I was on board that night. The Hawk was my first (and last) duty station. Right out of Orlando Boot I checked on board Nov. 15, 1973. We left Nov.23, 1973(I remember that because Grace Slick sang a song that said "No on will remember the 23 of November".
I didn't have a division yet so they kept me in the MA shack for what seemed like two weeks before personel got to me. During that time I met a couple of enginemen or BT strickers going through the same thing, we were all so new.
I was assigned to a small division in Operations (OW Div.) right next to CIC, it was called ASCAC (anti sub), I understand we were the reason the Hawk became a CV. Being the FNG I was TAD'd to the mess deck where I was put in charge of the Break Out crew. Humping all that chow up from way down there where the freezers are 4 times a day, UNREPS were/are unforgettable. I was working there until we hit Mombasa.
That night, it was after chow, I dont remember the day/date or time (2200?). I'll never forget "THIS IS NOT A DRILL", gives me shivers now. We bunked on the 2nd deck with the OI Div. (CIC) a few frams aft the chain locker. I remember landing on the back of a guy, hard, then we were out of there.
Battle Stations were in my Div. space, then I remember going to my fire station, putting on SP phones, then going to ABANDON SHIP STATIONS. Nobody has talked about that. It was daylight, and I remember that I somehow got a life vest on and Mark Schelacy(spl) grabbed ahold and didn't let go and an announcment came over the 1MC "We are in shark infested waters". I remember draging up a mattress and sleeping on the deck that night, the next night too.
I was still working break out and as soon as we were able to get back down there I was ordered to move and clean everything out of the milk and egg cooler (it's pretty big), and I remember handling 8 body bags(could have been 7)(I just remembered the eighth, a guy in Operations, We found him dead in the head on the 2nd. deck just foward of CIC, heroin from our first stop in Hong Kong) and putting them an my racks untill we got to Subic. I bet I had to move those guys a half dozen times to please someone.
It seemed as soon as we tied up I was TAD'd again to the engine rooms for field day(s). I bagged, yanked, dragged asbestos for days. Saw the melted catwalks, and heard the stories about the melted jewlery and the body oil left you can't paint over. That **** ruined my naval career.
Met a guy on the steps of a post office several years ago wearing a Navy hat, so I asked, he said "The Conni, 71 to 75", and I said "The Kitty Hawk, 73 to 76" and he says " were you on during the fire"? and I said "how do you know about that"? He was on the Admirals Staff, in the Indian Ocean, and we were their replacements and they were all ****** off at us for their extended cruise.

Dale,

Thanks for the sharing, glad to hear what you had to share.

Pretty glim time a board the Hawk.

I'd like to stay in touch, would like to talk to you about using your accounts in the book.

Please write me back at my email address

Wow, your note gave me the shivers. You know, over the years this stuff keeps comming up.
Several years ago I signed up with the VA for medical and 8 months later they couldn't find that I was even on the KH! Ha! She had been my only duty station. Go figger.
Dale

An update concerning this fire in MMR1 is available on the Forum, subject "Fire in 1 Main machinery room" and dated Nov 24, 2007 - 7:57 PM.

Thank you for your service, you probably helped to eventually get my brother Michael Deverich home which took forever since the ship was out to sea. Long time before we were able to get his body home....someone told me they "dumped" them in the Phillipines or somewhere close to there first... So sad. December is always a terrible month for me, he was new on the ship, only 19. I was 12 when I was called out of class to get the news, numb, that's all I remember, was very hard to process & comprehend as a 12 year old... Thank you again for your service and any help you had getting my brother hone. My

I was in P1 Div 1MMr. I knew three of the men. We were close. The other three were new to the division. It still haunts me that I survived.

The only thing that I can lend is my friend Rick Parcells s account,from when they returned from the Med cruise back in 74.I left the ship in the summer of 73 while we were still in SF.Ricky told me that the fire killed several of our friends and that he had to assist in the identification of the bodies.Rick was out of #4MMR as was I.I cannot locate my friend Ricky.He is from So Cal,Huntington Beach is where he and his family lived.His Dad owned a used car buis.there.I saw him last in Long Beach in 83 when he stayed where I lived at the time.He and I were best friends.Would like to see him again someday.

I WAS ON THE MESS DECKS EATING SUPPER THAT NIGHT AND MY BROTHER, JOE, WAS ON DUTY IN THE PERSONNEL OFFICE. LIKE EVERYONE ELSE THAT ENDURED THAT CATASTROPHE, I WILL NEVER FORGET IT. IT SEEMS LIKE JUST YESTERDAY THAT IT HAPPENED. MY GQ STATION (7A, i BELIEVE) I WAS TOLD, WAS THE MAIN FIRE PARTY THAT FOUGHT THE FIRE, EVEN THOUGH AT A TIME OF CRISIS, THERE IS NO "MAIN PARTY". EVERY SAILOR HAS A JOB TO DO. I WAS THE NBC MONITOR MAN OF THE REPAIR PARTY, SO I HAD NO "REAL" PART IN THE ACTUAL FIGHTING. IT IS JUST A SHAME WE LOST SO MANY MEN.

I too was there. I was the Data Analyst for HS-4 and was working in my compartment when the first call for fire parties went out. And I was there when they called General Quarters. The others who shared my compartment were called to the flight deck, I was instructed to remain and man the compartment. After a time I too was ordered to the flight deck.

There we were, dead in the water, listing and smoking. Dark and eerie...a super carrier is not supposed to be dead in the water, listing and smoking.

When it was all contained and we were again underway I retired to my bunk and it was there that I heard the ship's chaplain naming those who had died. To this day my eyes still mist over thinking of that moment. And they always will.

Bless them and all who were there that night.

My brother was one who lost his life, only 19 years old, I was 12... God Bless you for trying to help but from what I've been able to dig up there was not much anyone could have done... God Bless You. I was just hoping to find any pictures of my brother or the cruise book from that year but have had no luck...

My brother Michael Deverich was killed in the fire, this is always the worst time of year for me.... I feel we never got answers or recognition from the government or those who were in charge at the time. Come to the conclusion we never will. My dad went to his grave at 80 years old in 2000 still writing the give rent, higher officials etc. but died with no answers... My mom is now 95 , we go see Mike every Sunday after church.. I still see the sadness, loss & pain in her eyes to this day... So sad... God Bless You...

My brother Michael Deverich was killed in the fire, this is always the worst time of year for me.... I feel we never got answers or recognition from the government or those who were in charge at the time. Come to the conclusion we never will. My dad went to his grave at 80 years old in 2000 still writing the give rent, higher officials etc. but died with no answers... My mom is now 95 , we go see Mike every Sunday after church.. I still see the sadness, loss & pain in her eyes to this day... So sad... God Bless You...