From 1957 to 1975, there was the Vietnam War between North Vietnam and South Vietnam. The war not only involves two countries, but also other countries. The United States intervened in favor of South Vietnam against North Vietnam supported by the Soviet Union.
During that time, the United States stationed its troops around Vietnam, including placing military aircraft carriers on the coast of Vietnam. However, right on 51 years ago, July 29, 1967, the military ship Uncle Sam's country was wracked by disaster.
There was an accident, in which one of the F-4 Phantom fighter jets on a US aircraft carrier accidentally hit a nearby fighter jet, which also belonged to the United States, with a Skyhawk jet type. As a result of a rocket blast, Skyhawk on the carrier's aircraft was on fire. Skyhawk fuel also spilled, and the fire grabbed.
The situation was very chaotic. The ship's crew immediately tried to extinguish the fire, but due to the oil spilled so much around the ship, the fire was so fast grabbed. Instead of succeeding in stopping the rooster, many firefighters are on fire at the scene.
Fighting efforts continue to be done. Reinforcements were brought in. There are bombs of 1,000 pounds or about 453 liters of bombs that explode in a fire. The whole new fire could be extinguished on the ship about 24 hours later. That was the condition of the ship was very severe and many victims fell.
Hundreds of crew were injured and as many as 134 people were killed. In addition, 20 fighter planes were destroyed. This became the worst incident with the worst loss in US naval history. The aircraft carrier is then repaired in the Philippines, before returning to the country of origin.
Skyhawk aircraft hit by the rocket piloted by John McCain, who at that time work as a fighter pilot. He survived the incident. Then McCain served on the aircraft carrier USS Oriskany. While on duty, his plane was shot down by the North Vietnamese army. McCain, who returned from a gunshot, later became a North Vietnamese prisoner. He was released about five years later, in 1973.
McCain is currently a Republican politician in the United States, becoming one of the Arizona senators and was nominated as US presidential candidate in 2008.
Another history recorded on July 29, 1958, United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower endorsed the National Aeronautics and Space Act, marking the founding of NASA's non-military institutions.
Another event that is not less interesting also occurred on the same date in 1958 is the grand marriage of the British Empire. Prince Charles and Diana married, a crowd of 600,000 people filled the streets of London to see the procession.
Sources :
https://t.co/rEKuXeiW8O?amp=1