USS Forrestal (CV-59) 1982 Cruise Sweatshirt

USS Forrestal (CV-59) was the first purpose-built supercarrier of the postwar era, commissioned in 1955 and named for James V. Forrestal, the first Secretary of Defense. She set the template for every fleet carrier that followed — the angled deck, the size, the capability — and deployed to the Mediterranean and Atlantic through the Cold War decades as a symbol of American sea power. In July 1967, a catastrophic fire on her flight deck off Vietnam cost the lives of 134 sailors and changed how the Navy approaches damage control. Forrestal served for decades after that tragedy, decommissioning in 1993. This sweatshirt commemorates the 1982 cruise — a deployment during the Reagan-era military buildup, when America was reasserting its naval presence and Forrestal stood watch in the Mediterranean with purpose and pride.

• 50% cotton, 50% polyester
• Pre-shrunk fabric
• Air-jet spun yarn for a softer feel
• Double-needle stitching throughout