USS Forrestal

The Forrestal was the first supercarrier—the first purpose-built carrier designed after World War II, commissioned in 1955. She gave her name to a class of ships and set the template for American carrier aviation for the next half-century. On July 29, 1967, the Forrestal fire claimed 134 lives and reshaped aviation safety procedures across the entire Navy. Her crew endured the unimaginable that day, and the reforms they inspired have saved countless lives since.