USS Forrestal (CVA-59) 1972-73 Cruise Sweatshirt

USS Forrestal (CVA-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. Designated as an attack carrier, she set the template for every fleet carrier that followed — the angled deck, the size, the capability — and deployed repeatedly to the Mediterranean as one of the most powerful warships in the world. 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 more after that tragedy, decommissioning in 1993. This sweatshirt commemorates the 1972-73 cruise — during the closing years of the Vietnam era, as American involvement wound down and Forrestal continued her Mediterranean patrols with the quiet resolve of a seasoned fleet carrier.

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