USS Forrestal CVA-59 / CV-59 / AVT-59
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1.
Feb. 12, 2013

At 19 years of age I was honored to serve on the USS Forrestal CVA 59 on a 6 month Med Cruise in 1959. I was a Seaman assigned to the AO Division with a sleeping compartment under the forward flight deck close to one of the 2 forward catapults. I had a few friends among the crew, sometime joked with friends, but always respected everyone enough never to bully or treat anyone with disrespect. It was during the Cold War and I saw weapons, aircraft and other things that not many 19 year olds see in a lifetime, and wish that I could keep only those great memories of my service on the Forrestal. But there are 2 memories of my stay on the Forrestal that haunts my memory still today 54 years later.

During the day sometimes when we were off duty some AOs including me would take a nap in our compartment on the floor under our folded up bunk. One day I was laying on the floor on my left side taking a nap and 2 shipmates were setting about 15 feet across the room from my back and one smoking a cigarette who flipped the cigarette over next to my back on the floor. Just about that same time I rolled over on my back right on the burning cigarette that burned a spot on my back. I jumped up and gave the 2 shipmates a dirty look and  detected in their face they wanted me to attack and fight them, but it was just me and them 2 in view and I knew if there was a Captain's Mass over us fighting that I would come out on the short end, so I just simply walked away even though I wanted to bust a couple of jaws.

The other memory that haunts me was when I received a message one day that I was to report to an office on the lower deck. As I walked up to the office there was a counter top in front that I stopped at and a 3rd class Yeoman was the only person there.  I said, "My name is Allen Sparks and I was told to report to this office." The Yeoman then pick up a small manila envelope and said with a sarcastic tone, "Your Good Conduct Medal came in today" as he tossed the manila envelope about 3 foot to the long desk top in front of me. I don't know why I was treated in this manner, but I kept my cool by just taking the manila envelope and Medal and walking away. Seems to me that if a service person in any branch receives a Good Conduct Medal it should be presented in an Honorable Way.

Attitude is most everything and I came in contact with 2 of the most lousy attitudes in my life on the Forrestal. I am proud to have served on such a great Navy ship and seen some of the things I did, but words can't describe the feeling I will always have in the 2 bad memories because of someone's conduct to a fellow Shipmate.

Kind Regards,
Allen Sparks




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