In 1967, the USS Forrestal was involved in a catastrophic fire and series of explosions in the Gulf of Tonkin during the Vietnam War on July 29th. The incident was caused by an electrical surge that triggered a rocket to fire, which struck another aircraft, causing a fire that spread and led to multiple explosions, resulting in 134 deaths and 161 injuries. Date: July 29, 1967 Location: Gulf of Tonkin, during the Vietnam War Cause: An electrical surge caused a Zuni rocket to fire from an F-4B Pha

53K views · 542 reactions | #OTD in 1967, USS Forrestal was rocked by a series of fires and explosions after a glitch caused a Zuni rocket on an F-4B Phantom to fire and hit the fuel tank of an A-4 Skyhawk on deck. The disaster killed 134 sailors and injured 161. Among the survivors was John McCain. | U.S. Naval Institute | Facebook

On this day in 1967, the USS Forrestal writhed in agony—consumed by flames, shaken by explosions, and scarred forever in U.S. Navy history. What began as routine flight ops turned catastrophic when a Zuni rocket misfired, igniting a chain reaction of hell on the flight deck. This reel fuses haunting archival footage with restored sound to resurrect the chaos, terror, and heroism of that black morning. The worst peacetime loss of life aboard a Navy ship since World War II—now heard and seen as it