On July 29, 1967, a catastrophic fire erupted on the flight deck of the USS Forrestal CVA-59 while it was operating off the coast of North Vietnam. #fblifestyle | MilitaryPhotoDepot

#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

Remembering 1967 USS Forrestal Fire

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