# General Hoyt S. Vandenberg Sinking



## Kolby (Jun 27, 2008)

The 17,000 ton, 523 ft long General Hoyt S. Vandenberg is scheduled to be sunk intentionally tomorrow (May 27, 2009) off the coast of Florida in 140 ft of clear water for use as a diving attraction. Explosives are attatched to the hull under the waterline. When exploded, it is expected to take the 17,000 tons ship to sink in only 3 minutes. 
The cost of the project is about $8.6 million to clean the ship. Expected annual income from diving the wreck is estimated to be around $8 million. This is not only an effort to attract tourism, but make environmentalists happy by turning the ship into an artificial reef. The $8.6 million to clean the ship went into the removal of 1 million feet of wire, 1,500 vent gaskets, watertight doors, 81 bags of asbestos, 193 tons of other potentially cancer causing materials, 46 tons of garbage, 300 lb of mercury, and 185 55-gallon drums of paint chips. As you can see, every effort to not interfere with the environment has been taken.
Here is a picture of the ship http://www.dtmag.com/Stories/DiveGeos/Vandenberg.jpg

Thanks,
Kolby Hurt


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## Klaatu83 (Jan 22, 2009)

This old ship was built way back in 1943 as a troop transport. In 1964 the Navy converted her into a missile-tracker, and she operated out out of Cape Canaveral by the Military Sealift Command for the next three decades. If only modern ships gave their owners as much value for the money!


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## Kolby (Jun 27, 2008)

Well, they sank her as planned!


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## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

Are there any links to some video footage anywhere, do you know, Kolby?


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## Kolby (Jun 27, 2008)

These are from CNN
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/offbeat/2009/05/27/moos.sink.that.ship.cnn?iref=videosearch
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/tech/2009/05/27/vo.warship.sinks.reef.wsvn?iref=videosearch

If I find anymore, ill post em here.


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## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

Thanks, Kolby!


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## Keltic Star (Jan 21, 2006)

It was quite a sight to watch on TV. The sinking had to be delayed 20 minutes to wait for an errant sea turtle to clear the exclusion zone.


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## steamer659 (Mar 18, 2009)

I sailed with many shipmates who did time on the USNS Vandenburg (and some on the west coast who sailed on the USNS Arnold- the sistership).. 
These vessels were truly unique, right from the MSTS/MSC Seafarers who sialed them, to the Bendix and other Technicians who manned them...


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## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

What was that aircraft carrier which was deliberately sunk? Is there any footage of that anywhere, does anyone know?


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## ssr481 (Feb 2, 2008)

Coastie, 

it was the ex USS ORISKANY - CV-34 that was sunk as a reef - 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uss_oriskany

Some other stuff on the sinking - 

http://destinsharks.com/uncategorized/20

http://destinsharks.com/photo-and-video/21 - footage shot from a spectator boat watching...


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## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

Cheers, SSR481!


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## ssr481 (Feb 2, 2008)

Go to the following site - http://www.fla-keys.com/video-of-the-week/ and click on the top photo..very interesting footage from multiple vantage points.


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## John Rogers (May 11, 2004)

That was a great video of the sinking with the on-board cameras. Thanks ssr481.

John.


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