View source for USS Independence (CV-62)

{{short description|Forrestal-class aircraft carrier (1959–1998)}}
{{Other ships|USS Independence}}
{{coord|26.1034852|-97.1689342|display=title}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{More footnotes needed|date=September 2008}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin 
| infobox caption = yes
}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=USS Independence (CVA-62) underway at sea, circa in 1971 (NH 97714-KN).jpg
|Ship caption=USS ''Independence'' in 1971
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{USN flag|1997}}
|Ship name= ''Independence''
|Ship namesake=[[Independence]]<ref name="DANFS">{{cite DANFS |url=http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/i/independence-v.html |title=Independence |access-date=17 January 2015}}</ref>
|Ship ordered=2 July 1954
|Ship builder=[[New York Navy Yard]]
|Ship original cost=$182.3 million<ref>{{cite book |editor-last=Moore |editor-first=John |title=Jane's American Fighting Ships of the 20th Century |location=New York, NY |publisher= Mallard Press |date=1991 |isbn=978-1-5614-4720-6}}</ref>
|Ship laid down=1 July 1955
|Ship launched=6 June 1958
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned=10 January 1959
|Ship decommissioned=30 September 1998
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck=8 March 2004
|Ship reclassified=CV-62, 28 February 1973
|Ship identification =*{{MMSI Number|366986000}}
*[[Maritime call sign|Callsign]]: NNQN
*{{ICS|November}}{{ICS|November}}{{ICS|Quebec}}{{ICS|November}}
*[[Hull number]]: CVA-62
|Ship motto=''Freedom's Flagship''
|Ship fate= [[Ship breaking|Scrapped]]
|Ship notes=
|Ship badge=[[File:USS Independence (CVA-62) insignia 1961.png|150px]]
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption={{sfn|Baker|1998|page=992}}
|Ship class={{Sclass|Forrestal|aircraft carrier}}
|Ship displacement=*{{convert|60000|LT|t}} standard
*{{convert|80643|LT|t}} full load
|Ship length={{convert|326.1|m|ft|order=flip|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam=*{{convert|39.63|m|ft|order=flip|abbr=on}} waterline
*{{convert|82.3|m|ft|order=flip|abbr=on}} extreme
|Ship draught=
|Ship draft={{convert|11.3|m|ft||order=flip|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=*4 [[Westinghouse Electric Company|Westinghouse]] geared turbines, four shafts, {{convert|280000|shp|kW}}
*8 [[Babcock & Wilcox]] boilers
|Ship speed={{convert|34|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range=*{{convert|8000|nmi|km}} at {{convert|20|kn|km/h}}
*{{convert|4000|nmi|km}} at {{convert|30|kn|km/h}}
|Ship complement=*3,126 (ship's crew) ''plus''
*2,089 (air wing) ''plus''
*70 (flag staff) ''plus''
*72 (Marines)
|Ship sensors=*[[AN/SPS-48]]C 3D air search radar
*[[AN/SPS-49|AN/SPS-49(V5)]] 2D air search radar
*[[AN/SPS-67|AN/SPS-67(V1)]] surface search radar
*AN/SPS-64 navigation radar
*Mk 91 Missile fire-control radar
|Ship EW=*AN/SLQ-29
*[[Mark 36 SRBOC]] decoy rocket launcher
|Ship armament=*8 × [[5"/54 caliber Mark 42 gun]]s (127 mm)  
*2× 8 NATO [[Sea Sparrow]]
*3× [[Phalanx CIWS]]
|Ship armour=
|Ship armor=
|Ship aircraft=*70–90
*Typical air group in the late 1990s:
*14 [[Grumman F-14 Tomcat|F-14 Tomcat]],
*36 [[McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet|F/A-18 Hornet]],
*4 [[Grumman EA-6B Prowler|EA-6B Prowler]],
*4 [[E-2C Hawkeye]],
*8 [[Lockheed S-3 Viking|S-3/ES-3 Viking]],
*3 [[Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk|SH-60F Seahawk]],
*2 HH-60 Seahawk
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

The fifth '''USS ''Independence'' (CV/CVA-62)''' was an aircraft carrier of the [[United States Navy]]. She was the fourth and final member of the {{Sclass|Forrestal|aircraft carrier|4}} of conventionally powered [[supercarrier]]s. She entered service in 1959, with much of her early years spent in the Mediterranean Fleet.

''Independence'' was decommissioned in 1998 after 39 years of active service.  Stored in recent years at [[Puget Sound Naval Shipyard]], Bremerton, Washington, the ex-''Independence'' was towed beginning on 10 March 2017 to Brownsville, Texas for scrapping. She arrived on 1 June 2017 and dismantling was completed by early 2019.

==Design and construction==
{{Main|Forrestal-class aircraft carrier}}
[[File:USS Independence (CVA-62) under construction in July 1955.jpg|thumb|left|''Independence'' under construction at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in 1955]]
[[File:USS Enterprise (CVS-6) awaiting disposal at the New York Naval Shipyard on 22 June 1958.jpg|thumb|left|''Independence'' fitting out at the [[Brooklyn Navy Yard]] in June 1958; {{USS|Enterprise|CV-6|3}} is opposite awaiting disposal]]
The {{sclass|Forrestal|aircraft carrier}}s were designed in the early 1950s as a smaller version of the cancelled [[USS United States (CVA-58)|''United States''-class]] "[[supercarrier]]s". Unlike the ''United States'' class, they were to operate in both the nuclear strike and conventional roles, and were therefore intended to carry a mixed fleet of fighters, light attack and heavy attack aircraft, all of which were to be jets. The carriers were designed around the large new [[Douglas A3D Skywarrior]] bomber, with four deck-edge aircraft elevators large enough to handle the new bomber. As jet aircraft needed much more fuel than piston-engined aircraft, the ''Forrestal'' class had a much greater aviation fuel capacity than existing carriers, with {{convert|750000|usgal|L}} of [[Avgas]] and {{convert|789000|usgal|L}} of jetfuel, more than double that carried in the {{sclass|Midway|aircraft carrier|2}}s.{{sfn|Chesneau|1998|page=264}}{{sfn|Gardiner|Chumbley|1995|page=569}}

''Independence'' was built with an [[angled flight deck]] with four C-7 [[steam catapult]]s, two on the bow and two on the angled deck. She was fitted with [[List of radars#Naval 6|AN/SPS-37]] long-range search radar and AN/SPS-8B height finding radar. Defensive armament consisted of eight [[5"/54 caliber Mark 42 gun]]s mounted on sponsons jutting out from the sides of the ship so they did not interfere with the flight deck.{{sfn|Gardiner|Chumbley|1995|page=569}}{{sfn|Chesneau|1998|pages=266–267}} The initial air wing of the ''Forrestal''-class carriers was about 90 aircraft, although this varied with the composition of the airwing.{{sfn|Chesneau|1998|page=266}}

The contract to build ''Independence'', the fourth ''Forrestal''-class carrier was awarded to the [[Brooklyn Navy Yard]] on 2 July 1954,<ref name="nvr">{{cite web |url={{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=CV62}} |title=Independence (CV 62)(ex-CVA 62): Multi-Purpose Aircraft Carrier |website=National Vessel Register |publisher=Naval Sea Systems Command, United States Navy |date=1 March 2006 |access-date=27 November 2011}}</ref> with the ship being [[laid down]] on 1 July 1955.{{sfn|Baker|1998|page=992}} She was launched on 6 June 1958 by the wife of [[Thomas S. Gates]], the [[Secretary of the Navy]],<ref name="DANFS"/><ref>{{cite AV media |date=9 June 1958 |title=Video: Brooklyn, N.Y. 1958/06/09 (1958) |url=https://archive.org/details/1958-06-09_Brooklyn_NY |publisher=[[Universal Newsreel]] |access-date=21 February 2012}}</ref> and commissioned on 10 January 1959.{{sfn|Baker|1998|page=992}}

==Operational history==
[[File:USS Independence (CVA-62) during shakedown cruise 1959.jpg|thumb|left|''Independence'' on her initial shakedown in 1959]]

===Testing and workup===
''Independence'' conducted shakedown training under her first captain, Captain R. Y. McElroy, with the first landing-on being carried out by a [[Grumman C-1 Trader|Grumman Trader]] [[carrier onboard delivery]] aircraft on 2 March 1959. She arrived at her new homeport of [[Naval Station Norfolk]], [[Virginia]] on 30 June 1959, and then carried out a ten-week training cruise in the [[Caribbean]].<ref name="DANFS"/>{{sfn|Weeks|1999|page=14}} During these trials, while carrying out compatibility tests aboard the new carrier, a [[Douglas A3D Skywarrior]] was catapulted off ''Independence'' at a gross weight of 84,000&nbsp;pounds (38,000&nbsp;kg), the heaviest aircraft to take off from a carrier at the time.{{sfn|Grossnick|1997|page=228}}

===1960–1964===
[[File:USS Independence (CVA-62), USS Saratoga (CVA-60), and USS Intrepid (CVA-11) underway in 1961, with crewmen paraded on deck in a spellout commemorating the 50th birthday of U.S. naval aviation (NH 97716).jpg|thumb|''Independence'' (foreground) alongside her sister ship {{USS|Saratoga|CV-60|2}} and {{USS|Intrepid|CV-11|2}} in 1961]]
[[File:F-8C VF-84 on cat of USS Independence (CVA-62) c1963.jpg|thumb|An F-8C ready to launch from ''Independence'' during her 1963-1964 Mediterranean cruise]]
''Independence'' operated off the [[Virginia Capes]] for the next year on training maneuvers, and departed 4 August 1960 for her first cruise to the [[Mediterranean]]. There, she added to the power of the [[US 6th Fleet|6th Fleet]] in the region, remaining in the eastern Mediterranean until her return to Norfolk 3 March 1961. On 4 August 1961, she departed again for the Mediterranean to join the US 6th fleet for another cruise and returned on 19 December 1961 to Norfolk.

''Independence'' sailed on 19 April 1962 for [[US 6th Fleet|Sixth Fleet]] duty in support of President [[John F. Kennedy]]'s firm stand on [[Berlin]] during a recurrence of stress in a critical area. She returned to Norfolk 27 August and sailed 11 October for the [[Caribbean Sea]]. Called on by President Kennedy on 24 October during the 1962 [[Cuban Missile Crisis]], ''Independence'' she acted as a key participant in the U.S. naval blockade of [[Cuba]]. She arrived off [[Puerto Rico]] in response to the presence of [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] missiles in Cuba and took part in the quarantine operations until the resolution of the crisis. She then returned to Norfolk on 25 November for readiness exercises along the eastern seaboard, overhaul in the [[Norfolk Naval Shipyard]], and refresher training out of [[Guantanamo Bay Naval Base|Guantanamo Bay]].

''Independence'' departed Norfolk on 6 August 1963 to take part in combined readiness exercises in the [[Bay of Biscay]] with sea-air units of the [[United Kingdom]] and [[France]] then entered the Mediterranean on 21 August for further duty with the Sixth Fleet. Cruising throughout the Mediterranean, she gained much valuable experience during combined [[NATO]] exercises, including close air support to [[Turkey|Turkish]] paratroops, reconnaissance, communications, and convoy strike support. President Makarios of [[Cyprus]] paid her a visit on 7 October 1963, after which she took part in bilateral U.S.-[[Italy|Italian]] exercises in the [[Adriatic Sea|Adriatic]] with Italian patrol [[torpedo boat]]s, and U.S.-French exercises, which pitted her aircraft against French interceptors and a surface action with the French [[cruiser]] {{ship|French cruiser|Colbert|C611|2}}. She returned to Norfolk on 4 March 1964.

Following training exercises, ranging north to [[New York (state)|New York]] and south to [[Naval Station Mayport]], Florida, ''Independence'' departed Norfolk 8 September 1964 for NATO Teamwork exercises in the [[Norwegian Sea]] and off the coast of France, then to [[Gibraltar]]. She returned to Norfolk 5 November 1964 and entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for overhaul.

===1965–1970===
On 10 May 1965, ''Independence'' deployed for more than seven months, including 100 days in the South China Sea, off the coast of [[Vietnam]], the first Atlantic Fleet carrier to do so. She also was the fifth U.S. carrier to operate off [[Vietnam]]. ''Independence'' and her embarked [[Carrier Air Wing 7]] received the [[Navy Unit Commendation]] for exceptionally meritorious service from 5 June to 21 November 1965. The carrier's air group participated in the first major series of coordinated strikes against vital enemy supply lines north of the [[Hanoi]]-[[Haiphong]] complex, successfully evading the first massive [[surface-to-air missile]] barrage in aviation history while attacking assigned targets, and executing, the first successful attack on an enemy surface-to-air missile installation. The carrier launched more than 7,000 sorties, sustaining an exceptional pace of day and night strike operations against military and logistic supply facilities in [[North Vietnam]]. "The superior team spirit, courage, professional competence, and devotion to duty displayed by the officers and men of ''Independence'' and embarked Attack Carrier Air Wing Seven reflect great credit upon themselves and the United States Naval Service."
[[File:F-4Bs VF-41 launching from USS Independence (CVA-62) 1965.jpg|thumb|F-4Bs launching from ''Independence'' during her 1965 deployment to Vietnam]]
''Independence'' returned to her homeport, Norfolk, arriving 13 December 1965. During the first half of 1966, she operated off Norfolk, replenishing and training air groups. On 4 May 1966, she participated in Operation Strikex. The carrier departed Norfolk 13 June for European operations with the Sixth Fleet. ''Independence'' was involved with unit and NATO exercises from July into December. She then continued her Sixth Fleet deployment returning to CONUS in early 1967. After a few months of local operations, she underwent an extensive overhaul at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard.{{sfn|Weeks|1999|p=15}} {{cnspan|The drydock portion of the overhaul was interrupted when ''Independence'' had to leave drydock early to make way for the fire-damaged {{USS|Forrestal|CVA-59|2}} on 19 September 1967.|date=March 2023}}{{Main|1967 USS Forrestal fire}}

On 30 April 1968, ''Independence'' steamed to the Mediterranean Sea for a nine-month deployment. She returned to Pier 12 NOB Norfolk, Virginia on 27 January 1969. On 3 September 1969, the Independence departed Norfolk to participate in NATO exercises in the North Atlantic, (NORLANT), where she participated in testing the [[Hawker Siddeley Harrier]] in flight deck operations, returning home on 9 October 1969. ''Independence'' was again deployed to the Mediterranean on 23 June 1970, returning to Pier 12 on 31 January 1971. It was during this cruise that the ship was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation in support of actions against the PLO during the Jordanian crisis.

===1970–1979===
[[File:USS Independence (CVA-62) and HMS Ark Royal (R09) 1971.jpg|thumb|''Independence'' (foreground) operating with {{HMS|Ark Royal|R09|6}} in the North Atlantic in 1971]]
On 25 September 1970, the news was received that [[Gamal Abdel Nasser]], President of the [[United Arab Republic]] had died; an event that might plunge the [[Middle East]] into a crisis. ''Independence'', along with {{USS|John F. Kennedy|CV-67|2}}, {{USS|Saratoga|CV-60|2}}, and seven other U.S. Navy ships were put on standby in case U.S. military protection was needed for the evacuation of U.S. citizens and as a counterbalance to the Soviet Union's Mediterranean fleet.

Pilots of [[VMA-142]], -131 and -133 began qualification landings in [[A-4 Skyhawk]]s aboard ''Independence'' on 3 August 1971. For the next three days, four active duty and 20 reserve pilots operated aboard the carrier —the first time that [[Marine Corps Reserve]] squadrons qualified in carrier duty.
 
[[File:F-4J F-4K CV-62 NAN6-75.jpg|thumb|left| An [[McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II|F-4J]] of [[VF-101]] alongside an [[McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II in UK service|F-4K]] of [[892 Naval Air Squadron]] wait to be catapulted from ''Independence'']]

Deploying from Norfolk in September 1971, the crew earned the designation as 'Blue Nose' sailors when the ''Independence'' crossed the [[Arctic Circle]] on 28 September. During subsequent operations in the North Sea, ''Independence'' conducted [[Cross-deck (naval terminology)|cross-deck]] operations with the British aircraft carrier {{HMS|Ark Royal|R09|6}} and transited the English Channel en route to the Strait of Gibraltar and scheduled operations in the Mediterranean Sea.

In May 1973, President [[Richard M. Nixon]] delivered his annual [[Armed Forces Day]] address from the decks of ''Independence''. While based in Norfolk, the ship made deployments to the Mediterranean Sea and [[Indian Ocean]]. From 8 to 13 October 1973, [[Task Force 60|Task Group 60.1]] with ''Independence'', Task Force 60.2 with {{USS|Franklin D. Roosevelt|CV-42|2}}, and [[Task Force 61|Task Forces 61/62]] with {{USS|Guadalcanal|LPH-7|2}} were alerted for possible evacuation contingencies in the Middle East as a result of the 1973 [[Yom Kippur War]] between Arab states and [[Israel]]. ''Independence'' operated off the island of [[Crete]].

In the summer of 1974, ''Independence'' departed Norfolk for yet another 'Med Cruise', operating with CTG 60.1 and CVW-7. Relieving ''Franklin D. Roosevelt'', ''Independence'' and ''Saratoga'' continued the tradition of steaming the Mediterranean while being shadowed by Soviet aircraft and ships. On 8 September 1974, ''Independence'' and other ships steamed to the crash site of [[TWA Flight 841 (1974)|TWA Flight 841]], which had been brought down by a terrorist bomb, and its crew spent two days retrieving the remains of the ill-fated jetliner and of the persons on board.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.airdisaster.com/reports/ntsb/AAR75-07.pdf |title=Aircraft Accident Report 75-7 |website=National Transportation Safety Board |year=1974 |access-date=23 September 2016 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004122304/http://www.airdisaster.com/reports/ntsb/AAR75-07.pdf |archive-date=4 October 2012}}</ref>

On 20 June 1979, Lieutenant Donna L. Spruill became the first female Navy pilot to carrier qualify in a fixed-wing aircraft. Lieutenant Spruill piloted a [[C-1 Trader|C-1A Trader]] to an arrested landing aboard ''Independence''.

===1980–1989===
[[File:USS Canisteo (AO-99) refueling Independence (CV-62) and Luce (DDG-38) c1981.jpg|thumb|''Independence'' and {{USS|Luce|DDG-38|2}} during an [[underway replenishment]] with {{USS|Canisteo|AO-99|2}} during the carrier's 1980-81 cruise]]
On 19 November 1980, ''Independence'' with Carrier Air Wing Six (AE) embarked, deployed to the Indian Ocean along with the cruiser {{USS|Harry E. Yarnell|CG-17|2}} and was on watch along with ''Ranger'' on "Gonzo Station" as President Reagan took office and the Iranian Hostages were freed. Subsequently, completing an Indian Ocean cruise, ''Independence'' transited the Suez Canal northbound, shortly after {{USS|America|CV-66|2}} had transited southbound, making ''America'' the first United States Navy carrier (and, thus, ''Independence'' the second) to transit the Suez Canal since {{USS|Intrepid|CV-11|2}} in 1967. ''Independence'' completed a deployment of 204 days. Scheduled to go to Singapore, the crew was instead diverted to the Persian Gulf to back up {{USS|Nimitz|CV-68|2}} during the Iran Hostage Crisis mission with Capt. Thomas E. Shanahan Commanding. After the Gulf, ''Independence'' and her battle group visited Perth/Fremantle, Western Australia from 2 to 7 February for R&R. Upon completion of the deployment, Captain Shanahan was promoted to rear admiral.

In 1982, ''Independence'' provided critical support to the multinational peacekeeping force in [[Lebanon]]. On 25 June, the greatest concentration of U.S. Navy air power in the Mediterranean Sea resulted when the battle groups of ''Forrestal'' and ''Independence'' joined forces with {{USS|Dwight D. Eisenhower|CVN-69|2}} and ''John F. Kennedy''. After steaming together in the eastern Mediterranean Sea for several days, ''Forrestal'' and ''Independence'' relieved ''Dwight D. Eisenhower'' and ''John F. Kennedy'', the latter sailing home to Norfolk, after a long deployment.
[[File:USS Independence (CV-62) underway in the Mediterranean Sea on 8 December 1983.jpg|thumb|left|''Independence'' operating off Lebanon in 1982.]]
In late October 1983, ''Independence''{{'}}s battle group (Carrier Group Four), assigned to the [[United States Second Fleet]], became the core of Task Group 20.5, the carrier task group that would support the [[Invasion of Grenada]]. On 25 October 1983, aircraft from ''Independence's'' embarked air wing flew missions supporting the invasion. Returning to Lebanon that same year, the ship's air wing conducted air strikes against [[Syria]]n positions.

In 1984, she won the [[Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award]] for the Atlantic Fleet.

On 17 February 1985, ''Independence'' arrived at the [[Philadelphia Naval Shipyard]] to undergo a modernization and overhaul program to extend her service life by 15 years. The flight deck was improved to allow the recovery of high-performance aircraft while the ship traveled at slower speeds, and the NATO [[Sea Sparrow]] launchers were upgraded. Other improvements improved the ship's fuel consumption. ''Independence'' completed the Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) at [[Philadelphia Naval Shipyard]] in June 1988. Setting sail 15 August 1988 from Norfolk, the ship transited the tip of [[South America]] and arrived at her new homeport of [[Naval Air Station North Island|NAS North Island]], in [[San Diego, California]], 8 October.

The Paramount film ''[[Flight of the Intruder]]'' (1991), starring [[Danny Glover]], [[Willem Dafoe]], and [[Brad Johnson (actor, born 1959)|Brad Johnson]] was filmed partly on ''Independence''. The aircraft carrier went out for two weeks of filming in November 1989; the on-board fire party was kept busy dealing with the numerous small electrical fires that the movie crew had started with their lighting equipment.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099587/trivia |title=Flight of the Intruder Trivia  |publisher=IMDb |access-date=21 February 2019}}</ref>

===1990–1995===
[[File:USS Midway (CV-41) and USS Independence (CV-62) docked at Pearl Harbor on 23 August 1991 (6478213).jpg|thumb|right|''Independence'' (top) at [[Naval Station Pearl Harbor|Pearl Harbor]] relieving {{USS|Midway|CV-41|2}} as the [[United States Seventh Fleet|7th Fleet]] forward deployed carrier]]
In June 1990, with [[Carrier Air Wing 14]] embarked, ''Independence'' departs San Diego on a routine WESTPAC. On 2 August, in response to Iraq's invasion of [[Kuwait]], ''Independence'', leading Task Group 800.1, which included ''Jouett'' (CG-29),<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vrpTaObCXq8C&dq=%22CTG+800.1%22&pg=PA110|title=Desert Shield at Sea: What the Navy Really Did|last=Pokrant|first=Marvin|date=1999|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=9780313310232|pages=107, 110 (note 5)|language=en}}</ref> was sent to deter further [[Iraq]]i aggression during [[Operation Desert Shield]]. Arriving on station in the [[Gulf of Oman]] on 5 August, ''Independence'' was the first carrier to enter the [[Persian Gulf]] since 1974. The ship remained on station for 112 days and permanently reestablished a U.S. naval presence in the region. She returned to San Diego on 20 December 1990.
[[File:USS Independence (CV-62) underway in the Persian Gulf on 11 February 1998.jpg|thumb|''Independence'' in the [[Persian Gulf]] in support of [[Operation Southern Watch]]]]
''Independence'' changed homeports again on 11 September 1991—this time to [[U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka|Yokosuka]], [[Japan]], embarking [[Carrier Air Wing 5]] and becoming the Navy's only permanently forward-deployed aircraft carrier, and flagship for Commander, Carrier Group Five.

On 23 August 1992, ''Independence'' entered the Persian Gulf, under the Command of Captain Carter B. Refo prepared to enforce an Allied ban on Iraqi flights over south Iraq below the [[32nd parallel north]]. On 26 August, President [[George H. W. Bush]] announced that the United States and its allies had informed Iraq that in 24 hours allied aircraft would fly surveillance missions in southern Iraq and were prepared to shoot down any Iraqi aircraft flying south of the 32nd parallel. The action was precipitated by Iraq's failure to comply with [[United Nations Security Council Resolution 688|U.N. Resolution 688]], which demanded that the Iraqi government stop the repression of its [[Shiite]] population in southern Iraq.

Persian Gulf allies began to enforce the ban on Iraqi planes from flying south of the 32nd parallel on 27 August in [[Operation Southern Watch]]. Any Iraqi planes that violated the ban would be shot down. Twenty Navy aircraft from CVW-5 aboard ''Independence'' in the Persian Gulf were the first coalition aircraft on station over Iraq as [[Operation Southern Watch]] began. Southern Watch was the enforcement of a ban on Iraqi warplanes and helicopters from flying south of the 32nd parallel.

''Independence'' became the most battle experienced ship in the Navy's active fleet, and the first carrier in history to hold that distinction, on 30 June 1995. With this honor, ''Independence'' displayed the [[American Revolutionary War|Revolution]]-era [[First Navy Jack]], commonly called the "Don't Tread on Me" flag, from her bow until her decommissioning. The flag was presented to ''Independence''{{'}}s commanding officer Capt. David P. Polatty III in a formal ceremony on 1 July. The flag was received from {{USS|Mauna Kea|AE-22|2}} upon her decommissioning.

In November 1995, ''Independence'' and Carrier Air Wing Five returned to Japan after successfully completing their third deployment to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch.

===1996–1998===
[[File:Grumman EA-6B Prowler of VAQ-136 is launched from USS Independence (CV-62) on 13 March 1996 (6501909).jpg|thumb|USS ''Independence'' conducts air operations off the coast of Taiwan during the [[Third Taiwan Strait Crisis]].]]
[[File:Nimitz with Independence.jpg|thumb|''Independence'' (right) cruises alongside ''Nimitz'' and {{USS|Port Royal|CG-73|2}} off Japan in 1997]]
[[File:USS Independence (CV-62) and USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) at Pearl Harbor crop.jpg|thumb|''Independence'' (left) at Pearl Harbor being relieved as the 7th Fleet forward deployed carrier by {{USS|Kitty Hawk|CV-63|2}}]]

In March 1996, ''Independence'' was deployed to the waters east of [[Taiwan]] to provide a stabilizing presence amid the [[Third Taiwan Strait Crisis]]. She was joined in the area by ''Nimitz'' as the [[People's Republic of China]] lobbed missiles into Taiwanese territorial waters. On returning to Yokosuka in April 1996, the ship was visited by President [[Bill Clinton]] as part of an official state visit to Japan.

In 1997, ''Independence'' made a four-month deployment, covering several major exercises and seven ports of call. Included in these ports of call were two historic port visits. The first was 28 February 1997 to the island territory of [[Guam]]. ''Independence'' was the first aircraft carrier to pull into Guam in 36 years.

The second, two months later, was to [[Port Klang]], [[Malaysia]]. ''Independence'' became the first aircraft carrier in the world to make a port visit to Malaysia.

Before sailing back to Yokosuka, Japan, ''Independence'' made her last port call of the deployment in May 1997 to [[Hong Kong]]. The ship's port call was the last U.S. naval visit to the territory before its handover to China on 1 July 1997.

''Independence'' deployed to the Persian Gulf in January 1998 to support negotiations between the UN and Iraq and to again participate in [[Operation Southern Watch]], prior to being relieved at Yokosuka by {{USS|Kitty Hawk|CV-63|2}}.

==Decommissioning and fate==
[[File:USSIndependenceInMothballs.jpg|thumb| ex-''Independence'' in mothballs, in [[Puget Sound Naval Shipyard]]]]
''Independence'' was decommissioned in ceremonies at the [[Puget Sound Naval Shipyard]] in [[Bremerton, Washington]], on 30 September 1998.  At the conclusion of this ceremony, in keeping with naval tradition, ''Independence''{{'}}s last commanding officer, Captain (later Rear Admiral) Mark R. Milliken, USN, was the last person to depart the ship.

''Independence''{{'}}s commissioning pennant was hauled down 39 years, 9 months and 20 days after it was first hoisted, and the "Don't Tread on Me" [[First Navy Jack]] was transferred to the Navy's next oldest active ship, the aircraft carrier ''Kitty Hawk''.

After decommissioning, ''Independence'' remained in mothballs for five and a half years before being struck on 8 March 2004. During her time in mothballs, the ship was said to have been heavily stripped to support the active carrier fleet, especially the remaining {{sclass|Kitty Hawk|aircraft carrier|2}}s. Her port anchor and both anchor chains were used on the new {{sclass|Nimitz|aircraft carrier|2}} {{USS|George H.W. Bush|CVN-77|6}}. The recycling of parts and the poor material condition of the ship at the time she was withdrawn made a strong argument against retaining her as a potential museum ship. In April 2004, Navy officials identified ex-''Independence'' as one of 24 decommissioned ships available to be sunk as [[artificial reef]]s. However, as of February 2008, she was scheduled to be dismantled in the next five years along with {{USS|Constellation|CV-64|6}}.<ref name="sinklist">{{cite news |url=http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/02/navy_shipdisposal_080223w/ |last=Peterson |first=Zachary M. |title=Navy sink list includes Forrestal, destroyers |newspaper=Navy Times |date=26 February 2008 |access-date=7 September 2008}}</ref> At that time, she was still available for donation as a reef while awaiting a contract for her dismantling to be awarded.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://peoships.crane.navy.mil/Inactiveships/pdf/reefing_inventory.pdf |title=Reefing Inventory |website=Naval Sea Systems Command}} {{Dead link|date=September 2016}}</ref>

[[File:USS Independence (CV-62) is towed to the breaker's yard on 11 March 2017.JPG|thumb|Ex-''Independence'' is towed to the breaker's yard on 11 March 2017.]]

On 26 January 2012, the Navy's Naval Sea Systems Command posted a notice of solicitation for the towing and complete dismantlement of multiple CV-59/CV-63 Class Aircraft Carriers in the United States, including ''Forrestal'', ''Independence'', and ''Constellation''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=ce6de50e17d6f1e16841b33603f8ee26&tab=core&_cview=0 |title=J-Towing and complete dismantlement of multiple CV-59/CV-63 Class Aircraft Carriers in the United States |website=Federal Business Opportunities |date=26 January 2012 |access-date=13 August 2012}}</ref> The impacts of an initial scrapping for marine life in the Puget Sound required remediation with a layer of sand over the scrapping area.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Farley |first=Josh |title=Navy placing 10,000 yards of sand on Puget Sound seafloor as part of legal settlement |url=https://www.kitsapsun.com/story/news/2022/09/18/navysand-seafloor-puget-sound-lawsuit-settlement/10399898002/ |access-date=2022-09-20 |work=Kitsap Sun |language=en-US}}</ref>

Following the disposal of {{USS|Ranger|CV-61|2}} and ''Constellation'',<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/local/article_cd43a5a0-6e61-11e6-ae75-87e691b59130.html |title=Recycler wins Navy contract to scrap USS Independence |newspaper=Brownsville Herald |access-date=30 August 2016 }}{{Dead link|date=December 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> on 10 March 2017 ex-''Independence'' began her 16,000-mile journey from Puget Sound Naval Shipyard to Brownsville, Texas for dismantling by International Shipbreaking Limited.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.navsea.navy.mil/Media/News/Article/1114245/ex-uss-independence-departs-naval-base-kitsap |title=Ex-USS Independence departs Naval Base Kitsap |publisher=[[NAVSEA]] |date=15 March 2017 |access-date=15 March 2017}}</ref> On 26 April 2017, she was on her way through the [[Strait of Magellan]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/199198230512543/videos/305887953176903/ |title=USS Independence |author=Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Exploración |date=27 April 2017 |website=Facebook |access-date=19 February 2019}}</ref> and on 30 May 2017 she arrived at Brownsville, where a special ceremony was held at Isla Blanca Park for veterans, school children and members of the local community to honour the vessel. Scrapping was completed by early 2019.<ref>{{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=CV62|title=Naval Vessel Register – CV-62}}</ref>

Two of the ship's propellers are on display at [[South Padre Island, Texas|South Padre Island]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=January 20, 2022|title=International Shipbreaking Port Of Brownsville|url=https://www.facebook.com/160756887336278/posts/4743154782429776/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/160756887336278/4743154782429776 |archive-date=2022-02-26 |url-access=limited|website=International Shipbreaking Port Of Brownsville}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of aircraft carriers]]
* [[List of aircraft carriers of the United States Navy]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book |last=Baker |first=A.D. |title=The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World 1998–1999: Their Ships, Aircraft and Systems |location=Annapolis, Maryland |publisher=Naval Institute Press |date=1998 |isbn=1-55750-111-4 }}
* {{cite book |last=Chesneau |first=Roger |title=Aircraft Carriers of the World, 1914 to the Present: An Illustrated Encyclopedia |location=London |publisher=Brockhampton Press |date=1998 |isbn=1-86019-875-9 }}
*{{cite journal |last1=Doa |first1=Tom |title=Question 25/93: USN/USCG Collisions with Merchant Vessels |journal=Warship International|date=1996|volume=XXXIII|issue=3|page=319 |issn=0043-0374}}
* {{cite book |last1=Gardiner |first1=Robert |first2=Stephen |last2=Chumbley |title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995 |location=Annapolis, Maryland |publisher=Naval Institute Press |date=1995 |isbn=1-55750-132-7 }}
* {{cite book |last=Grossnick |first=Roy A. |url=http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/naval-aviation-history/united-states-naval-aviation-1910-1995/part-8-the-new-navy-1954-1959.html |title=United States Naval Aviation 1910–1995 |location=Washington DC |publisher=Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy |date=1997 |isbn=0-945274-34-3 |access-date=23 March 2015 |archive-date=23 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150123022942/http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/naval-aviation-history/united-states-naval-aviation-1910-1995/part-8-the-new-navy-1954-1959.html |url-status=dead }}
* {{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wQZD13orIk  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/1wQZD13orIk| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|title=USS Independence CV-62 final voyage to scrapyard in Brownsville Texas |last=Saenz |first=Tommy J. |date=2 June 2017 |website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}
* {{cite news |last=Weeks |first=Mike |date=March{{en dash}}April 1999 |title=Freedom's Flagship: A History of Independence (CVA/CV 62) |work=Naval Aviation News |url=http://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/histories/naval-aviation/Naval%20Aviation%20News/1990/1999/march-april/flagship.pdf |access-date=23 March 2015 }}
* {{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/i/independence-v.html}} It also includes text from {{cite web |url=http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/naval-aviation-history/united-states-naval-aviation-1910-1995.html |title=United States Naval Aviation, 1910-1995 |access-date=17 January 2015 |archive-date=23 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150123013545/http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/naval-aviation-history/united-states-naval-aviation-1910-1995.html |url-status=dead }}

==External links==
{{Commons category|USS Independence (CV-62)}}
*{{navsource|02/62}}

Reunion groups:
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080320064832/http://www.ussindependence.us/ ussindependence.us: ''CVA/CV-62 Communications Department'']
*[http://www.ussindependencecv-62.org/ ussindependencecv-62.org: ''USS INDEPENDENCE CV-62 Assoc. Inc'']

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{{Forrestal-class aircraft carrier}}
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{{Succession box | title=Oldest active combat ship of the [[United States Navy]] | before={{USS|Mauna Kea|AE-22}}|after={{USS|Kitty Hawk|CV 63}}| years=1995&ndash;1998}}
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[[Category:Forrestal-class aircraft carriers]]
[[Category:Ships built in Brooklyn]]
[[Category:1958 ships]]
[[Category:Cold War aircraft carriers of the United States]]
[[Category:Vietnam War aircraft carriers of the United States]]