Previous ships called Independence: Difference between revisions

[[Image:USS Independence CVA-62.jpg|left|200px|Forrestal Class carrier USS Independence (US Navy)]]The second aircraft carrier of Earth's US Navy to bear the name. A [[wp:Forrestal class aircraft carrier|Forrestal Class]] ship, she was launched at the New York Navy Yard on 6th June 1958 and commissioned on the 10th January the following year. The carrier spent the majority of its service in the Mediteranean Sea. However, Independence played a highly visible part of the blockade of Cuba during the Cuban missile crisis of 1962 before being decorated for service in the Vietnam War in 1965. Independence underwent a major refit in the mid 1980's, then served most of the early 90's in the Persian Gulf during the Gulf War and its aftermath. After over 39 years of service, this Independence was decommissioned on 30th September 1998, having been the oldest ship in the US Navys' active fleet for its' final three years of service. She remained in mothballs for a further five years before being struck.