AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS FRANKLIN FIRE AFTERMATH FILM CAPT. LESLIE GEHRES (SILENT FOOTAGE) 76614

[@jvl4832]

Thank you for the posting . My grandfather worked as a welder at the Brooklyn Navy Yard during WW2. I remember him telling me as a child of the gruesome work of the welders who often found body parts in the wreckage of these ships amongst others the USS Franklin. In such films one doesn’t see or smell the carnage in these ships that was left behind. God bless the greatest generation; always in our hearts.

[@wrightmf]

I don't know how someone has to deal with that. I've never been in a situation like that. I have heard of mechanics that service a train, of one that recently hit a pedestrian. There's bits of body and clothing still in the framework underneath.

[@moremoneyfordreadnoughts1100]

I didn't see Gehres in there, but the JG meeting the sailors heading out on liberty at the end was one of the Franklin's officers who lived through the hell the ship saw. The film seems to be illustrating the easy-going, complacent, almost frilly life aboard a new carrier not in harm's way -- curtains on the open porthole, desks crowded with family pictures, even payphones aboard ship. (Today's carriers have Starbucks, at sea!) The short bit of footage showing scorched bulkheads inside Franklin are supposed to give a shot of reality, but they do not even begin to show the horrific destruction done to that ship and crew. The most damaged ship ever to reach home port under her own power. The most decorated crew in Navy history. Franklin was fully repaired but went into the reserve (mothball) fleet. She was passed over for modernization and reactivation because she was seen as compromised in her physical integrity. She was cut up for scrap to feed Japanese smelters in the 60s.

[@lindanwfirefighter4973]

So now a days they poison the crew with 100% GMO Starbucks products! That’s so they don’t have to pay retirement benefits for long.

[@CSRIII]

My Dad was on the Franklin and said the real reason for never reactivating the ship was that they never could get the smell of death out.

[@markdavis2475]

Ive read a lot about the Franklin and seen the longer film on YT. Never seen the interior shots though. Thought-provoking. RIP 800 crew who died.

[@B1900pilot]

Captain Gehres and the XO CDR Joe Taylor are the two talking in the CO's stateroom after the Marine orderly takes orders from the Captain. The young sailor is having a talk with LCDR O'Callahan the catholic chaplain who was awarded the Medal of Honor. Two of the officers playing bridge are LT Gary and LCDR Jurika. LT Gary was awarded the Medal of Honor and LCDR Jurika was the ship's navigator...

[@wtfbuddy1]

Interesting even without sound

[@1250413]

Both Air Plot and CIC were in the gallery deck area on the Franklin. Only one man, an officer, made it out of the CIC. Those two areas, adjacent to each other, were directly over head the first Bombs detonation in the hanger deck. The vapor explosion from the parked planes in the hanger deck killed almost everyone above the main deck aft of the second elevator. This room , with all the charred communications gear is undoubtedly one of those compartments.

[@knightwatchman]

In 1951 my father was in the Navy and stationed at Bayonne where the Franklin was mothballed. He was assigned night watches on it and told us that the smell of burnt flesh still lingered all over that ship. He even described what he thought was the ship creaking, moaning and groaning as if it were in pain.

[@gillbarry8681]

I though there was something wrong with my audio settings.. Oh well.. What I cannot in any way understand is how Leslie E. Gehres continued to climb the ranks through to Admiral. He should have been reduced in ranks, not rewarded. The way he treated his on men on the Franklin he deserved a dishonorable discharge.

[@coolconfuzer]

Ahh boo hoo!! Suck it up snowflake. The guy was an aviator and a navel commander and broke records climbing through the ranks.

[@johnmcnaught7453]

Every few years during my Navy career we went to DC (Damage Control) school and made to sit through the fight to save the Franklin Movies, ( no tape or digital presentations in those days) produced as training aids . Very sobering stuff.

[@peace-now]

Did you see Father Joe in the films? I always remember him in the footage. His two brothers were admirals.

[@williammorris584]

Capt Gehres got one of the least deserved Navy Crosses ever awarded. This was probably to avoid embarrassment of the Navy when a number of the crew deservedly recieved Navy Crosses and two the Medal of Honor. His behavior before, during and after the Franklin’s ordeal led to his relief and he never subsequently had a command afloat.

[@waynebrinker8095]

Without sound, I don't understand the purpose of this strange little film. ....but the Franklin damage was interesting.

[@moremoneyfordreadnoughts1100]

See my comment of one hour later.

[@barnabascollins1956]

NO SOUND...WHY ?

[@libertyforever4270]

One hell of a ship in one hell of a war.

[@johnnyhawkins43]

I can dig it!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@K-Effect]

See any ghosts?