VA-163 "Saints" Onboard USS Oriskany CVA-34

Carrier Hangar, Forcastle Decks

     The forecastle deck is the deck between the hangar deck or hangar bay and the flight deck.  For example, in the ship's bow the anchors attached to their chains drop from the bow and controlled by the chains which go through the steel hull to massive pulley's inside the forecastle.  As well the forecastle has pilot's and officer's staterooms.  As well, the enlisted men have plenty of berthing areas both forward and aft in the forecastle deck.  The steam catapult cylinders are immediately underneath the forecastle deck and are located port and aft in the hangar bay torwards the bow.  Squadron Flight Ready rooms and the Ship's Sick Bay are also located on this level.  At the back of the ship, VA-163's Aviation Electronics Shop was just above the fantail at the stern of the ship and attack squadron VA-163's enlisted men slept on this level immediately inside from the starboard aft gun tub.  So VA-163 men were very close to work, just above them off the catwalk, to the flight deck, and just a couple flights of steps away from the AT shop.  Dennis and his squadron shipmates berthing area was located on this deck starboard aft.  It was just up the steps from the fantail as well, which back then was used as a smoking area.  Don't tell Greenpeace, but this is where the Navy dumped it's garbage off the fantail and into the sea behind it.