⚓ History of the USS Oriskany

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Commissioned in 1950, the USS Oriskany (CV-34) — nicknamed the “Mighty O” — was an Essex-class aircraft carrier that served as a cornerstone of U.S. naval power during the Cold War.

She launched squadrons of fighter jets during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, supported countless missions, and carried generations of sailors across the Pacific. At nearly 900 feet long, she was a floating city — a symbol of American strength and naval innovation.

After decades of service, the Oriskany was decommissioned in 1976. But her story didn’t end there. In 2006, she was intentionally sunk off the coast of Pensacola, Florida, becoming the largest artificial reef in the world. Today, she rests upright on the seafloor, her massive superstructure reaching toward the surface, transformed into a thriving ecosystem and one of the most iconic wreck dives on Earth.