The ship was named for the Battle of Oriskany during the Revolutionary War. The history of Oriskany differs considerably from that of her sister ships. Originally designed as a "long-hulled" Essex -class ship considered by some authorities to be a separate class, the Ticonderoga class , she was not completed and construction was suspended in after the end of World War II. She eventually was converted to an updated design called SCB "Charlie" and commissioned in This updated version became the template for modernization of 14 other Essex -class ships.
Oriskany was the final Essex -class ship completed. She operated primarily in the Pacific into the s, earning two battle stars for service in the Korean War , and ten for service in the Vietnam War. In , one of the worst shipboard fires since World War II broke out on Oriskany when a magnesium flare was accidentally ignited; forty-four men died in the fire. Oriskany ' s post-service history also differs considerably from that of her sister ships.
Decommissioned in , she was sold for scrap in , but was repossessed in because nothing was being done. In , the Navy decided to sink her to create an artificial reef off the coast of Florida in the Gulf of Mexico. After much environmental review and remediation to remove toxic substances, the ship was carefully sunk in May She settled in an upright position at a depth accessible to recreational divers.
As of , Oriskany is the largest vessel ever sunk to make a reef. The name "Oriskany" was originally assigned to CV , but that hull was renamed Wasp when the keel was laid in Clarence Cannon.
To handle the new generation of carrier aircraft, the flight deck structure was massively reinforced. Stronger elevators, more powerful hydraulic catapults , and new arresting gear were installed. The island structure was rebuilt, the anti-aircraft turrets were removed, and blisters were added to the hull.
