Last Passage

USS Independence (CV/CVA-62) was the US Navy’s most battle-experienced vessel when decommissioned in 1998, having served from the Cuban Missile Crisis to the Iraq War. But few would have predicted the 1,070-ft, 60,000-ton carrier’s last voyage from Washington State around South America via the Strait of Magellan to Texas (where she is being scrapped), 16,086 nautical miles, would be among the most epic.

Josh Shaw ’12 served as Chief Mate with Edison Chouest Offshore aboard AHTS Dino Chouest, which towed Independence in record time of 80 days to her last anchorage. The 348-ft. Dino Chouest, powered by two 10,880 hp diesel engines, towed the carrier using 2,000 ft. of wire with four shots of surge gear.