After the Navy, I thought I would like to work a few more years with the Goverment, so I become a civial service emplyee. I started my secoud career working for the Army as a 1060 still photographer, this went up to 1991, then I found myself working for the Navy again which was great, I was doing many of the things I did while on active duty.Then in 1996 I started work for the Coast Guard.All of this was in my field photography, I compleated my tweenty Years as a 1060 grade ten and retired a 2nd time in 2006.
I now have a photography office and I still can not wait to get to work every morning.
Built by New York Navy. Laid down 1 July 1955, launched 6 June 1958, commissioned 10 Jan 1959. Redesignated as a multimission carrier (CV 62) 28 February 1973. after being modified to operate ASW aircraft. SLEP at Philadelphia Navy Yard 4/1985 to mid-1988.
Replaced Midwayas forward-deployed carrier in Japan, 1991. Island was extensively enlarged during SLEP and other modernizations. Replaced by Kitty Hawk in July 1998 and decommissioned to reserve on 30 September 1998. Struck from the Navy list on 8 March 2004.
Status:Stricken, to be disposed of (Maintenance Category X).
Planned disposition:In April 2004 Navy officials identified ex-Independence as one of 24 decommissioned ships available to be sunk as artificial reefs. As of February 2008, however, she was scheduled to be dismantled in the next five years.