Sinking of the USS Vandenberg in Key West

The USS Vandenberg is a MASSIVE ship. To get a better sense of the scale of this vessel, here are all the USS Vandenberg clips from the movie Virus.

Above, picture of the Vandenberg beginning to sink as a result of the explosive charges detonated throughout the vessel. Hundreds of vessels gathered 7 miles offshore of Key West to witness this once in a lifetime event.

In what was an event of a lifetime, the USS Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg has been sunk off Key West to become one of the world's largest artificial shipwreck reefs.

The Vandenberg sinking was a spectacular and memorable experience.

The sinking occured May 27, 2009 seven miles south of Key West in approximately 140 feet of water. Hundreds of other boats gathered to see the historic vessel sink.

Here are a few specs on this massive ship:

• Length: 520 feet
• Beam (width): 71.5 feet
• Weight: 13,000 tons
• Sea speed: 17 knots

The Vandenberg has a long history in its service in the US Navy and US Air Force.

"The ex-USAFS Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg was first commissioned as the troop transport USNS Gen. Harry Taylor. The ship saw service in WWII, post-war immigration, the Hungarian Revolution, and the Cold War. After decommissioning, it even starred in a popular motion picture. As an artificial reef, the ship will not only be a recreational resource for divers and fishermen, but will serve as an underwater classroom for the Florida Keys Community College, and be a platform for ground-breaking research in reef monitoring as mandated by the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Management Plan."

The USS Vandenberg also had a starring role in the 1999 movie "Virus" - starring Jamie Lee Curtis. You can view clips of the movie by clicking on the video player on this page.

For those interested in seeing the Vandenberg in her new underwater home visit Key West scuba diving.