The Forrestal design came close to preserving another feature associated with USS United States: an island that could retract into the ship. The mechanism would have been difficult to make practical. Senior admirals also wanted more room for flag personnel, command staffs, and bridge functions than a retractable structure could provide. Aviation geometry and the ship's role as a fleet command platform both shaped the final layout.
Notable Point · 4:26-5:46
A retractable island loses out to command-space demands
A retractable island inherited from USS United States thinking proved mechanically awkward and too small for flag staffs and ship-control functions.