Iowa class battleships

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

Just now, slim67 said:

Looks like its the size of a frigate? pretty cool for sure.

 

Actually smaller than a Frigate. More the size of a Corvette. Still larger than the cutter I served on - and the oceans were just as deep!

[953 nut 51,676]

1 minute ago, WHX11 said:

Second thought Dick lets take off on that robotic lawnmower thingy and invent a robotic deck swabber  & sell it to the USN!

You bare definitely thinking outside the box!

 

7 minutes ago, shallowwatersailor said:

 

Actually smaller than a Frigate. More the size of a Corvette. Still larger than the cutter I served on - and the oceans were just as deep!

I spent a few years aboard a Mine Sweeper tender, the USS Pandemus, ARL-18 (converted WW2 LST) and did a few cruises on board MSOs. They were about 170' long and had a beam of 35'. I think our ocean was just as deep too.  

[slim67 2,730]

3 hours ago, shallowwatersailor said:

 

Actually smaller than a Frigate. More the size of a Corvette. Still larger than the cutter I served on - and the oceans were just as deep!

Are there corvettes still in service or most recently? Cutters are coast guard only boats right? Now from what ive read over the years and this list isnt for current ships but it went like this.

Battleship

Battlecruiser

Heavy Cruiser

Light Cruiser

Destroyer

Destroyer Escort- not sure if this is above or below Frigate?

Frigate

Corvette

PT boat

This stuff always fascinated me as a kid. I got a stack of " History of the Second World War " magazines from my Grandfather and read them all. I couldnt imagine what those guys went through serving on a ship during combat. The Iowa class to me was and is a symbol of National pride. 

[WHX?? 46,771]

You got the order right. Sounds like you have a penchant for naval vessels Slim.....really great since you paid for them and it is another interesting hobby

 I was always intrigued by frigates...old school thing .....until I got stationed on one!  The one I was on was still steam powered, USS Brewton, FF 1086. Took a lot to get her underway and maintain  but then lookout! Later service I had the privilege to go to sea on a an FFG, USS McCluskey, bit more sophisticated  with GE LM2500 drop in turbine modules & variable pitch props!  Quite the awesome ship! Sorry I got  on your thread but please understand  this is what all us old Navy guys understood in the days before retirement. 

[slim67 2,730]

1 minute ago, WHX11 said:

You got the order right. Sounds like you have a penchant for naval vessels Slim.....really great since you paid for them and it is another interesting hobby

 I was always intrigued by frigates...old school thing .....until I got stationed on one!  The one I was on was still steam powered, USS Brewton, FF 1086. Took a lot to get her underway and maintain  but then lookout! Later service I had the privilege to go to sea on a an FFG, USS McCluskey, bit more sophisticated  with GE LM2500 drop in turbine modules & variable pitch props!  Quite the awesome ship! Sorry I got  on your thread but please understand  this is what all us old Navy guys understood in the days before retirement. 

It sounds like its still in you though. Im sure you have experienced some things many of us will never. I hope you are enjoying your retirement. Thanks for your service.

[WHX?? 46,771]

Your welcome Slim, from all us veterans here.

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,345]

I'm an Army guy, having served as a 12B, Combat Engineer.  So, I'm a little out of my league when it comes to discussing Navy vessels.  But, due to my job, I spent some time on Navy bases, and on a few Navy vessels, mostly Frigates.  But, as I said, I was on the USS Missouri, and did go down into an aircraft carrier in San Diego to do some work on Harpoon missile related stuff.  And I was on one, or in one submarine, boy was that a tight fit.

 

Having said all that, I was impressed with the vessels I was on, and was impressed with how contain they were, as in, how life related stuff was contained when onboard and deployed on sea.  I don't think that kind of military life would be for me, but I can understand the lure it may have on others.  I do believe it's a good thing to spend some time in any branch of the military, it gives one some perspective to things other than themselves.

 

This is a very cool thread.!!!!!

[slim67 2,730]

2 hours ago, T-Mo said:

I'm an Army guy, having served as a 12B, Combat Engineer.  So, I'm a little out of my league when it comes to discussing Navy vessels.  But, due to my job, I spend some time on Navy bases, and on a few Navy vessels, mostly Frigates.  But, as I said, I was on the USS Missouri, and did go down into an aircraft carrier in San Diego to do some work on Harpoon missile related stuff.  And I was on one, or in one submarine, boy was that a tight fit.

 

Having said all that, I was impressed with the vessels I was on, and was impressed with how contain they were, as in, how life related stuff was contained when onboard and deployed on sea.  I don't think that kind of military life would be for me, but I can understand the lure it may have on others.  I do believe it's a good thing to spend some time in any branch of the military, it gives one some perspective to things other than themselves.

 

This is a very cool thread.!!!!!

I'm glad you like it Tmo. I should have went into some branch but didn't. I was a punk back then in some ways and hated authority. It probably have done me some good. Now the SeaBees that you were in have a very interesting history and would have been something I might have liked.

[stevasaurus 22,229]

I almost got on a sub once.  It pulled in to Winter Harbor, Me. when I was in the Navy for the 4th of July, Lobster Festival.  The line was too long and I had an eve watch that evening. 

  I have been through the U-Boat at the Museum of Science and Industry a couple of times.

[slim67 2,730]

33 minutes ago, stevasaurus said:

I almost got on a sub once.  It pulled in to Winter Harbor, Me. when I was in the Navy for the 4th of July, Lobster Festival.  The line was too long and I had an eve watch that evening. 

  I have been through the U-Boat at the Museum of Science and Industry a couple of times.

Not to change the subject Steve but I noticed a connection in your username here and in your YouTube vids. Do you like dinosaurs? 

[classicdmax 190]

I have some friends who work for Electric Boat on Quonset Air Force base in Rhode Island. From what they have told me is when the "wet" a sub, they have a ceremony for the event. They also indicate as employees they can get tickets for spectators....I'm waiting on the next wetting for I'd love to see that

[slim67 2,730]

1 hour ago, classicdmax said:

I have some friends who work for Electric Boat on Quonset Air Force base in Rhode Island. From what they have told me is when the "wet" a sub, they have a ceremony for the event. They also indicate as employees they can get tickets for spectators....I'm waiting on the next wetting for I'd love to see that

that would be worth going to.

[rjg854 10,737]

I was on my son's boat the USB Tennessee when it was in Kings Bay, GA, when it was in dry dock being updated.  Pretty amazing to see them cut a whole section of the sub out and put a new section in it's place.  We were only allowed to see certain sections of the boat because of secrecy concerns.  Talk about cramped quarters.

[slim67 2,730]

58 minutes ago, rjg854 said:

I was on my son's boat the USB Tennessee when it was in Kings Bay, GA, when it was in dry dock being updated.  Pretty amazing to see them cut a whole section of the sub out and put a new section in it's place.  We were only allowed to see certain sections of the boat because of secrecy concerns.  Talk about cramped quarters.

I dont think I would get used to being on a sub but im glad there are people that do.

[Ken B 3,116]

I have been fortunate enough to have been on quite a few boats.. I'm from a Navy family having my Dad and a few brothers who served. Looking back it was a big mistake having not done so myself and I regret having not enlisted myself. I was able to go out on the destroyer USS King for family day while my brother served. What an awesome day. we steamed out for a few hrs. where we dropped anchor and had a family picnic of burgers and dogs with all the fixins prepared by the enlisted men on deck on big barbecues. We were able to wander around the boat all day and were able to go just about anywhere. I spent a lot of the day up on the bridge where I found the captain to be one of the nicest guys you'd ever meet and I was allowed to even sit in his chair! What an honor for a 14 yr. old kid at the time.. I also spent a good bit of time in the radar room. My brother Mike was actually the head in charge of the radar room. 

It was just a few yrs. later I got to repeat this entire experience of family day aboard my brother Dave's boat, the USS Eisenhower, (the Mighty Ike) an air craft carrier. Another great day at sea for me. Being able to watch the F-14's (if memory is correct) take off and land from such a close vantage point was something I'll never forget. Again, we were able to wander the boat all day long and go just about anywhere we wanted to go, and I certainly did. I've been on quite a few battleships, When I was a kid I also went on and toured the German sub, the U-505 which we captured at sea during WW2 and the submarine USS Nautilus in Groton CT. 

[pfrederi 17,147]

Great Quote   Newbie "How deep can she go"  Chief of the Boat "All the way to the bottom if we don't stop her."

 

If my 2.5 ton or jeep died I could walk back... i don't swim that well.

[slim67 2,730]

3 hours ago, Ken B said:

I have been fortunate enough to have been on quite a few boats.. I'm from a Navy family having my Dad and a few brothers who served. Looking back it was a big mistake having not done so myself and I regret having not enlisted myself. I was able to go out on the destroyer USS King for family day while my brother served. What an awesome day. we steamed out for a few hrs. where we dropped anchor and had a family picnic of burgers and dogs with all the fixins prepared by the enlisted men on deck on big barbecues. We were able to wander around the boat all day and were able to go just about anywhere. I spent a lot of the day up on the bridge where I found the captain to be one of the nicest guys you'd ever meet and I was allowed to even sit in his chair! What an honor for a 14 yr. old kid at the time.. I also spent a good bit of time in the radar room. My brother Mike was actually the head in charge of the radar room. 

It was just a few yrs. later I got to repeat this entire experience of family day aboard my brother Dave's boat, the USS Eisenhower, (the Mighty Ike) an air craft carrier. Another great day at sea for me. Being able to watch the F-14's (if memory is correct) take off and land from such a close vantage point was something I'll never forget. Again, we were able to wander the boat all day long and go just about anywhere we wanted to go, and I certainly did. I've been on quite a few battleships, When I was a kid I also went on and toured the German sub, the U-505 which we captured at sea during WW2 and the submarine USS Nautilus in Groton CT. 

That sounds like a once in a lifetime experience. Thanks for sharing with everyone.

7 minutes ago, pfrederi said:

Great Quote   Newbie "How deep can she go"  Chief of the Boat "All the way to the bottom if we don't stop her."

 

If my 2.5 ton or jeep died I could walk back... i don't swim that well.

I think an amphibious assault vehicle would be a good addition to your military collection. Then you can drive your way out of the wet stuff.

[illinilefttackle 399]

Bringing the Battle Ships back into service- would be as daunting of a job as it would be "Reconditioning" me to play along side Butkus again! Nice idea- but not gonna happen!- Al

Edited April 12, 2017 by illinilefttackle

[WHX?? 46,771]

3 hours ago, Ken B said:

had a family picnic of burgers and dogs with all the fixins prepared by the enlisted men on deck on big barbecues

We called those steel beach parties Ken! Along with trap shooting off the fantail. I thought we didn't get do this stuff on submarines... what was I thinkin for those four years I was on them!

[slim67 2,730]

1 hour ago, illinilefttackle said:

Bringing the Battle Ships back into service- would be as daunting of a job as it would be "Reconditioning" me to play along side Butkus again! Nice idea- but not gonna happen!- Al

Don't sell yourself short. Dick and yourself may have one game left to play.

Edited April 12, 2017 by slim67

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

5 hours ago, pfrederi said:

Great Quote   Newbie "How deep can she go"  Chief of the Boat "All the way to the bottom if we don't stop her."

 

If my 2.5 ton or jeep died I could walk back... i don't swim that well.

 I use to like sending the "Boot" FAs for a bucket of steam. My buddy who was a deckie topside would send them for 1,000 feet of shoreline!

[WHX?? 46,771]

17 hours ago, shallowwatersailor said:

1,000 feet of shoreline!

Go get me a 100 ft. of chow line was my fav John!

[953 nut 51,676]

5 hours ago, WHX11 said:

Go get me a 100 ft. of chow line was my fav John!

 

22 hours ago, shallowwatersailor said:

deckie topside would send them for 1,000 feet of shoreline!

Being an ET and Radarman my favorite was to send someone to stores for a bucket of "Relative Bearing Grease"

astrolabesailing.com

In nautical navigation the relative bearing of an object is the clockwise angle in degrees from the heading of the vessel to a straight line drawn from the observation station on the vessel to the object.

[Pullstart 59,713]

I was able to visit Pearl Harbor last week (we were in Maui for my sister in-law's wedding) and seeing the Mighty Mo, Hangar 79, and the humble Arizona Memorial really brought a lot of life's history lessons into perspective.  While on the USS Missouri the guide to our tour said it would cost something like (can't quote me) $400-800 million to bring a battleship back into service again... not to mention the cost of doing business with old (yet impressive) technology.  He also talked about the movie that came out and how cheesy it might have been, the pride of so many to see Mo sailing out of the harbor.  It was a great trip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 13, 2017 by pullstart

[stevasaurus 22,229]

Anybody ever have to walk around in the morning and get the EMHO log signed.