Naval Craft (past & present)

[Major 2]

At the suggest of Blair Taylor, and a passion of mine, we'll see where this goes  

So here is the place to talk Ships of the Line, Carriers , Battle wagons , Tin Cans , PT's , even Tall Ships and Ironclads.
If it floats, it's welcome what say you ?

I'll start...

I bring to your attention the USS Columbine  a Union side wheel Gun Boat captured and burned by the 2nd Florida Cavalry
May 22 1864 in Florida on the St. Johns River.
She was steaming near present day Palatka at Horse landing, she was ambushed by Capt. JJ Dickinson with 27 men and one Artillery piece. It is the only known incident in history where a cavalry unit sank an enemy gunboat.
After a short exchange of fire in which the Steering gear was disabled , she was run aground and surrendered under heavy fire.
Dickinson set her a fire so she would not be recaptured by the USS Ottawa steaming in vanguard just a few miles away.
Over half the crew were wounded and were sent to Andersonville  Ga.
The captured lifeboat taken from the Columbine was later given by Dickison to John S. Breckenridge, (Confederate Secretary of War) who used it to make for the Florida Keys, where he found passage and escaped to Cuba at the end of the war.

[Blair]

Major 2,

I think this is a good start.

My experience comes through my association with Naval Aircraft.
This is one of my reasons for not adding to the "Aircraft" section of this forum.
It is not because I don't have an interest in these Army/Air Force Aircraft. I grew up with most of them as a Air Force Brat!

However, as a "kid" I can only relate to what I remember seeing. These might be good stories for many here... but they may also be subject to faulty memory on my part? This is why I have not added much on the Aircraft section of this forum.

While in the Service, My primary MOS, (Those that have served know what this means.) was as an Aviation Ordnance Man.
We loaded bombs, rocket and gun ammo on the aircraft. we were known as BB stackers and when "stuff" started going south here in the States, we were called, "Baby Killers!"

My cross training also included being the Plain Captain for the Skipper's ship of the Squadron, Special Weapons Loading Crew and, the Ordnance Specialist assigned to "Check Crew".

Yea, I like Naval Air. I have been their and done that! And feel qualified to comment on it.
My best,
Blair

[Texas Lawdog]

I like bombers as well as fighters. The B-25 is my  favorite  bomber and I have 3 favorite fighters, the P-38, theP-51, and the Corsair. They built the Corsair in Grand Prairie, Texas, where I live. I have been a fan of VMF-214(Black Sheep) ever since the TV series. One of my wife's teacher friends is the daughter of Ed Shifflet, who was a Black Sheep.  Ed broke Pappy's leg at the O club one night while they were wrestling.

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[Texas Lawdog]

I have been fortunate to be able to visit many military museums and tour several Naval vessels, The Alabama, The Texas, The Lexington, The Kidd, the Sea Wolf, the Nautilus, The Pampanito, and the Arizona memorial. My wife had a cousin that went down on the Arizona.

[Arcey]

History is written by the victors.

In the years following the Battle of Hampton Roads, contents of texts have been related to school children across the country as the engagement of The Monitor and The Merrmac, or The Battle of Hampton Roads is a l'il less than complete. The efforts of the carpetbagger-dictated revisionist history has even resulted in the improper naming of a span crossing the James River within easy sight of the scene of the historic battle. Naming the bridge tunnel properly would have seen the construction christened as the Monitor Virginia Memorial Bridge Tunnel rather than the Monitor Merrimac Memorial Bridge Tunnel.

In their brazen attempt to smother regional pride, and over the protests of historians, ‘n ‘Northernize’ history, they not only failed to properly identify the Confederate ironclad, they even failed to properly identify the ship whose scuttled then salvaged hull was used by the craftsmen of the Norfolk Navy Yard in the construction of the historic warship. Properly, she was the Merrimack, with a K.    

The record accurately reflects the battle taking place on March 9, 1862 with neither vessel able to take out the other. After repairs and the removal of injured crewmen, the two would face one another again but not another shot would be fired. Each Captain played chess by trying to lure the opponent into a disadvantage. There, the Union held the edge. Their forces occupied Fort Monroe with guns heavy enough to devastate the Confederate ironclad.  The captain of the Virginia was well aware of the capabilities of the fort ‘n kept his ship and crew well out of range.

With Norfolk falling into enemy hands, the Virginia was scuttled in early May 1862. And so, the struggle between the two ends according to mainstream history lessons. But, it wasn’t over. The very essence of the Virginia would clash with the Monitor once again.

We’ll discuss it later.

As an aside:



The Arizona, BB-39, dry docked while being overhauled and modernized at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Va. Where the CSS Virginia was built.

Notice the tripod masts on the Arizona ‘n think about photographs you’ve seen of them post December 7, ’41.

[Gus Walker]

  I have had the Honor of visiting the USS Wisconsin at the Nauticus Museum in Norfolk Virginia. Love those great old battlewagons. Those 16 inch guns are awesome.

[Mean Bob Mean]

History is written by the victors.

The Monitor's guns had not been tested with full charges and he'd wanted to mount the larger 15 inch Dahlgrens, had they done so they'd have sluiced the Virginia in short order.  The Confederate rams and ironclads, given what they had to work with, were terrific ships and so ably manned, but they didn't stand a chance against the industrialized north in a protracted engagement. 

The fear the Virginia sent through the Union Navy on first appearance though was really something.  Would have been cool to have been on one of those ironclads wouldn't it?  Amazing how those two days changed naval warfare. 

[Four-Eyed Buck]

They were both hot, loud, and smokey things to be in. Had they been able to use full charges in the Dahlgrens, the Monitor might have been able to damage the Virginia much more severely. Even with the 11 incher's she had.

Arcey, I wish that pic of the Arizona had showed up. All I got was a blank space with a red X in the corner.

To see the Monitor's turret and guns is on my bucket list

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Only WW II warship I've been able to tour is The Cod up in Cleveland

[pony express]

Since I live in the middle of the country, opportunities to tour ships of any kind are pretty limited. We did tour the Lexington when we went to the GAF Muster in Texas a few years ago. That was actually my second time aboard her, waaaayyy back when I was 16, we went aboard at Pensacola, but the "tour" then wasn't nearly as good as at Galveston. She was still active as a training ship at that time, about all we did was walk around the flight deck, hangar deck, and look at a display case with some models of planes that had flown from her in the past. That tour was pretty much a let down, even worse it made us late getting to Mobile, so we arrived too late to go aboard the Alabama.

In another case of bad timing, Wife and I spent an afternoon with some friends in the big museum in Chicago, and were too short on time(And my wife was pregnant and tired of walking around) to go inside the U-boat they have there. If I get another chance to visit there, I'll be sure to make the U-boat the first place I go in there.

I'll be watching this thread, even though I did my time on land in the Army, Dad and all three of his brothers were in the Navy, all the brothers during WWII, Dad was the youngest wasn't in until '51-53.

[Mean Bob Mean]

To see the Monitor's turret and guns is on my bucket list

Mine as well!  Like to see the Texas and Alabama too.  I have made NAS Pensacola museum, that is great fun.  My brother in law (CPO at time) took me on a great tour of the Hue City (CG-66).  Impressive craft.  

Tell you what, if you are ever in Paris, a must see )IMO) is the Musée national de la Marine.  One of the best museums I have ever been in.  Online here:  http://www.musee-marine.fr/version_uk.html

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Ooooo, there's another one for the list! F-6-F's, F-4-F's, Dauntless'es,TBF/M's, and maybe a PBY! Oh, yeah!

[Mean Bob Mean]

Ooooo, there's another one for the list! F-6-F's, F-4-F's, Dauntless'es,TBF/M's, and maybe a PBY! Oh, yeah!

If you ever want to go, drop me a note and I will meet you. 

[Major 2]

If in Charleston SC , head over to the Warren Lasch Conservation Center
, and view the HL Hunley , I guarantee it will awe you ! 

1250 Supply Street (on the old Charleston Navy Base)
North Charleston, South Carolina 29405

[Mean Bob Mean]

If in Charleston SC , head over to the Warren Lasch Conservation Center
, and view the HL Hunley , I guarantee it will awe you ! 

1250 Supply Street (on the old Charleston Navy Base)
North Charleston, South Carolina 29405

Also on my list.  What an amazing innovation that was. 

[Gus Walker]

  The Hunley is also on my Bucket list. Also a Aircraft carrier. I have read all i could get my hands on about the Hunley,and watched any tv show on it. Now to go into battle with that thing took guts.

[Major 2]

Gus 
 Then Charleston is the place to go ...The Yorktown is there 

[Arcey]

Try the link, Buck. Scroll down to the bottom of the page. Three images of her at the facility.

http://www.navsource.org/archives/01/39g.htm

[Texas Lawdog]

The Cawffee and Hot water are ready for drinking this morning.

[Major 2]

There is or was a plan to make an IMAX film on the Hunley...
I was involved in the Pre pre Production as Production designer
Ray Herbeck Producer and Ben Burtt Director...

While scouting locations, We had the opportunity to visit the Hunley not long after they began the recovery of the inside.... Still in the desalinization tank.

The emotion I felt was euphoric ...Pride, elation, excitement, honor and awe... I viewed the artifacts and some of the remains
saw the $20 Gold Double Eagle , Dixon was known to carry....I even have a replica of the coin given me by the Producer.
Sadly the Film never received funding and was shelved.

If you see just one ship, the Hunley should be that one !