Posted on 09/16/2005 10:33:08 AM PDT by Jeff Head
Note: Click on any of the pictures in this report for a larger image.
Over the 2005 Labor Day weekend we drove from Idaho to Bremerton, WA to visit my daughter and son-in-law (active duty US Navy) and our two grandsons. A secondary reason was to take a look at the US Navy reserve fleet there in Bremerton and to see any current US Navy vessels in the yards.
The trip over was very beautiful and pleasant. There is a lot of very beuatiful scenary between Idaho and Washington. Here are some pictures of some of that scenary.
Once we arrived in Bremerton, we greated and spent time with our daughter and her family, including the birthday celebration of our four year-old grandson.
We were able to spend a good deal of time down by the water, which is somethiong I always enjoy. Here are some good views across the Sound to Seattle...which is just about close enough for yours truly.
Now, for the principle reason and point of this post. There in Bremerton, to the west of the Naval Shipyards, is the anchorage for the component of the reserve fleet harbored there. The ships are older, but still very modern and capable by the rest of the world standards. Here are some pictures I got of those naval ships...awaiting faithful service if ever required.
The US Naval reserve fleet there in Bremerton represents several frigates and destroyers, an AEGIS cruiser, three full deck aircraft carriers, and several amphibious and support ships. Those ships alone, if in service, would be more powerful by themselves than the naval capabilities of over 90% of the other nations in the world. The United States maintains a significant number of such anchorages for reserve fleets around the United States. Many of those ships are in mobilizaton category B status, meaning they are mothballed for reactivation in times of crisis. Others are awaiting disposal and categorization, either for sale to foreign allies, foru use in naval exercises, or awaiting scrapping. .
On this trip, as an added bonus, we were able to observe two US Navy front line vessels, the USS John Stennis and USS Ohio, in port undergoing maintenance and significant upgrades and refit at the Bremerton Naval shiptards. I got several pictures of them and here are a couple.
Thanks for taking the time to share this family trip with us, and the pride we have in the UNited States military and the loyal men and woman who works so hard to defend our liberty and the fundamental moral values that define our way of life, and all of those who give so much of themselves to maintain and serve that cause.
Jeff Head
Idaho, USA
Author of the THE RISING SEA DRAGON IN ASIA
As a future soldier hoping to command Abrams tanks, I'm partial to the idea of putting 16 inch guns on the Abrams!
(Of course, the recoil an Abrams would feel from that would be killer.)
Seriously, though, I agree that it was a mistake to get rid of the Iowas, and probably even more of a mistake not to build new battleships or battlecruisers.
Sorry for the double post -- can't remember the last time I did that!
I may get on the Stennis next time I am there...it's one of the ships my son-in-law is going to put me in to tour, along with his sub. If I do I will let you know and maybe hook up with him...though while they are in home port he is probably off with the airwing.
No prob whatsoever on the double post...happens to all of us.
Bump for Arlen to see later.
Those old battlewagons might be a little obsolete in today's missle technology - but I'll bet one of them would make a dandy hurricaine shelter for a couple of thousand people in a pinch.
Was that the "Texas" that took a direct hit from Katrina?
The one I saw on TV was listing to port a little, but seemed to be pretty intact otherwise. I'll bet that anyone riding out the storm aboard her might have been a little shaken up, but otherwise fine. And she was broadside to the wind and waves, wasn't she?
From what I've heard, a battleship or carrier can ride out a cat 4 huricaine without getting too nervous about it.
If some of these "mothballed" ships could be fitted out as seagoing shelters - magazines and hangers retrofitted to living quarters etc. - they could be positioned in strategic locations in hurricane ally during the season to take on passengers in the path of a big one, reducing the numbers to be evacuated - or to evacuate many by sea, taking pressure off of the roadways. A carrier could probably take quite a few vehicles as well, I suppose.
They could also serve as temporary shelter and emergency services HQ after the storm.
Should the "big one" hit the West Coast, a few such ships could be ideal refuge for many suddenly homeless residents.
Just read in our paper that the Maine Maritime Academy training ship "State of Maine" was called down to LA to provide shelter for emergency service workers after Katrina and through Rita, as well as for many of the residents who were rescued from the aftermath.
Just imagine how many survivors an old flattop could put up. And rescue / medevac choppers could land right on the deck, with a triage center and field hospital set up below.
Kind of a pity that they let them rust at anchor when they could be saving lives somewhere.
Those hulks rafted up at the James River reserve look as though they are about ready to serve as targets and/or artificial reefs somewhere.
How many battleships remain in "mothball" status, BTW?
Wouldn't it be cool if someone with enough money could rent one from the Navy to take on a Pacific cruise?
The tickets might be pricy, but I'd bet that a lot of retired sailors and military history buffs would sign up for it - especially if a few LP gas or "blank" broadsides from those big guns could be arranged.
Sort of like mammoth carbide cannon or potato bazooka.
Heck; lob a few pumkins or watermellons while you're at it! (The compressed air used to pop the tompions would probably do that).
I would love to see one of them sail in to Portland Harbor / Casco Bay! It'd be an ideal platform for launching a July 4th fireworks display, wouldn't it?
USS Iowa fires a full broadside of nine 16 inch (406 mm) 50-cal. and six 5 inch (127 mm) 38-cal. guns during a target exercise. Note concussion effects on the water surface, and 16-inch (406 mm) gun barrels in varying degrees of recoil.See posts 58 and 153 for where the Ohios are today, also see the Wikipedia article on the Ohios.
As for modern missile technology obsoleting them...they are better armored and can better survive a hit than any ships in the fleet (actually any fleet) today, and can carry and their support ships can carry electronic and active antimissile systems.
As far as temporary hurricane shelters...what would it take to literally "get them up to speed" in terms of cost, logistics, trained crew? It would be interesting to see a study on that.
As far as a military ship cruise that sounds like fun...but very expensive. Maybe the way to do it would be set up a foundation to accept a ship and the cruise revenue would be what allowed the maintenance and other costs. Ex-navy would be allowed to crew skilled positions, unskilled cruisers would be given a quick orientation in noncritical tasks. They could re-fight WWII with encounters with mock enemies. All sorts of possibilities.
That graphic didn't post, for some reason - but it's been posted before (i'm pretty sure it's the same one). Very spectacular; I saved it for future refference.
I can't imagine the thunderous roar those big 16" guns must emit; it's almost a shame that they will probably never speak again in peace or war.
By "demilling" I assume that means cutting off the screws and rudders, cutting holes in the boilers, and removing most of the electronics. In other words, they will never sail under their own steam again - if at all.
The idea of a Naval battle re-enactment is one I've shared with you for years; they can rig the AA guns to fire quite realisically on propane - complete with recoil. Have a few old Texan trainers rigged up as Zeros to buzz the ship and drop a few flour-bag "bombs" as pyrotechnics are going off all around, then pop smoke and pretend to spin in as if "hit" etc.. WW-II buffs would have a ball!
You could have a 2-week "summer camp" I suppose to train the wannabe crew - perhaps led by some of the remaining BB veterans. How many college kids can say that they "crewed" aboard a battleship?
Now that would be a memorable experience!
Up here in Maine they have occasional programs where they will get a crew together to man one of the replica sailing ships to take on a tour of various ports for a summer or so.
Experienced Sailors teach the ropes to new hands en route.
And they get a lot more applicants than they have berths.
Multiply that by about 100 and you get a battleship tour!
I'll bet that a lot of active and retired Navy vets would just love to go out one more time on one of the grand old battlewagons.
Imagine what the passengers of a luxury liner would think when the old Iowa steamed majesticly up alongside?
We both know it's a pipe dream - but still fun to imagine, isn't it?
I read somewhere in here that the BBs can bunker what... 2.2 million gallons?
Yikes! No wonder the rusting corpses lying in Pearl Harbor are still leaking oil 64 years after they died.
Just for comparison, how much does the average seagoing oil tanker carry?
I think that the Power generating plant that I worked at for a while used "Bunker C", which is pretty much as you described N6 being. They had to heat the pipes and tanks to a couple hundred degrees just so the stuff would flow through 'em.
As a kid I remember some WW-II Navy Vet telling us that every once in a while a hapless Sailor would fall into a bunker while refueling a battleship.
Sometimes they could fish the body out with a grappling hook - more often than not he was simply never seen or heard from again.
Hey, so did I. West High, class of '65. My folks still live in town.
I went active duty in '66, spent a year or so at Sonar school, then served aboard the USS Biddle, DLG-34.
Thanks.
USS Iowa fires a full broadside of nine 16 inch (406 mm) 50-cal. and six 5 inch (127 mm) 38-cal. guns during a target exercise. Note concussion effects on the water surface, and 16-inch (406 mm) gun barrels in varying degrees of recoil.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Uss_iowa_bb-61_pr.jpg
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