My visit to the US Navy Reserve Fleet in Bremerton, WA

JEFFHEAD.COM ^ | 16 Sep 2005 | Jeff Head

[Jeff Head]

I figured at this point only Wisonsin and Iowa would even be considered in an emergency...though if things were bad enough...who knows?

The Ruskies respected them...as did anyone on the receiving end of her main batteries.

Anyhow, I personally do not agree with the rapid decomissioning and scrapping of all of the Spruance class. I know the Burkes are more all-around multi-mission capable. But if things ever go up, we are going to need a lot of ASW platforms and they were very effective for that and (with the VLS) the land attack mode as well.

Anyhow, thanks for the input on the thread.

[Frank_Discussion]

"Good for you, keep her battle ready!"

If only. ;(

She's wonderful, but never again available for active duty.

[Jeff Head]

I agree on both counts. The BBs would be good to have around and the SSGNs are going to be very valuable...quiet too!

[Jeff Head]

It wasn;t in too bad shape back then...but I would love to see her again. Next time we get down home, I will have to take the trip down to see her.

[ArmyTeach]

Thank you! This is a wonderful set of pictures! I hope you enjoy the personal visits and extend our appreciation. Hearts are with our service men and women.

[Jeff Head]

I will...and I will! It was a wondeful trip for me and the wife both.

[Frank_Discussion]

You won't regret it.

[IGOTMINE]

When did you go to Sea School? I was MARDET on the Kittyhawk 87-89.

[Allen H]

AWESOME pics Jeff!!! Wow thanks. I am adding them to my picture library of military ships and aircraft. Thanks MUCH!!! Glad you had such a good trip! And those kids are too adorable. 8) Tenacious cute gene in your family huh? 8) Thanks again for the pics.

[tanknetter]

I agree on both counts. The BBs would be good to have around and the SSGNs are going to be very valuable...quiet too!

NP on your earlier reply.

The BBs are great and very flexible platforms. It's a shame that the extended range shells (40nm and GPS-guided 100nm range subcalibre sabots) never made it into service before they were gone.

But they are old and incredibly manpower/maintenance-intensive. Every Marine I know was a HUGE advocate of them ... until they saw what GPS-guided, all-weather smart weaps launched from orbiting B-52s could do.

A good case could be made that with forward-thinking upgrades (extended-range, GPS-guised shells for the 16" rifles, replace the existing 5" twins with the 62 caliber 5" mount, put a VLS farm in amidships, etc) they would be phenominal core ships for SAGs. But at what cost and what expense to other programs?

[jimtorr]

Thanks for the pictures, Jeff. I have family in Port Orchard, across the way from Bremerton. I haven't been up there for several years, now.

I remember as a small boy taking the ferry across the channel for a tour of the New Jersey as she lay in mothballs. I don't recall the tour, just the very small ferry boat.

My uncle there had an ashtray made from the butt of 5" shell that he claimed was an expended shell from the New Jersey. Lost in time, now, it is.

[badpacifist]

I went to high school in Bremerton. My mom still lives there. When the USS Missouri was there, it was the first place we took visitors. The USS New Jersey used to sit right next to it. You can see that in the opening shots of An Officer and a Gentleman when Richard Gere parks his motorcycle across from the two battleships.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Maybe someone with more up to date knowledge can clarify this: When the Iowas first sailed, they used Number 6 fuel to fire their eight boilers. After being returned to duty from one of their retirements, Iowa, NJ and Wisconsin were converted to Number 2 oil.
When did this happen?

[Jeff Head]

Thanks...we'll look forward to it now, just as much as I did as a young boy back in the 60s.

[tanknetter]

Maybe someone with more up to date knowledge can clarify this: When the Iowas first sailed, they used Number 6 fuel to fire their eight boilers. After being returned to duty from one of their retirements, Iowa, NJ and Wisconsin were converted to Number 2 oil. When did this happen?

I'm not familiar with that particular terminology. According to Malcom Muir, all four Iowas were converted from black oil to lighter Navy distillate fuel as part of their 1980s reactivation (one of their capabilities was to be able to draw upon their vast bunkerage to refuel their gas turbine powered escorts) ... that may be what you are asking about.

[Jeff Head]

Thank you! That cute gene, as is obvious, all comes from the better half's side...hehehe. And that's how it should be.

If you want some more good military pics, check out the US Navy pics for each vessel type on the PLAN vs USN comparison page at the following site I maintain:

[Jeff Head]

Well...the DDX ships are getting cut back and cut bak. I believe the BBs could be made into awesome arsenal ships with all of the upgrades you also mentioned. Wish they would give it a go...couldn;t be more expensive per copy than one DDX.

[Jeff Head]

We spent some time in Port Orchard, in fact the pics of the reserve fleet from the south were taken from there.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Number 6 is 'black oil" that looks and smells like asphalt...
This must mean that 6 oil was used through the Viet Nam period. The Iowas could carry 2.2 million gallons of oil. Glad I didn't get the job of cleaning out the bunker tanks.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Great shots thanks for posting them. My elder son is finishing his Navy Nuke training today and has been assigned to the USS Ohio which apparently will be in port for another year at least for the refitting.

This conversion is one which I had been wondering about for a while since it appeared to me that the need for strategic missile launchers was now less than the need for tactical one. Looks like the Navy was thinking along the same lines.

BTW who is the old coot with the cute kids? (Just kidding)