Posted on 10/23/2014 5:13:43 PM PDT by EternalVigilance
The USS Ranger maintains an important place in the military and cultural history of the United States, as well as in the personal history of the thousands of Navy, Marine, and Air Force personnel who served on board. The ship served the country with distinction in the Vietnam (earning 13 battle stars) and Gulf (flying more combat missions than any other carrier) Wars, as well as in humanitarian missions. Noted entertainers, including Bob Hope, Raquel Welch, Les Brown, Suzanne Somers, Gladys Knight & The Pips and Marie Osmond entertained on the flight deck. Noted visitors to Ranger include astronaut Neil Armstrong, then-VP George H.W. Bush, and Queen Elizabeth II. The ship appeared in both “Top Gun” and “Star Trek IV.” And, this cause is a personal one for my family: One of the shipmates aboard in Vietnam was my father, and I also "served" on board for three days as a baby.
In October 2013, the Navy announced that it was essentially giving away the USS Forrestal, a similar carrier, for scrap. On 18 February 2014, Forrestal arrived at the scrapyard in Texas - making Ranger's situation that much more critical. On 5 May, we got the sad news that USS Saratoga, anohther of Ranger's sister ships, is also headed for scrap, and was also given away. On 13 June NAVSEA awarded a contract for the scrapping of a Bremerton-based carrier - USS Consetllation - this time at a $3M cost to US taxpayers. In fact, all four Forrestal-class carriers are currently designated "Stricken - to be disposed of." Please don't let this happen to the Ranger! Tell the Navy that you care about this important piece of our history and want it to reconsider plans to turn the ship into a museum so that future generations can learn about its history firsthand.
I started this petition because I truly believe that by working together we can make a difference, and that we simply cannot abandon this ship without at least putting up a good fight and making our voices heard.
Please sign and join us! Join us on Twitter @SaveUSSRanger and speak up on social media using #SaveTheRanger #CVA61 #CV61 #SaveTopGun
Thank you!
Perhaps I should have chosen the Wisconsin as an example.
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ALL MUSEUM SHIPS
IOWA (BB61) Los Angeles
NEW JERSEY (BB62) Camden NJ area ...ACROSS RIVER FROM Philadelphia where the Olympia is on display
MISSOURI (BB63) Pearl Harbor
WISCONSIN (BB64) Norfolk VA
Battleship USS Alabama
http://www.ussalabama.com/
I saw two of the reactivated BB's shoot full broadsides, with intent to kill.
Shame.
Shame.
Shame.
Please ping every sailor on FR.
Right...couple more also...think NC, Texas is still around. I mentioned the 4 ‘newest’ ones as that is the tack the poster was ‘taking’......
Guess about 40 lashes with a wet noodle will suffice. <:
There is a picture from the mid 50’s with the 4 Iowa Class BB’s steaming in formation.....Nice....
If it doesn't have a 16 inch battery, it's not a BB:)
Sad to say, it’s doubtful the scrap will be used to build more ships.
Thanks for the years of your life that you devoted to the service of your country.
If it doesn’t have a 16 inch battery, it’s not a BB:)
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Brits had 18” in WWI
and then there is the Yamato had 9 of them bad boys ....greatest Kamikaze of all time.
Gave it enough fuel to get to Okinawa...
12 Kampon boilers, driving four steam turbines[4]
Four three-bladed propellers[4]
Speed: 27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph)[4]
Range: 7,200 nmi (13,334 km; 8,286 mi) at 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)[4]
Complement: 2,500–2,800[4][5]
Armament:
(1941) 9 × 46 cm (18.1 in) (3×3)[4]
12 × 155 mm (6.1 in) (4×3)[4]
12 × 127 mm (5.0 in) (6x2)[4]
24 × 25 mm (0.98 in) (8×3)[4]
4 × 13.2 mm (0.52 in) AA (2×2)[4]
Armament:
(1945) 9 × 46 cm (18.1 in) (3×3)[6]
6 × 155 mm (6.1 in) (2×3)[6]
24 × 127 mm (5.0 in) (12x2)[6]
162 × 25 mm (0.98 in) Anti-Aircraft (52×3, 6×1)[6]
4 × 13.2 mm (0.52 in) AA (2×2)[6]
Armor: 650 mm (26 in) on face of main turrets[7]
410 mm (16 in) side armor[7]
200 mm (7.9 in) central(75%) armored deck[7]
226.5 mm (8.92 in) outer(25%) armored deck[7]
Aircraft carried: 7[7]
Aviation facilities: 2 aircraft catapults[7]
I’m there. Thanks for posting.
Thanks for serving. I’ll bet you have some of the most important memories and experiences of your life there...
Semper Fi, USS Ranger MarDet 1990 to 1992. I was on her final ride; Persian Gulf and Somolia. Met my wife while on board. Her parents met while her father was stationed on the Ranger, as well.
Go sign the petition!
The USS Texas (BB-35) was built in 1914. In 1948 it became a floating museum in Houston TX and is the oldest floating BB museum.
I served on the USS FDR (CVA-42), sister ship to the Midway and Coral Sea, 1960-62. During Med Cruise we had the company of the Ranger, Saratoga, Shangri-La, and a couple of other carriers. The FDR was scrapped out sometime in the late ‘60s or early ‘70s, and when my mom sent me the newspaper article announcing that it was like I’d lost a part of me. I was a V-2 Cat, so was able to really enjoy some fantastic views at Sunrise and Sunset, as well as a fresh breeze (when the weather wasn’t lousy).
Thanks to all Freepers that served!
My ships was in NNSY in early 77 and FDR was there being readied to go to a Kearney, New Jersey company yard for scrapping. Decommissioned 30 September 1977. Disposed of 04/01/1978. The rush to crush seemed to be based on a fear that Carter would try and re-commission and it could not handle more modern aircraft. I remember my First Class going to the ship to see what we could use.
Unfortunately, she will suffer the fate of most ships, the bottom or the breakers.
Thanks for providing the dates of ‘77-’78. It was a while ago, and I’d forgotten when it finally bit the dust.
Amazing, isn’t it, how a sailor can become attached emotionally to a ship? .....I most remember the good times and crewmates/liberties, while seldom thinking about the hard work, heat and cold.
While that may well be, at least this attempt to preserve her gives us a chance for us to honor those who served, and for those who served, to remember...
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