Battleships

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Only surviving "Dreadnought Class" BB left
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Uhh, not to be pickin on ya or anything, but "Dreadnought era" would be more appropriate. This is because the ship is from the same time period, and is the result of, the first all-big-gun main battery BB, HMS Dreadnought.

The Texas is a New York class BB, being one of a two-ship production run. The other being the New York, of course
 
not a BB....but a hard working DD.....

If you get the chance...tour the USS Kidd DD-661 in Baton Rouge, La. She is a fully restored Fletcher class DD....looks as she did in 1945. She is an impressive museum and well worth the trip.

The USS Salem is now a museum in Quincy MA...never been there, hope to someday.

And...I grew up about seven miles from the San Jacinto Battleground..the site where the USS Texas BB-35 now rests. Well worth the time...take the hardhat tour.

enjoy....
 
I've been to several of the ships mentioned, and there's always something new and fascinating at each one....but let's not forget the museums. The Mariner's Museum in Newport News, VA is one that's not to be missed. They've got the turret from the Monitor, among all kinds of other goodies. The museum at the Naval Weapons Station at Keyport, WA is also well worth a visit. And the list goes on.
Although I am a former destroyer sailor, so as not to leave the Air Force out, if you're ever around Dayton, don't miss the Air Force Museum near Wright-Patterson AFB. There are signs telling you where to exit from I-70, etc. You'll like it even if you're not wild about airplanes.
 
I can't believe noone's mentioned "Old Ironsides" in Boston. Go find out why they painted the gundecks red...

:confused:

:eek:

Near her is also a WWII destroyer you can tour. Much smaller than the one I was on.
 
You're right Rico! Another one is the new Udvar Hazy Air and Space exhibit at Dulles outside DC. They have a military section and a civilian section, it is really interesting to see former combatants sitting side by side. They also have a large exhibit of machine guns dating from WWI to current. An interesting sidelight was the discussion of the .50 vs. the 20 and 30 mm and the actual ability to bring down an opposing aircraft. There are a lot of things to see in the US, the sad part is that many of us don't have (or make) the time to stop and see them... :banghead:
 
I've been dying to get to the new museum at Dulles since it opened. In 1986 I lived in Herndon about 2 miles from Dulles. Even back then they were talking about building that museum, and that was the year they brought in the space shuttle Enterprise on the back of a 747. I was about 9 years old at the time, and my friends and I spent most of the day watching the sky, until we finally saw it go over on approach.

A few months later I was flying out of Dulles and the shuttle was sitting out next to one of the taxiways. 17 years later they finally built a home for it!

If I time it right (around traffic) I can usually make D.C. in under 4 hours, just short enough for a day trip. Maybe next month.
 
I can't believe noone's mentioned "Old Ironsides" in Boston. Go find out why they painted the gundecks red...
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Look a little closer...

The only active duty ships I've been on were the Kitty Hawk in San Diego a few years back and the U.S.S Constitution two years ago. I got some good pics on the Constitution.
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We toured the HMS Belfast in 2000 and it was pretty wide open. Very neat tour.

Looking forward to getting back to San Diego this summer to view the new aircraft carrier museum.

I really want to get back to Hawaii. Last time I toured Pearl Harbor was in 1983.

The Liberty Ship Jeremiah O'Brien in San Francisco is really neat. Nice to tour a fully functional war baby like that. Just down the pier, the USS Pampanito is a neat WWII sub to walk through as well.

Been on the USS Lane Victory a few times for a few "swing dance" cruises. Neat to sell all the guys and gals decked out in vintage civillian and military walking out uniforms. Really adds to the atmosphere.
 
I can't believe noone's mentioned "Old Ironsides" in Boston. Go find out why they painted the gundecks red...
Click to expand...

And look even closer now...

I also got to see USS Constitution in Boston the summer of 2003 while I was at Newport, RI for my Navy indoc. We visited Boston in uniform as a sponsored field trip, and there was an old destroyer there that had a few areas open for touring, but most of the ship was in the process of being restored. But some of the old-timers doing the restoration took us down to the engine room and lots of other "unfinished" areas, and we got tons of cool stories and such. That was a really rewarding experience.
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:D
 
Don't forget the USS Torsk in Baltimore. How did those sailors live on a WWII SS?

I went to Nauticus before the Wisconsin was there, but there was a really neat Aegis simulator we got to "interact" with.
 
Oops!

I guess I missed those. Gee, I SAID I couldn't believe it... :rolleyes:

I'm a little miffed at whomever got to tour the engineroom on that WWII destroyer in Boston. They wouldn't let ME! And I'm an old snipe too!

Heck, I'll bet I had more time on the astern throttle than THEY did on the ahead. :cuss:

My son and I did find a rope across a ladder that was unhooked so we both went up to the upper decks and played on the AA guns and such. Then suddenly we hear, "HEY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING UP THERE?!?!"

They didn't believe the rope was down, they thought WE had unhooked it.

Is it possible one of the shipboard ghosts recognized another old destroyer sailor and undid the rope FOR US??
(Twilight Zone theme playing here...)

:p

It figures, 25 years out of the Navy and I'm still getting in trouble with them!

:evil:
 
The USS North Carolina is by my experience the best warship tour available. You get lots of access to a well maintained ship. Worth a detour to see it.

I had the good fortune to board the USS New Jersey while serving in Lebanon. I was riding with 2 Sergeants Major and when they ask to detour to the battleship, Navy Lieutenants oblige. Got a fair tour and a ball cap. I later got the chance to hear the big guns fire over my head. An awesome display of American firepower! The Shiite's (who were our enemies then) were terrified of the thing. If you said "New Jersey" near them you could see the fear.

Baltimore has a submarine in the inner harbor. I can't remember the name but it's great because there frequently are WW-II vets onboard to demonstrate systems. I got a great lesson on torpedo room ops from a former chief. Can't put a price on that!
 
280 Plus- The "new" terms are SLEP and SDLM- Service Life Extension Program amd Service Depot Level Maintenance. They are still doing the things that ADM Halsey started, except that they now include aircraft. The air force has a similar program that will make the last B-52's 80, Yes Eight Zero, years old when the last one is retired from service. I'm off for WESTPAC Saturday, will be in Yoko next week. If anyone wants pics, pm me.
 
I will definitely be touring the North Carolina before the end of the summer. My brother and his girlfriend are going to be moving to the Wilmington area in June, so I'll no doubt be spending more time down by the coast.

Does anyone know if there is a WWII vintage LSM (Landing Ship, Mechanized), set up for tours anywhere? I know it's a long shot, since even when they were new those ships were considered so expendable they didn't even give them names.

My grandfather, who passed away in August, served on the USS LSM 133 during the Phillipines campaigns in '45, and if there's one around I would definitely like to see one someday.
 
Nfo,

Happy WESPAC-ing!

I did 2 myself. If you mean Yokosuka, let me know if "Andy Capp's" is still there and serving those awesome burritos...

and stay away from that D'Absinthe!!! :eek:

Stay in touch!

Oh, I forgot. Those DASH helicopters were said to have shortened many a young officer's carreer. They werefamous for being lost and well, if you lost one on YOUR watch, oh well...

I know of a story of one young ensign who survived by never taking his DASH out of it's hangar. :rolleyes:

:D
 
Might already have been mentioned, but the reason that only the deck of the Wisconsin is open is because she is still in reserve. Opening up the interior would ruin the preservation efforts.

Her status is a matter of debate. The costs and time involved in getting her ready to roll again would be massive, and probably would preclude it ever happening again. But, at least when I was there last, she was/is still technically in the navy, and was/is still in the reserve fleet. This may have changed, though. I dunno.

What is interesting is that she has comparatively little wear, tear and miles on her. Of all 4 of the Iowa class BBs, she was used the least over the years since WWII.

Mike
 
FRAM "Fleet Rebuild And Modernization"

I believe that's it.

For the innocent: This was a Navy program during the '50s and '60s to update WWII warships, especially destroyers ("tin cans").
 
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