I Donated a Chelsea ships clock to the USS Iowa

[River Rat 1]

I been volunteering on the USS Iowa while it was in Richmond Calif.Well this Sunday it's heading for LA to become a museum.I hope our LA members take advantage of it and visit it when they get all the work done.I was on board it Monday out on scaffolding four decks up washing dam windows the painting is done so before the contractors remove the scaffolding we had to do the windows of the bridge I hate heights.Today they were putting on board copies of the Phalanx CIWS weapons system we use to call them R2D2 they look like the robot from star wars who ever made them did a good job.I notice that all the ships clocks were missing so I donated a Chelsea military time ships clock here a shot of the clock I gave the USS Iowa.They said it might go into the capt. cabin.

 

Some time's money not every thing so I donated it.Theres a big NAWCC show next month down in Pasadena maybe after the show since I am down in LA I mite Volunteer one last time for a day or two.Here is a before photo.

And how it looked on Monday a big difference.

[Jack's Son]

I believe you have done something like this before!! :thumbsup:

GOOD ON YOU....... :bravo:

[Teamski]

Well done mate! Thanks for the photos! I visit the New Jersey from time to time and these ships are just simply bada$$!

 

-Ski

[doyler]

Yes

 

Well done.

 

There were donation drives here to Save the Iowa.Glad to be able to see her.

[sgtpete]

That's a great thing you did! That is a great ship. When I was a youngster I paid her a visit when she was in NY in Oct 1984. I bought a ships hat and a second commissioning coin, both of which I still have. I will have to make a trip out to see her again.

[River Rat 1]

Today I got to help put on these covers or boot that slide down the 16 inch gun and get tightened down by these metal hoops so it's flush to the turret.The originals were missing so some one from Illinois made them for free and came down to help put them on.So that nine of them.He flew down and made a pattern went back and had them made in his shop and now he is back to finish.Guess I will go back tomorrow want to help put the other 6 we put three on today late start.I guess they were for keeping the weather out of the turret.

[willysmb44]

That's a great thing to do, I just hope it doesn't 'vanish' or get sold later on...

[River Rat 1]

One of my friend told me to give it to them on loan that way they cant sell it to make money that what he did to some stuff he has on loan to the the USS Hornet Museum.But I did not.I hope they don't sell it I would be bad about it.I did make sure they gave me paper work that I gave it to them so I can claim 300.00 off on my taxes.

 

 

That's a great thing to do, I just hope it doesn't 'vanish' or get sold later on...

[Jack's Son]

The thought of them selling the clock, never crossed my mind! I hope we never have to revisit this thread because you report that this is what has happened!

[River Rat 1]

Here are a few photo's I took the other day.

These are photo's of the two forward and one aft 16 inch gun turrets I help put on the boot's on them that's the black colored canvas that you see held down with metal hoops.The fun part was sitting on the 16 inch gun and there a section of canvas you have to tie to the metal hoop under the canvas so it don't slide.

Photo of the fantail or flight deck I helped remove the old paint and repaint it.

A photo on me.You will see some more work needs to be done to the turret there was plastic around the gun were it connects to the turret when they painted that will need some paint touch up and you can see a lot of dust and dirt that's on it from other work that was done to the ship that needs to be hosed off we use to do a fresh water wash down I bet that's what they will do to it in LA.And you will also see a lot of the teak deck removed due to rot wish the teak deck was in better shape.

[River Rat 1]

Cool Naval training film on loading and firing the 16 inch guns a lot on man power just to fire one.

[doyler]

Thanks for the update and the continueing work looks great.

 

You mentioned the old decking is being removed.Has the association or caretakers considered selling or auctioning off pieces of the deck to help raise funds for further restoration??Or possibly having some of the decking avaiable in the gift shop when tours of the ship are conducted for sale.Just a thought as there maybe collectors and former crew who would be very intrested in a doucumented piece of the deck form a historic ship as the Iowa.

[Jack's Son]

RR,

Are all of the 16" guns onboard, the origonal guns, or have they been taken off and replaced with lightweight replicas?

[River Rat 1]

They are saving all the teak and the Douglas fur was so rotten I think they got rid of.When the USS Iowas was recommissioned in the 1980's some of the Teak was replaced with Douglas fur since teak is a endangered tree theses days.I think they are going to have stuff engraved in the teak and sold as souvenirs.Any volunteers that gave 100 hours got a plaque with there name in it made out of teak planks form the USS Iowa but it was only damage wood that was removed they tried to save as much as they could on the deck.

 

Thanks for the update and the continueing work looks great.

 

You mentioned the old decking is being removed.Has the association or caretakers considered selling or auctioning off pieces of the deck to help raise funds for further restoration??Or possibly having some of the decking avaiable in the gift shop when tours of the ship are conducted for sale.Just a thought as there maybe collectors and former crew who would be very intrested in a doucumented piece of the deck form a historic ship as the Iowa.

[River Rat 1]

Still the original guns.

 

RR,

Are all of the 16" guns onboard, the origonal guns, or have they been taken off and replaced with lightweight replicas?

[bobgee]

Congrats on your efforts. These ships are part of our nation's heritages. I copied the following from the internet, IOWA joins a rare group. Semper Fi......Bobgee

 

 

ONLY 8 BATTLESHIPS REMAIN

 

The Navy has no battleships in its fleet. Eight remain afloat. They are:

 

· Texas, commissioned March 1914. Transferred to the state of Texas in 1948 as a permanent memorial on the Houston Ship Channel.

 

· North Carolina, commissioned April 1941. Dedicated as memorial in 1962 at Wilmington, N.C.

 

· Massachusetts, commissioned May 1942. Transferred to the Massachusetts Memorial Committee and preserved as a memorial in 1965 at Fall River, Mass.

 

· Alabama, commissioned August 1942. Transferred to the state of Alabama in 1964 for use as a memorial at Mobile, Ala.

 

· Iowa, commissioned May 1943. Berthed since 2001 in Suisan Bay, San Francisco, Calif., as part of the Reserve Fleet, also known as the Navy's "ghost fleet." Two groups are vying to obtain the ship as a museum berthed in California.

 

· New Jersey, commissioned May 1943. Donated in 2000 to Home Port Alliance of Camden, N.J., for use as a museum.

 

· Missouri, commissioned June 1944. Opened as a museum in 1999 at the Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

 

· Wisconsin, commissioned April 1944. Moored at the National Maritime Center in downtown Norfolk, Va., and open to the public since 2001.

[River Rat 1]

Here is a link that will show the position of the ocean going tug towing the USS Iowa to LA heard weather condition out side the golden gate mite slow down when they start the tow heard that on Saturday.Hopefully they start the tow on Sunday.

http://www.sanpedro.com/marine-traffic-map...c-Map-Large.htm

 

And a link to the USS Iowa web site for the museum in LA

http://www.pacificbattleship.com/

[themick]

The voyage to Los Angeles has been postponed due to weather conditions at sea. I was down there yesterday (Sunday), the day the Iowa was supposed to go to sea. I was on board the WWII liberty ship Jeremiah O'Brian. The goal was for the O'Biran to escourt the Iown out under the Golden Gate Bridge. Since the Iowa didn't depart, the O'Brian crused over to the Iowa in Richmond, gave a champaign toast to it (yes, there was lots of bubbly, hee hee) and then we cruised out under the Golden Gate by ourselves. We had on board a band of Junior Navy Cadets who played great music throughtout the cruise.

 

Sad we didn't get to see the Iowa at sea, but the rest of the cruise was lots of fun. I highly recommend visiting the O'Biran if you ever get to San Francisco. BTW, berthed next to the O'Biran is a WWII submarine you can tour.

[River Rat 1]

Used to volunteer on the Jeremiah O'Brian years ago my boss volunteered on it and talked me into it.Did it for a while but I was doing the Naval reserve and I had to pick one. Giving up one week end was bad all ready so the Naval reserve won.Here's one of my best Jeremiah O'Brian stories when in Special Boat Unit Eleven our CO had us take over a 6 boat a landing craft they were doing a anniversary for D-Day on the Jeremiah O'Brian we were to pick up a jeep with some WW2 reenactors and do a beach landing at Chrissy fields so we drive the 6 boat over from Mare Island and broach on the beach of Chrissy fields some put a alligator clip on the port starter it burned up the port engine starter.Port engine did all the hydraulics no steering could not drop the gate and a WW2 duck pulled us off the beach.So we drive back to Mare Island on one engine lucky some A-hole did not have a alligator click on starboard engine.Behind the coxswain flat you pull off a plate put in a metal pole for steering so now you got one guy steering and another in the coxswain flat on the throttle so two guy workin in sink.We go back to Mare Island fix the port starter and it was a slow ride with only one engine.Get the starter fixed and return to the Jeremiah O'Brian about 2100 hrs and the next day every thing went right for the beach landing.Got a letter from the Jeremiah O'Brian Capt saying thank you they did not think us Navy guys were going to return.

 

 

 

 

The voyage to Los Angeles has been postponed due to weather conditions at sea. I was down there yesterday (Sunday), the day the Iowa was supposed to go to sea. I was on board the WWII liberty ship Jeremiah O'Brian. The goal was for the O'Biran to escourt the Iown out under the Golden Gate Bridge. Since the Iowa didn't depart, the O'Brian crused over to the Iowa in Richmond, gave a champaign toast to it (yes, there was lots of bubbly, hee hee) and then we cruised out under the Golden Gate by ourselves. We had on board a band of Junior Navy Cadets who played great music throughtout the cruise.

 

Sad we didn't get to see the Iowa at sea, but the rest of the cruise was lots of fun. I highly recommend visiting the O'Biran if you ever get to San Francisco. BTW, berthed next to the O'Biran is a WWII submarine you can tour.

[aerialbridge]

I been volunteering on the USS Iowa while it was in Richmond Calif.Well this Sunday it's heading for LA to become a museum.I hope our LA members take advantage of it and visit it when they get all the work done.I was on board it Monday out on scaffolding four decks up washing dam windows the painting is done so before the contractors remove the scaffolding we had to do the windows of the bridge I hate heights.Today they were putting on board copies of the Phalanx CIWS weapons system we use to call them R2D2 they look like the robot from star wars who ever made them did a good job.I notice that all the ships clocks were missing so I donated a Chelsea military time ships clock here a shot of the clock I gave the USS Iowa.They said it might go into the capt. cabin.

 

Some time's money not every thing so I donated it.Theres a big NAWCC show next month down in Pasadena maybe after the show since I am down in LA I mite Volunteer one last time for a day or two.Here is a before photo.

And how it looked on Monday a big difference.

 

Nice gesture. Looking forward to driving west on the 91 to visit the Big Stick (and see your clock) when she's open for business at her new home in San Pedro.

[River Rat 1]

I heard some time in July.Check there web site you can buy tickets on line and get more up dated info when they open up for tours of the Ship.

 

Nice gesture. Looking forward to driving west on the 91 to visit the Big Stick (and see your clock) when she's open for business at her new home in San Pedro.