MattS Posted August 27, 2013 Share #1 Posted August 27, 2013 Since May of 2013, the upper-Midwest has had a surface warship to add to the submarine museums on the Great Lakes. Located on the Saginaw River in Bay City is USS Edson, a Forrest Sherman class destroyer displacing 2,800 tons and measuring 407 feet at the waterline. I made two trips there this summer and work is progressing steadily towards restoring this Cold Warrior. The entire ship needs paint and many of the interior spaces need work also, but the volunteers are chipping away at it. This bow shot was taken from a nearby boat ramp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted August 27, 2013 Author Share #2 Posted August 27, 2013 View from the gang plank coming aboard at the stern. Since this photo, much of the starboard side of the hull has been repainted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted August 27, 2013 Author Share #3 Posted August 27, 2013 View from the restored #3 5-inch gun looking forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted August 27, 2013 Author Share #4 Posted August 27, 2013 My son on the bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted August 27, 2013 Author Share #5 Posted August 27, 2013 Rear of the bridge (the white chair is only temporary). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted August 27, 2013 Author Share #6 Posted August 27, 2013 View from the bridge to the bow. The forward deck to the #1 turret has been restored. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted August 27, 2013 Author Share #7 Posted August 27, 2013 My son in engineering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted August 27, 2013 Author Share #8 Posted August 27, 2013 Sign from DESRON 4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted August 27, 2013 Author Share #9 Posted August 27, 2013 Gun director, I forget the nomenclature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted August 27, 2013 Author Share #10 Posted August 27, 2013 #3 turret and the restored deck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted August 27, 2013 Author Share #11 Posted August 27, 2013 Port side looking forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted August 27, 2013 Author Share #12 Posted August 27, 2013 One set of the triple 12.75-inch Mk 32 torpedo tubes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted August 27, 2013 Author Share #13 Posted August 27, 2013 Parting shot from the parking lot. I highly recommend a trip there to anyone who enjoys naval museums! The staff was friendly and the admission is very reasonable at $10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hink441 Posted August 27, 2013 Share #14 Posted August 27, 2013 Great pictures. Glad to see the work is coming along nicely!! Looks like your son was having a great day!! Thanks for posting the pics. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgtpete Posted August 27, 2013 Share #15 Posted August 27, 2013 Wasn't this ship docked at the Intrepid in NY for a number of years? I was wondering where it went. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted August 27, 2013 Author Share #16 Posted August 27, 2013 Wasn't this ship docked at the Intrepid in NY for a number of years? I was wondering where it went. Yes it was, until 2004 when the navy took her back for hull repairs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topdcnut Posted August 28, 2013 Share #17 Posted August 28, 2013 Ohh boy, I now need to inform my wife that our vacation schedule has changed, the last of the gunboats has a home in the great lakes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firefighter Posted August 28, 2013 Share #18 Posted August 28, 2013 Is that one gun director the PIRAZ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted August 30, 2013 Author Share #19 Posted August 30, 2013 Not sure, here's what wiki says: "PIRAZ is a United States Navy acronym for Positive Identification RADAR Advisory Zone.[2][3] The zone is defined by the air search RADAR coverage of a ship patrolling a designated PIRAZ station. The PIRAZ ship requires a Naval Tactical Data System radio-linked computer installation to effectively identify and track all aircraft anticipated to utilize zone airspace during combat." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack's Son Posted August 31, 2013 Share #20 Posted August 31, 2013 There is a lot of work still to be done, but she looks good for a WIP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firefighter Posted August 31, 2013 Share #21 Posted August 31, 2013 I have a Vietnam era Zippo from the Edson.One side has an insignia that says' PIRAZ PIRATES'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobrahistorian Posted September 1, 2013 Share #22 Posted September 1, 2013 Glad to see the old girl doing well. I worked on her a bit when I worked at the Intrepid (1991-1994) and blew out my ankle coming down the ladder into the forward crew's quarters, thanks to a speed boater that was going way too fast in a no-wake zone. Edson's a great ship and I'm glad to see she's got a new home. Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garandy Posted September 2, 2013 Share #23 Posted September 2, 2013 I was helping with USN/USMARCORPS MARS phone patches in the 1980's, NNN0ANI. I was aboard Edson when the skipper was Gideon Almy. I went on 2 cruises with them, one night the tin can went to GQ as we were playing war games with USS Helena, an SSN, but when we finally got out of GQ we found out the NRF ping jockies were tracking a whale, not Helena! The crew presented me with an "underway flag", I still have it. This DD was used in a Twilight Zone episode involving modern [then] US Navy ships detecting voices and clanging on metal from lost WW2 crews, spooky. She was in Newport RI when I was aboard...As a civilian, I cherish my memories of the Officers wardroom, great food, and cruising the Narragansett Op Area in a real WW2 tin can.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted September 3, 2013 Author Share #24 Posted September 3, 2013 Great story Garandy! That episode was "The Thirty-Fathom Grave" and it looks like you can see the full episode here: http://www.tv.com/shows/the-twilight-zone/the-thirty-fathom-grave-12689/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sigsaye Posted September 3, 2013 Share #25 Posted September 3, 2013 Edson was built in 1958. The Forrest Sherman class was the first class of DDs uilt AFTER WW 2. I loved them, operated with a number of them over the years. They LOOKED like Destroyers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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