hink441 Posted July 19, 2014 Share #1 Posted July 19, 2014 I can't believe I found this at a local antique shop. It is the ship's wheel from the USS Abraham Lincoln CVN-72. It is mounted on a wood plaque and has a brass name plate. Looks like it was an end of tour gift from the crew to the ship's first Executive Officer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hink441 Posted July 19, 2014 Author Share #2 Posted July 19, 2014 Another picture Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hink441 Posted July 19, 2014 Author Share #3 Posted July 19, 2014 Here is the name plate. This has to be one of my best finds. Thanks for looking. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hink441 Posted July 19, 2014 Author Share #4 Posted July 19, 2014 Here is the same type of wheel used on the bridge of the USS Nimitz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nirvana Posted July 19, 2014 Share #5 Posted July 19, 2014 The ship is still active, but that wheel has seen some use. Perhaps they pull them off and replace them from time to time, giving them to departing Captains? Neat find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hink441 Posted July 19, 2014 Author Share #6 Posted July 19, 2014 The ship is still active, but that wheel has seen some use. Perhaps they pull them off and replace them from time to time, giving them to departing Captains? Neat find.I think this wheel was probably the original wheel for the ship. The wheel was probably removed in order to re-install a more traditional looking wheel, and when it was removed, it was probably saved for the departing XO. Here is a picture of a more traditional wheel being used. I do not know what ship this picture was taken on, but it is a funny picture. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted July 19, 2014 Share #7 Posted July 19, 2014 That is VERY cool. Wheels do get removed from time to time for may different reasons. This guy could have really liked driving the ship and thus the wheel... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovmilinsig Posted July 19, 2014 Share #8 Posted July 19, 2014 Congrats on a really great find!!! Thanks for sharing. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hink441 Posted July 20, 2014 Author Share #9 Posted July 20, 2014 Thanks fellas, I felt pretty lucky to find this one. I have tried to research the career of this XO. I know he left the Lincoln and then went to be the CO of the USS Shreveport LPD-12. This was his deep draft Skipper tour. I can not find anything on him after the Shreveport tour. I wonder why he did not get a CV Skipper tour??? Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted July 20, 2014 Share #10 Posted July 20, 2014 I wonder why he did not get a CV Skipper tour??? You know as well as I....he might have pissed someone off, ran aground, hit something, or just plain old retired from the Navy (he was USNA '68, so he was about 25 years in when he left command of Shreveport...) Or, there's something we just don't know yet. I need to check my USNA register (at work) to see when he retired. If anyone has access to e-yearbook, they have a nice shot of him from the Lincoln cruise book... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted July 20, 2014 Share #11 Posted July 20, 2014 Looks like he went on to command PHIBRON SIX. I didn't know aviator commanded PHIBRONs, but I'm not surprised. Ironically, in this article (below) I interviewed Admiral (later four star) Abbot for my masters thesis, and Lieutenant General Natonski is a friend of mine and fellow collector. Small world... >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Headline: Sixth Fleet Commander Visit USS Saipan USS SAIPAN (LHA 2) - (NENS) - VADM Steve Abbot, CommanderU.S. Sixth Fleet, recently visited USS Saipan. The admiral flewto the ship aboard a USMC CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopter. Abbot was welcomed on board by CAPT John P. Jeffcoat,Saipan's commanding officer; CAPT Robert L. Peterson, AmphibiousSquadron Six's commanding officer; and COL Richard Natonski, the24th Marine Expeditionary Unit's commander. While on board the admiral took part in an awards ceremony,where he shared his thoughts on many issues that impact Navaloperations in the Mediterranean area. He also took questions fromthe crew, who were assembled in the hangar bay. Saipan is currently participating in Exercise Rescue Eagle,a bilateral venture between the U.S. and Albania. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hink441 Posted July 20, 2014 Author Share #12 Posted July 20, 2014 Dave, You are correct, a PHIBRON CO tour is unusual for an aviator. I believe there is definitely more to the story. Could be pretty interesting finding out what happened, and why his career abruptly ended just before the pinnacle of his career. I had a Squadron Skipper who was eventually the CO of a CVN during a lengthy yard period. Never took her to sea, and his career stalled, had to retire at the end of his CO tour. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hink441 Posted July 20, 2014 Author Share #13 Posted July 20, 2014 Found another picture, this is the well used wheel on the USS Harry S. Truman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwb123 Posted July 20, 2014 Share #14 Posted July 20, 2014 I like how it is labeled "Left Rudder", "Right Rudder". And no, I am not making fun of it. In a crisis situation such clear labels can avoid costly mistakes. Reminds me of the movie Apollo 13 where they to labeled a switch "Do Not Touch" to prevent accidentally separating the parts of the ailing spacecraft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hink441 Posted July 20, 2014 Author Share #15 Posted July 20, 2014 Here is another wheel with traditional rope fancy work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hink441 Posted June 24, 2016 Author Share #16 Posted June 24, 2016 Bringing this older thread up again. I stumbled upon this picture of the USS Abraham Lincoln helm taken in 1995. I feel pretty certain that the wheel I have (post #1) is probably the original wheel and was probably removed in order to install this more traditional looking wheel. Chris The picture in post #6 was taken aboard the USS Ronald Reagan CVN-76. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted July 20, 2016 Share #17 Posted July 20, 2016 Hink this is my first time to see this thread. It is very neat. Very interesting. Do you still have the wheel? Ronnie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hink441 Posted July 20, 2016 Author Share #18 Posted July 20, 2016 Hink this is my first time to see this thread. It is very neat. Very interesting. Do you still have the wheel? Ronnie Thank you Ronnie. I still own the wheel. I think I will keep it for awhile longer. It is one of my favorites!! Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willysmb44 Posted July 29, 2016 Share #19 Posted July 29, 2016 Can't be many of those around. Beats me what it'd be worth but I bet it'd worth something like the value of a grip/stick for a well-known aircraft, or more? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikie Posted July 29, 2016 Share #20 Posted July 29, 2016 That is seriously cool. As to what happened to his career...obviously he got in trouble for swiping the ship's wheel off the USS Abraham Lincoln! Mikie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sigsaye Posted July 31, 2016 Share #21 Posted July 31, 2016 Dave, You are correct, a PHIBRON CO tour is unusual for an aviator. I believe there is definitely more to the story. Could be pretty interesting finding out what happened, and why his career abruptly ended just before the pinnacle of his career. I had a Squadron Skipper who was eventually the CO of a CVN during a lengthy yard period. Never took her to sea, and his career stalled, had to retire at the end of his CO tour. Chris Really? I served in aboard 3 amphibious from 1980 until 1999, including a TAD to PHIBRON 10. Every CO I had except one was an aviator ( the non aviator was a four stripe Deisel Submariner who wouldn't retire). All the PHIBRON commanders I k ew were aviators. All large amphibious are really just air craft carriers. They are deep draft. Most go to Gators before getting a carrier so they can learn how to drive big ships and deal with non aviation communities. I could be wrong, but that was my experience. All my XOS were long time Gator guys though to help the flyer out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hink441 Posted July 31, 2016 Author Share #22 Posted July 31, 2016 Really? I served in aboard 3 amphibious from 1980 until 1999, including a TAD to PHIBRON 10. Every CO I had except one was an aviator ( the non aviator was a four stripe Deisel Submariner who wouldn't retire). All the PHIBRON commanders I k ew were aviators. All large amphibious are really just air craft carriers. They are deep draft. Most go to Gators before getting a carrier so they can learn how to drive big ships and deal with non aviation communities. I could be wrong, but that was my experience. All my XOS were long time Gator guys though to help the flyer out. I don't think you are wrong. I agree that there are many aviators driving Amphibs around. I think this Skipper had a strange career path because he had the Nuclear training before the CVN XO tour, then he did his deep draft Skipper tour. The next logical and traditional billet was the CVN Skipper tour. This did not happen, he went to the PHIBRON instead. Something unusual happened during his deep-draft Skipper tour. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sigsaye Posted August 1, 2016 Share #23 Posted August 1, 2016 I don't think you are wrong. I agree that there are many aviators driving Amphibs around. I think this Skipper had a strange career path because he had the Nuclear training before the CVN XO tour, then he did his deep draft Skipper tour. The next logical and traditional billet was the CVN Skipper tour. This did not happen, he went to the PHIBRON instead. Something unusual happened during his deep-draft Skipper tour. Chris Could have been there were no CVNs available, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hink441 Posted August 1, 2016 Author Share #24 Posted August 1, 2016 Could have been there were no CVNs available, It is certainly possible. Timing is everything!! ? Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
10esee Posted November 7, 2016 Share #25 Posted November 7, 2016 Assault carriers are an air dale's world! Enclosed are photos of the bosses of USS INCHON (LPH-120 during MARG 3-84/85 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now