Kinda sad tonight...

Al
Thought they re-commissioned all 4 of the Iowa class during that time period, but I don't remember for sure. Still would have been a sight to see.
John
helicopters don't fly they beat the air into submission

I'm trying to remember.. it seems like it has been a millenium since I was in...

I'll have to check up on it.. for some reason I remember at one point there was a PLAN to activate all 4... can't remember if it ever happened though.... I'll ask my dad he'll know for sure (was still serving as an HT then...) He had orders to the New Jersey immediately after the Beirut bombing but he and the group deploying to her were met in the airport by a liason telling them to stand down... (the New Jersey was sailing short on HT and MM crew and had to activate some shoreside sailors)

The picure of the Caron on here really bothered me much more than I would have thought. I served on the USS Obrien DD-975 from 90-94. I have found out the Obrien was decomissioned in Sept of this year. I have searched the web for more info but cant find anything. Anyone know where I may be able to find something about her fate?


David

David
Might try
www.navy.mil
but chances are she is in the yard either being stripped of usable gear or getting ready to be put into the reserve fleet or sale to a friendly power. Other then that web searching is the only other thing I can think of.
John
helicopters don't fly, they beat the air into submission

QUOTE: Originally posted by Daprophet The picure of the Caron on here really bothered me much more than I would have thought. I served on the USS Obrien DD-975 from 90-94. I have found out the Obrien was decomissioned in Sept of this year. I have searched the web for more info but cant find anything. Anyone know where I may be able to find something about her fate?

yeah that's how I felt when I saw the Guam... like a hollow feeling.. I found a site of one of the guys on the escort cruiser that stood by while the sub sank her, that has pics of the entire sinking of the Guam... it's almost like watching someone die...

Here's a link to some info on the Obrien, apparently she hasn't been sunk yet...

http://navysite.de/dd/dd975.htm

here's another:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2004/05/mil-040503-nns01a.htm

evidently she just made it back in May to the states, probably gonna sit in the yards for awhile while they dismantle of all usable parts... then???

go on google and do a search with: uss obrien 975 thats what I used and came up wit a lot of sites on her...

Not the most detailed pics... but a few of her going down.. (Guam)










sorry to all you on dialup.... they had the whole series including some shots by a missile as it came close then penetrated near the superstructure, some shots from a helicopter etc... almost like the Romans in the colliseum...

Actually it gives me an idea for a diorama... with the 1/700 resin LPH from JAG. one of her sinking modelled from these pics... with the qoute I got from Alenam I believe about the sinking of Nelsons ship...

Doc
Reminds me of the picture's I saw in an avaition magizine in the mid-70's of a Huey.
First one showed a Huey attached to platform engine running, blade's turning, missle approaching the engine from the rear(shoulder fired SAM), second picture missle exploding, thrid picture engine gone not much left of the blades and tail boom falling away. Sad to watch and scary too, was still flying then and knew what it would have done to the crew.
I had watched a demo firing of the old Redeye system in Germany in 1970, six shots, six hits. I don't like SAM's, no chance in a helo to escape from them.
Every find out about the Iowa class?
If you do a diorama post the picture's, would like to see.
John
Helicopters don't fly, they beat the air into submission

PS Have the FS numbers for lime green and flamingo pink, sounds like a good camo job for my next Huey build(laugh the enemy into submission)

I think I saw the same video John... it was kinda scary... no I haven't talked to my dad yet (re: BB's)... been kinda busy lately and going to bed early. This daylight savings thing is hard to get used to haha...

I'll let yall know if I do the diorama thing.. it sounds like I might enjoy the build...

Understand about being busy, time change can be a pain to. We don't change here, but every six months have to recalulate the changes. We do business in all 50 states and D.C. My parents always have trouble keeping it straight and knowing the difference half the year between me and my sister. We both live in the mountain zone.
John
helicopters don't fly, the beat the air into submission

yeah thats right! I forgot yall dont do DST... I used to think that was cool.. but I guess it would be hard to coordinate your day around other places if you worked in the business world... almost like an international business.. but instead you would have clocks on the wall with the letters "Chicago" and "Los Angeles" instead of Moscow and London haha

It can be a pain, especially when we can only call-back during specific hours, our work comes to us via internet and phone. Job was M-F 8-5. now is 24/7/365, my part of banking has really changed. We do have the clocks on the wall read eastern, central, etc.
John
helicopters don't fly, they beat the air into submisssion

haha john, no disrespect... but I imagining that as a Saturday Night Live sketch.... Chevy Chase sitting there having to refer to the clocks as he spouts the evening news... (that dates me... the Chevy Chase thing...)

P.S. it was funny today, had a boot sailor sitting next to me at thelocal seafood restaraunt telling his parents ALL about the Navy.. I remember the same convo I had with my parents back in 84... Talking about so and so that ended up going to captains MASS (mast) article 80 something for the army guys, I forget, 82 I think...

He was so young, dumb and full of c%m it was funny... But it was a trip to the past for me.,.. thinking about when I was that young.....

Especially when I had the chance to congradulate him on graduation and told him I was a Corpsman for 12 yrs... his parents asked him what a corspman was and he sat there for a sec and then answered "I think he was Army mom"

Just wait till his skinny white b^tt gets on ship... he'll know "Doc" intimately...

Yea, i remember Chevy Chase too, that was back in the days when SNL was at it's best.
Pity that poor boot when he get's to his ship, he will get a rude awakening. Me has a poor Army dogface knew better than call a Navy Corpman a medic.
Ever notice how young they look now when use see a new service person, were we every that young? Think we were a little wiser though.
John
helicopters don't fly, they beat the air into submission

Maybe he'll be lucky enough to go through "Wog Day" or "Blue Nose".

haha well he was heading for the Carl Vinson.. it was entertaining to hear the BS he was feeding his family... maybe I was lucky having a chief as a father... I couldnt put anything past him...

of course he put one past me... I owned a 69 Chevelle SS396 in High School... the envy of many a person... my dad talked me into selling it, as "as soon as you are out of your medic school you will be on a ship and you dont want it sitting in a parking lot for 6 months rusting.."

5 yrs later I actually SAW a ship...

which brings to mind another story for later... never sell anything to a biker who's nick name is "Satan"

My dad had to deal with that one himself... sold the car to the guy, next thing he is threatening my life... (literally) luckily my dad was 9 yrs Marine Corps including Viet Nam and his 5'6" (SFC) frame towered over that 6'3" private from Viet Nam that had issues with my car...

Doc
His BS will stop the first time an "old" chief gets hold of him. I have hear the same thing from other sevice people(all branch's), think they know it all after basic. They find out different when they get onto the real world.
Knew better myself when I went in and thought my son to. He grew up that summer he went to boot. I had to bring him home on emergency leave after a week of boot, due some surgery I had to have. Spent his first three months in the Navy assigned to the Navy and Marine Corps Reserve center here in Phoenix and the chief there got him ready.
He bought his first car at Norfolk, but drove it home before his Med cruise.
Glad to hear that you got the plans for your ship, hope Trumpeter will use them to make your kit, but save a set for yourself just in case.
Also glad to hear your employer did something for Vet's Day, first year my company did to.
John
helicopters don't fly, they beat the air into submission

yeah it all comes in time... my dad warned me that about Marines... he said when you go on liberty and there's a LCpl in your face wanting to kick your $#%, don't worry... it's Sgt all quiet in the corner... that's the one to worry about...


I'll keep ya posted on what I find about the Trumpeter thing... I haven't sent em off yet but will soon... in the meantime I plan to build the 1/700 as it actually isn't too small for the dio I talked about of her sinking...

Good luck, hope Trumpeter does it for you. Like to see your dio when it's done to.
John
helicopters don't fly, they beat the air into submission

NO!!!!! This was the only can I served aboard. I didn't think they'd kill her off so fast. She was a clean and fast ship. Sunk for Canadian target practice.

http://www.news.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=18894
http://www.news.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=18892
Scott

There has to be a better way.
John
heicopters don't fly, they beat the air into submission

All our beloved "Spru-cans" are being sunk as fodder.

I never was on a destroyer, except touring a WWII escort class... but I feel for ya.. like we said in previous posts an entire genreation of history is being sunk as we speak...

the good thing for yall is the spruance class is molded...

the odd thing is I noticed it in 1/700... it must be 2" long... I would hate to have to try that build... it's in 1/350 as well...

we're getting old... I imagine after WWII there were quite a few feeling as we do....

They did it again. Woke up this morning and switched on the news. Watched them sink another ship(didn't catch the name). Said it was a joint AF/Navy exercise using a B-52 and I believe a JDAM to sink it somewhere off Hawaii. Sad to see another one go.
John
Helicopters don't fly, they beat the air into submission

There was talk of one of the remaining LPH's going down soon... but they wouldn't tow it all the way over there... I think it was the New Orleans....

I'll have to see if I can find out which ship it was... gonna make me a "wall" for these ships... sunk by our own hands...

Didn't look like a carrier-type ship superstructure was mid-line on ship, but other then that I don't know
John
helicopters don't fly, they beat the air into submission

I apologize for comming in so late, to your discussion. But, I've got some info, for you.
There are plans for USS Gaum (LPH-9) at this web site: <<http://www.floatingdrydock.com/>>
Goto the Warships section, click on the "G" series and page down. There's a set of Guam drawings, 1:192 scale, for $30 (circa Sept 85). It might be what you're looking for. The part # is G-LPH9. If you have questions, call Tom. He listes his phone number and is a great guy to work with.
As far as this trip down memory lane, I know what you're talking about. I served on ten ships, during my career. The last one was commissioned in the early 70s. She retired from the Navy the day before I retired, '97. She, and one other, are up in Washington state, awaiting disposal. The sail of another is a Submarine memorial in Brazil. All the others have long since become razorblades.
A truely sad ending for some truely great ladies.
Mike

Went to
www.navy.mil
this morning and found out the ship sunk was the USS Schenectady. I don't know why they hace to keep doing this Gen, Mitchell provided you could sink a ship with a bomb back in the 20's and he used a dumb one.
Welcome to the forum Mike
John
helicopters don't fly, they beat the air into submission

thanks for the info Mike! 1985 is fine, I was on her in 89 on so it would probably look just like her...

John, I think it boils down to it's cheaper to sink them than keep the forever... if n one has the ready cash, or no salvage yard jumps for it... it's a lot easier I think... of course occasionally I would see a need to test weapon effectiveness etc.. sometimes I get the suspicion some congressman or such is at that periscope clapping his hands together like a little kid when the FT launches that missle...

Tom
Sorry to see that you were sick over the weekend, glad to hear you are better.
I agree that weapons do need to be tested. The ship's are being sunk to make artifical reef's for the fish. They need to be inspected to make sure all pollution sources have been removed from the ship, so I don't know about it being cheaper. Know the same fate is planned for the USS Oriskany, if it hasn't been done already. Story was in our paper here in Phoenix, they were going to give former crewmembers a chance to visit her before they sunk her. The ship was the last one a former naval pilot and current US Senator from our state served on before he was shot down over North Vietnam.
Navy also deep six'ed some A-6 airframes off of the Florida coast for the same reason(fish reef's.) This was after the decided to retire them. My son's Med cruise in 96 was the last for the Intruders. Saw them down at D-M AFB in Tuscon in the boneyard a few months later.
If you ever get over that way visit Pima Air and Space Museum.
John
helicopters don't fly, they beat the air into submission