being realistic about reactivation

[eocoolj]

We can all agree on one thing here; we'd love to see at least one Iowa reactivated. I think we can also agree that its pretty unlikely that is ever going to happen.

My question is, in the history of the US navy, how many ships have been recommissioned after having been taken off the Naval Vessel Register?

[fitz]

We can all agree on one thing here; we'd love to see at least one Iowa reactivated.

I wouldn't.

I think we can also agree that its pretty unlikely that is ever going to happen.

It is absolutely unlikely that is going to happen.

[ND1980LS]

If an Iowa class ship was reactivated it'd have to be the Iowa or the Wisconsin as the New Jersey and Missouri are now museums. And you have to remember of the previous two the Iowa would need a turret repaired from it's prior explosion in the middle gun.

[eocoolj]

I think you guys are missing my question. You guys are looking at the preface to my question. How many ships have been recommissioned after having been taken off the Naval Vessel Register?

[ND1980LS]

Many. Starting after WWI when many destroyers were decommissioned...only to be brought back to life thru Lend-Lease with Britain and for use in the US Navy as destroyers, fast mind sweepers etc. After WWII many ship were mothballed to be brought to life during Korea....ie.... Carriers, cruisers destroyers etc....and many of these ships were active thru Vietnam in the US Navy and in the Navies of other countries throughout the world. The current example of this today is the many destroyers and frigates decommissioned that have been sold/gifted to other Navies ( Adams', Knox's, Perry's, Kidd's ) and the LST's and LPD's.

[eocoolj]

Many. Starting after WWI when many destroyers were decommissioned...only to be brought back to life thru Lend-Lease with Britain and for use in the US Navy as destroyers, fast mind sweepers etc. After WWII many ship were mothballed to be brought to life during Korea....ie.... Carriers, cruisers destroyers etc....and many of these ships were active thru Vietnam in the US Navy and in the Navies of other countries throughout the world. The current example of this today is the many destroyers and frigates decommissioned that have been sold/gifted to other Navies ( Adams', Knox's, Perry's, Kidd's ) and the LST's and LPD's.

Number one, I am only talking about ships that the US recommissions, not those sold to other nations.

Number two, I believe most of the ships you speak of that we recommissioned were never taken off the naval register during their decommissioned period. For example, the USS Iowa was decommissioned, but still on the naval register, from 1990 through 2006.

[RustyBattleship]

DEcommissioned is DEcommissioned. In other words; taken out of ACTIVE service.

After being taken off the Class B reserve list (decommissioned) they are given to museums, sold for scrap or slated to be fish reefs. Those NOT cut up are given to other countries. But they are no longer in COMMISSION for active service in the U.S. Navy whether they are sitting at a reserve fleet pier or flying the Turkish flag.

The only ships we ever brought back were those in Class B reserve. Those taken OFF that list were not around anymore to be reactivated. Even while in Class B reserve we still did some upgrades on them. When I was an apprentice shipfitter (around 1957 or so) we had four decommissioned Destroyers in Dry Dock 1. My job was to install steel shelves in the upper SONAR room for what was expected to be later state-of-the-art equipment.

I'd have to check my apprentice log books, but I do believe the ships were later brought back into service for Viet Nam. If they weren't they are now Toyotas or Fords.

[Ytlas]

DEcommissioned is DEcommissioned. In other words; taken out of ACTIVE service.

After being taken off the Class B reserve list (decommissioned) they are given to museums, sold for scrap or slated to be fish reefs. Those NOT cut up are given to other countries. But they are no longer in COMMISSION for active service in the U.S. Navy whether they are sitting at a reserve fleet pier or flying the Turkish flag.

Good to see you around and still full of vinegar.
You've been absent from this side of the WAB for a while, I was ready to call your house to make sure you weren't laid up somewhere with a cathoder inserted.

[fitz]

Number one, I am only talking about ships that the US recommissions, not those sold to other nations.

Number two, I believe most of the ships you speak of that we recommissioned were never taken off the naval register during their decommissioned period. For example, the USS Iowa was decommissioned, but still on the naval register, from 1990 through 2006.

I am not aware of any ships that were returned to USN service after being stricken from the US Navy register. It may have happened, but I suspect one would need to dig long and hard to find it.

[RustyBattleship]

I am not aware of any ships that were returned to USN service after being stricken from the US Navy register. It may have happened, but I suspect one would need to dig long and hard to find it.

After WW II, England returned a number of our old "4-Piper" Destroyers we supplied on the "Lend Lease" program. We also supplied some to the USSR but it took several years before the Soviets finally decided to pay the "loan" off and give back our Destroyer. But it was in such bad shape she was striken from the list and scrapped.

[RustyBattleship]

Good to see you around and still full of vinegar.
You've been absent from this side of the WAB for a while, I was ready to call your house to make sure you weren't laid up somewhere with a cathoder inserted.

Vinegar? Is THAT what it is? Anyway, been sort of busy re-arranging my museum displays and making them look better.

Come on out to the Chino Air Show in mid-May and look for the booth I will be in.

OH! There IS going to be a shipyard Reunion Picnic this year at El Dorado Park. Pass the word. You can get ticket info on the LBNSY message site.

[Ytlas]

Vinegar? Is THAT what it is? Anyway, been sort of busy re-arranging my museum displays and making them look better.

Come on out to the Chino Air Show in mid-May and look for the booth I will be in.

I thought maybe you were counting the days down to June, like a old kid waiting for Christmas.

That should be interesting. It can't be a model train display, model tank nor a shipyard plaque display... perhaps something aero-nautical? You collect that stuff too?

OH! There IS going to be a shipyard Reunion Picnic this year at El Dorado Park. Pass the word. You can get ticket info on the LBNSY message site.

I got a couple of emails with attachments of picnic information. I wrote City of Long Beach, Parks Department, via Webmaster Long Beach City. I wanted to know if it was legal to hold a charity raffle during the picnic. I was thinking of making a couple of mural sized prints, maybe one of the Nevada in DD#1 to generate funds to offset any overages during the picnic. Naturally it's been three days and no response from anyone in Long Beach. I know you think it's probably illegal to do so, but since the raffle would be non-profit there's a chance.

[RustyBattleship]

I thought maybe you were counting the days down to June, like a old kid waiting for Christmas.

That should be interesting. It can't be a model train display, model tank nor a shipyard plaque display... perhaps something aero-nautical? You collect that stuff too?

I got a couple of emails with attachments of picnic information. I wrote City of Long Beach, Parks Department, via Webmaster Long Beach City. I wanted to know if it was legal to hold a charity raffle during the picnic. I was thinking of making a couple of mural sized prints, maybe one of the Nevada in DD#1 to generate funds to offset any overages during the picnic. Naturally it's been three days and no response from anyone in Long Beach. I know you think it's probably illegal to do so, but since the raffle would be non-profit there's a chance.

Oh, I am most certainly counting the days until June 20th. But I have other things to do.

The booth at the Chino Air Show is sponsored by the Pacific Fleet Center of which I am the Chief Technical Engineer. There are some city officials that would like to have a small fleet landing so Navy ships can moor for weekend liberty or holidays. So we are working on that along with other things such as my displays of the former Long Beach Naval Shipyard.

And I do like Air shows as well (used to fly Cessnas in my younger days). Hope they have the B-25 Mitchell "Heavenly Body" and "In the Mood" on display.

As for a charity raffle at the picnic, that is an absolute NO NO with the city Parks. We've already checked on that. It's okay to have a container for unsolicited donations (I have been using a 5"/38 powder casing) but we cannot promote anything that even remotely sounds commercial. Not even a charity.

The picnic will be in the Golden Grove area of the park that has lots of trees, a bandstand (that I mount my shipyard displays on), close to the heads and is already reserved (cost almost 900 bucks including a small refundable clean up fee).

[Ytlas]

The booth at the Chino Air Show is sponsored by the Pacific Fleet Center of which I am the Chief Technical Engineer. There are some city officials that would like to have a small fleet landing so Navy ships can moor for weekend liberty or holidays. So we are working on that along with other things such as my displays of the former Long Beach Naval Shipyard.

Pacific Fleet Center... another term I'm unfamiliar with.

It wouldn't have something to do with Memorial Park, which I've yet to visit.

[SnowLeopard]

In a matter of speaking, lots of ships have been decommissioned and then recommissioned. See:

USS Macdonough DDG 39 (DLG 8) - The Ship
USS KING DLG-10 [DDG-41]
History of USS Preble
US Cruisers List: Guided Missile Cruisers
LEAHY
Cruiser Photo Index DLG/CG-26 USS BELKNAP

Etc..

Apparently, when a ship goes thru a massive conversion, such as a major warfare threat upgrade, or from gun cruiser to missile cruiser, or from missile cruiser to flagship (the Belknap), it is decommissioned then commissioned again.
___________________________________________
("It is with regret that your name will be placed in our inactive status and I hope you may work for our organization again. Farewell, Dr. Hemlock!"--CII Spymaster Dragon's taped message, (w,stte), "The Eiger Sanction")