Bring Back The Iowa Class Discussion And Debate

[RAL's_pal?]

Hey cRusty, when you stole the winches off the former Chicago, was it still in Bremerton or across the bridge being cut up?

BB a/c plants.. been there, done that. Actually really nice work.

We don't touch wave guides, but did chill water cooling lines with glycol to SLQ 32 antennas.

I seem to remember at least one 5" magazine being converted to CIWS ammo storage compartment.

[Gun Grape]

Originally Posted by RustyBattleship

Not quite. Close but - I was there and did the equipment stealing.

As for stripping other ships for parts, the only ones I know of is what I personally commandeered. We got the aft quick release Pelican Hook for the aft towing wire off the North Carolina for the New Jersey as we inadvertently scrapped her original one when removing the fantail boat and airplane crane. Then I took two winches off the Chicago (CG-11) to provide the main lifting winches for the new boat booms on both Missouri and Wisconsin.

Referring more to the ABLs that were diverted from (and paid for with) Sprucans and the Harpoon systems that came from the Farragut class than a few ropes and pullys

[RustyBattleship]

[quote=RAL's_pal?;455214]Hey cRusty, when you stole the winches off the former Chicago, was it still in Bremerton or across the bridge being cut up?

QUOTE]

She was still in Bremerton at the time. NAVSEA instructed me to send an engineer and a planner to Houston, Texas to inspect a second hand winch some company had for sale.

When they came back, they were NOT smiling. It had no controller, no master switch and was rusting away in a field of weeds. The cost to buy it and repair it was only a couple of thousand less than buying a new one.

Gordon Douglas decided to look up its manual in the library and came running full speed up to my desk. Here were the same winches, two each on the Chicago and her two sister ships.

Everybody on the fourth floor pulled out their photographs they took of the Missouri during our Bremerton inspection. Bingo. One of them showed the Chicago on the other side of the pier with the winches still on it.

I ran up to Type Desk (I could run fairly well in those days) and got the paperwork going to cannibilize both winches. One for Missouri and one for Wisconsin.

A couple of weeks later Type Desk called me and said they were on the way by (name forgotten) trucking company and expected to be in Long Beach by Monday. I jokingly asked for the truck drivers CB handle so I could track him down the I-5.

The following Monday morning I was Southbound on the Long Beach Freeway in my '76 Pinto when I saw a flat bed truck in front of me with some big gray things on it. I pulled alongside and sure enough, there were the winches WITH their controllers and master switches.

I pulled ahead down to Pico and Water street when in my rear view mirror I saw the truck pulling off onto the shoulder. Because of the Gerald Desmond bridge and its berns supporting Ocean Blvd, the shipyard could not be seen from down there. I made a U turn and went back to the truck and asked the driver what was wrong.

He answered, "Nothing really, except I don't know how to get to the Navy yard from here."

I laughed and said, "No problem. Those are MY winches. Just follow me into Gate 2 by the Supply Building."

Yep. I brought both those babies in myself for a total cost of $7,000. To repair the single one in the Texas weed field would have cost $48,000.

THAT was a good day.

[gunnut]

Originally Posted by RustyBattleship

I haven't seen Isaac in 10 years at least. How is he doing? Strange small world. He did some engineering work for me on the DSRV project and later I did some computerized compartmentation drawings for him (I learned AutoCad then but since have forgotten how to work it).

But I never knew there was an "O" at the end of his name. During the New Jersey BB days he was even my direct supervisor for a few months until he went back to supervise the scientific section.

He was one of the nicest guys I ever knew. With Isaac, you never felt he worked FOR you or you never worked FOR him. We all worked WITH each other. If the shipyard wasn't forced to close, I truly believe he would have made it on up to Assistant Chief Engineer.

He's doing good. Enjoying the retired life. Playing with grandson everyday. Both his son and daughter-in-law work so they drop off the munchkin in the morning and pick him up after work.

I'll give him your regards the next time I visit his family.

[RustyBattleship]

Originally Posted by gunnut

He's doing good. Enjoying the retired life. Playing with grandson everyday. Both his son and daughter-in-law work so they drop off the munchkin in the morning and pick him up after work.

I'll give him your regards the next time I visit his family.

And tell him I'm going to be a grandpa around June 20th. He can pass on some advice to me.

[Master Chief]

Originally Posted by RustyBattleship

And tell him I'm going to be a grandpa around June 20th. He can pass on some advice to me.

Hey, Rusty congradulations! That is great! Best wishes to you and the family.