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How necessary were BB's in WWII?

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  • Mr. L, Do the ships get the parts back from MARAD's APL when the ship is released for good or are Navy parts always navy parts?

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    • Originally posted by Dreadnought View Post
      Perhaps a dereliction in terms Mr. L. From what I know when the ship left Port you would find the Captain on the 08 bridge. Im sure you know where the entrance is. It is listed as the 08 Bridge but many refered to it as the Captains bridge since his other two residences were close by.

      Im shocked with how stripped the Conning Tower helm is, They really did a number on it. Even the idicator on the speed dial is missing along with the "Trick Wheel warning signs" among other fixtures such as SSR (although I do see the pedistal for it). I figured the one with the portholes was the 08 since the 04 bridge had the hand crank glass protectors for the vision slits on the outside and then ofcoarse the main bridge glass.

      Im guessing her "Aft" Steering station still has the brass wheel afixed or was it removed to storage as well?
      Yeah, we weren't too happy during our inspections in 2006 as to what all is missing. As for "Aft" steering, that was "Local Control" in the Steering Gear Rudder rooms themselves below 3rd deck.

      It is true that the ship's Captain often would be at the 08 level where he needed the extra elevation (another 30 feet) for visual extension. But the main bridge is at 04 level (with a special chair just for him on the Starboard side) where he had overall communications with all the ship's divisions.

      The glass crank up window in front of the armored Conning Station up forward were present on all ships EXCEPT the New Jersey. When and why they were removied is beyong me. But back in 1968 when I worked on her for her Viet Nam deployment, I was standing on the bridge when the Captain was showing our planners and Type Desk (the funding office) to put something up there. His very words were, "They have nothing that can sink this ship. But they can cause some damage and a good hit up here will send fire through those slits.

      In 1982, I found the plan that designs those crank up windows. But Type Desk didn't have the funds for it. We had a microfilm reel of all of North Carolina's plans but their slit covers were too small (I was going to cannibalize them if they would fit - I cannibalized the towing Pelican hook off the Massachusettes and two winches off the Chicago fo the Iowa class reactivations. I detail the efforts in my book).

      It is ironic that this subject of funding comes up at this time. Last Friday I attended a funeral of one of my old shipyard buddies. He went through the apprenticeship as a boat builder and later transferred topside to Type Desk. I got a few chuckles out of the attendees when I told them that while I was on the 4th floor designing extra armor plate for the New Jersey, he was on the 5th floor trying to figure out how to pay for it.
      Able to leap tall tales in a single groan.

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      • Sorry Mr. L. didnt mean to confuse you with "aft steering," I was refering to the third steering station located below decks by the Main switchboard.
        I'll post a pic later.
        Fortitude.....The strength to persist...The courage to endure.

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        • Ok, so far we have showed Conning on the 08 level Bridge and the 04 level Bridge (both above the main deck) Now what I believe is called Secondary Conning. This is below decks. And then as Mr.L mentioned, you still have the rudder control in the steering gear compartment via hydralic ram motors. Thats four positions to steer the ship by incase one or more are lost to damage. As you can see she is well looked after.;)
          Attached Files
          Last edited by Dreadnought; 12 Aug 10,, 22:59.
          Fortitude.....The strength to persist...The courage to endure.

          Comment


          • Originally posted by Dreadnought View Post
            Ok, so far we have showed Conning on the 08 level Bridge and the 04 level Bridge (both above the main deck) Now what I believe is called Secondary Conning. This is below decks. And then as Mr.L mentioned, you still have the rudder control in the steering gear compartment via hydralic ram motors. Thats four positions to steer the ship by incase one or more are lost to damage. As you can see she is well looked after.;)
            Oh yeah. Whenever I was in the main switchboard room it was for my electrical and electronics engineers to inspect it for working (and safe) condition.

            I hope you have some sort of a "Low-Jack" device super glued to the back side of that wheel. At the cost of copper based metals, somebody is going to try to figure out a way to get it off the ship and sold to a recycling center. At the VFW post I go to on Tuesday nights, next door is a recycling center. Some guy was standing in line with a large bronze grave marker of a WW II vet. Before he could get up to have it weighed, the recycling center called the cops and they were right behind him. The marker was turned over to the VFW post in hopes of finding the cemetery it came from. But no luck so far. The post still has it for safe keeping however.

            By the way, if any of you are better computer researchers than me, the grave marker is:
            WARREN H. SMITH
            US ARMY
            NOV 1 1922 JUN 24 1984

            According to the Social Security Death Index, his last residence was Compton, California.
            Last edited by RustyBattleship; 13 Aug 10,, 05:13.
            Able to leap tall tales in a single groan.

            Comment


            • Originally posted by RustyBattleship View Post
              Oh yeah. Whenever I was in the main switchboard room it was for my electrical and electronics engineers to inspect it for working (and safe) condition.

              I hope you have some sort of a "Low-Jack" device super glued to the back side of that wheel. At the cost of copper based metals, somebody is going to try to figure out a way to get it off the ship and sold to a recycling center. At the VFW post I go to on Tuesday nights, next door is a recycling center. Some guy was standing in line with a large bronze grave marker of a WW II vet. Before he could get up to have it weighed, the recycling center called the cops and they were right behind him. The marker was turned over to the VFW post in hopes of finding the cemetery it came from. But no luck so far. The post still has it for safe keeping however.

              By the way, if any of you are better computer researchers than me, the grave marker is:
              WARREN H. SMITH
              US ARMY
              NOV 1 1922 JUN 24 1984

              According to the Social Security Death Index, his last residence was Compton, California.
              I hope the grave robber resisted arrest
              sigpic"If your plan is for one year, plant rice. If your plan is for ten years, plant trees.
              If your plan is for one hundred years, educate children."

              Comment


              • Originally posted by RustyBattleship View Post
                Oh yeah. Whenever I was in the main switchboard room it was for my electrical and electronics engineers to inspect it for working (and safe) condition.

                I hope you have some sort of a "Low-Jack" device super glued to the back side of that wheel. At the cost of copper based metals, somebody is going to try to figure out a way to get it off the ship and sold to a recycling center. At the VFW post I go to on Tuesday nights, next door is a recycling center. Some guy was standing in line with a large bronze grave marker of a WW II vet. Before he could get up to have it weighed, the recycling center called the cops and they were right behind him. The marker was turned over to the VFW post in hopes of finding the cemetery it came from. But no luck so far. The post still has it for safe keeping however.

                By the way, if any of you are better computer researchers than me, the grave marker is:
                WARREN H. SMITH
                US ARMY
                NOV 1 1922 JUN 24 1984

                According to the Social Security Death Index, his last residence was Compton, California.
                Mr. L, that particular area is pretty much off limits to anyone outside the crew for now. I'm sure they have measures in place to protect the ship outside of the norm and its fittings. Any scrap dealer or recycling facility that would have that or as you mentioned a grave marker or something John Q Public wouldnt find on the local street come through his door should atleast have the descency to pick up the phone and ask someone. Much of the ship is monitored but the again you always have to watch for souvenier hunters and thieves. So far they have done pretty well from what I gather.
                Fortitude.....The strength to persist...The courage to endure.

                Comment


                • Originally posted by USSWisconsin View Post
                  I hope the grave robber resisted arrest
                  I second that one.
                  Fortitude.....The strength to persist...The courage to endure.

                  Comment


                  • Originally posted by RustyBattleship View Post

                    By the way, if any of you are better computer researchers than me, the grave marker is:
                    WARREN H. SMITH
                    US ARMY
                    NOV 1 1922 JUN 24 1984

                    According to the Social Security Death Index, his last residence was Compton, California.
                    The United States Department of Veteran's Affairs provides the markers for eligible veterans.
                    Somewhere in their records they should have which cemetery the marker was sent to.
                    Headstones and Markers - General Information - Burial and Memorial Benefits

                    Comment


                    • Originally posted by Ytlas View Post
                      The United States Department of Veteran's Affairs provides the markers for eligible veterans.
                      Somewhere in their records they should have which cemetery the marker was sent to.
                      Headstones and Markers - General Information - Burial and Memorial Benefits
                      If they can't even keep track of Arlington they might not be much help. Old acid paper records are about destroyed by now unless carefully preserved. A better bet is to look on the net for the obits or the local papers obit fish from pre-net times. County records are often fished as well and can at least narrow down a last known address or next of kin.

                      Comment


                      • Originally posted by zraver View Post
                        If they can't even keep track of Arlington they might not be much help. Old acid paper records are about destroyed by now unless carefully preserved. A better bet is to look on the net for the obits or the local papers obit fish from pre-net times. County records are often fished as well and can at least narrow down a last known address or next of kin.
                        The guy in question passed away in 26 years ago. Chances are very good that the paper his information is stored on is in very good shape. It could have been converted to microfiche a number of years ago like the National Archives did with various paper records.

                        The National Personnel Records Center might also have where he's buried. If the Department of Veterans Affairs provided the marker they could have put an addendum to his records.

                        Comment


                        • My interpretation of the answer, considering the input recieved as well as my own research is:

                          The US used their battleships effectively, but would have won without them.
                          The British needed their battleships because the Germans had them, and the North Sea gave battleships an edge over carriers at the time in bad weather
                          The Germans and Japanese would have had a better chance had they used the resources required for battleships elsewhere
                          The Italian and French battleships were not a significant factor in WWII, the outcome would have been the same either way
                          sigpic"If your plan is for one year, plant rice. If your plan is for ten years, plant trees.
                          If your plan is for one hundred years, educate children."

                          Comment


                          • The third brass wheel

                            Here are the brass wheels in aft steering on USS Wisconsin
                            Attached Files
                            sigpic"If your plan is for one year, plant rice. If your plan is for ten years, plant trees.
                            If your plan is for one hundred years, educate children."

                            Comment


                            • Nice pics, bare bones up.;)
                              Fortitude.....The strength to persist...The courage to endure.

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