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Destroyers - Fletcher Class

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  • Eastcoast Mothball....

    Originally posted by bbvet View Post
    BP,

    This looks a lot like the mothballed FLETCHER DD's that resided south of the San Diego Naval Base in the late 1960s. However, I can't recall if this is that fleet or one of the east coast fleets due to the orientation of the photo in regards to the background. I remember looking south from the bridge of one of these ships in summer of 1967. I went there to canabalize an 01 Level Gunnery Office Door from the stbd side aft and we got as far as the mess decks before running out of natural sunlight - no elec. on board (obviously!). Most of that fleet had been constructed and then towed into mothballs and never commissioned - brand new (20+ year old) ships in pristine conditions inside. This photo appears to show ships that possibly had seen service (note - RADAR antenna that might have been upgraded from 1940's initial commission). The yellow paint is certainly NOT the std. mothball scheme, so I would agree that this photo's been altered, at least color-wise. One note about this, however, I do have photos of NEW JERSEY and WISCONSIN in mothballs in the late 1950's that do show the Zinc Chromate (reddish/yellow) that adorned all the vent/HVAC/ fan openings on bulkheads and mushroom vents where they were sealed, so....I won't say that this is entirely incorrect, except I've never seen the 40mm cocoons painted this way.

    Thanks for posting - worth putting in DD vault for future ref.!
    I discovered this picture of "The Sullivans" taken as it is identified as being towed from PNY to Buffalo, NY. Note the 3-inch guns mounts in the "Cylinder"...
    Attached Files

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    • Originally posted by blidgepump View Post
      Had a few minutes to escape from work while waiting for another plane ride home and discovered this photo of "mothballed Fletcher's".
      Anyone have some background on why someone went to the trouble of adding the yellow paint?

      Post WWII, small hull numbers, single pole mast, paint is pristine condition..... heavily doctored photo so it appears.
      That background looks like Green Cove Springs, FL. That looks like the air strip in the right rear and the terrain is flat like FL. Though they mostly had DE's and APD's tied up there, there were others. But, the orientation to the piers is wrong!
      Damn Blidge! I've been hours going through photo's trying to figure this out!

      Comment


      • Originally posted by blidgepump View Post
        Must have been a very important transfer with all the skylarkers attending.

        Note the smudges on the tip of the stacks and the rafts , definitely WW II photo.
        Probably Ice Cream! Carriers had ice cream making machines. When a destroyer returned a downed aviator it was custom that the carrier sent ice cream back to the destroyer.
        “Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.”
        Mark Twain

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        • Stacks...

          A random picture of a Fletcher Class-DD.
          What is of interest is the view capture looking forwarding into the fore and aft stack.
          Note the exterior of the stack is painted Haze Gray and the exhaust residue is evident on the top portion of both stacks. The date of this BuShip photo is 13 August 1943.
          Attached Files

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          • BilgePump those navy photos are highly detailed. I have several and enjoy them for their detail. I believe the "watch caps" and everything above the stacks was painted black after the war about the same time they put the large hull # in the bow. Don't know the date though or the year.

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            • Weapon "Alpha" ....

              I recently found this photo and the "Anti submarine weapon launched from the former "52" mount on a Fletcher Class DD.
              Two reactions... first, it's bigger than I thought, second, did it ever sink anything?
              Attached Files

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              • Ive never seen anything like it. I know the mount but never saw the shell takes 3 men and 2 small boys just to load it I would guess.

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                • Follow up ...

                  Originally posted by Boilermaker9 View Post
                  Ive never seen anything like it. I know the mount but never saw the shell takes 3 men and 2 small boys just to load it I would guess.
                  BM I agree. Attempting to load that manly sized "shell" (?), in the "Alpha" Weapon must of been a hoot in a rolling sea.
                  Last edited by blidgepump; 27 Dec 18,, 04:18.

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                  • Continuing this thread (Weapon Alpha...) - I found this link to some further info on this project:
                    https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/for...?topic=19144.0

                    Comment


                    • Originally posted by bbvet View Post
                      Continuing this thread (Weapon Alpha...) - I found this link to some further info on this project:
                      https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/for...?topic=19144.0
                      Good reading material.

                      Comment


                      • USS Cassin Young in the Med ....

                        This photo of the Cassin Young shows the DD at the far left in the picture.
                        Two gun Cruisers are tied up in the middle, with what appears to be and APA ship to the right.
                        Attached Files

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                        • A nest of DD's ...

                          Destroyer Squadron 17, photographed at the foot of Broadway, San Diego, California, in March 1955. Destroyers in front row include (left to right): USS Twining (DD-540); USS Erben (DD-631); USS Halsey Powell (DD-686) and USS Gregory (DD-802). Behind them are (left to right): USS Shields (DD-596); USS Colahan (DD-658); USS Marshall (DD-676) and USS Porterfield (DD-682). USS Kearsarge (CVA-33) is tied up in the left distance, at Naval Air Station, North Island. Structure in the bottom center is the "Naval Destroyer Boat House". U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
                          Attached Files

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                          • Special treat.....

                            Okay you Fletcher - DD followers a special treat today.

                            Would you like to view some hard charging Fletcher-DD footage.
                            This should get your blood pumping. Enjoy !


                            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csOr...2HqWF5UdY3Ip9M

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                            • Double special day...

                              Some close up Fletcher Unrep film... enjoy!


                              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rYj2KzEMdA[/url]

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                              • Dd-569....

                                This is a "round-bridge Fletcher-Class-Destroyer. The is looking aft on the starboard side, between the 51 & 52 gun.

                                DD-569's damage can be viewed by this 1944 photo. You can see how these "turrets" are actually just "shielded mounts". Their housing is only good against shrapnel and the elements.
                                Attached Files
                                Last edited by blidgepump; 24 Feb 19,, 05:08.

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