Destroyer Escort Historical Museum, USS Slater (DE-766)

[qaz14595]

And now i'm caught up again. . . . for now. December 7th pictures - 2013 USS Slater Dec 7th - a set on Flickr

Spent the day numbering Frames, so don't have many pictures -

Two RPI Midshipmen being brought around on the paint float to make spray paint marks so the exact location of the waterline is known when in the yards -



What was used to help number frames! -



They also tested a Pump, that did work -



Lastly two boxes with what I considered a neat message per say on it -

[qaz14595]

Detailed Dydocking Info

You know we expect pics.

Up to the same standard the Laffey posted on her site when she was in drydock

I'll be sure to get as many pictures as possible, including of the prep work that goes on!

The November SLATER signals by our Executive Director provies vast amout of info of all of what must be done for drydock so just click on the link!!

Slater Signals November 2013

Includes the following - Why we chose now to do it this winter, Reasons for doubling over crop and renew around the waterline, all of what must be accomplished prior, and, who our Hull fund committie includes.

[tbm3fan]

Cool stuff. In as much as I do the same on the Hornet I can recognize the rust and peeling paint down below. I just finished moving 16 of those 5 gallon paint containers out of the approach radar. Damn heavy and then had to go down from O6, out to L3, and then onto the gangway to put into the dumpster. So demanding that I could only manage 3 buckets a day and it took six weeks. As for peeling paint that can only be found in the Island and exterior spaces on the O2 Level which are right in my zones of work.

I see there are some packed storage compartments. Looks like a lot of small stuff. You should see ours and we have a lot being a carrier. Small stuff up to aircraft radial engines and 16" shells.

I liked the letter from the retired Lt. Commander. Too bad you couldn't have been there the day he was as those infrequent visits, by former crew, are a real joy to be part of.

[85 gt kid]

You should see ours and we have a lot being a carrier. Small stuff up to aircraft radial engines and 16" shells.

Looking at adding 16" guns to the Hornet for future armament?

Looks like you guys are doing great work keep it up!

[qaz14595]

I see there are some packed storage compartments. Looks like a lot of small stuff. You should see ours and we have a lot being a carrier. Small stuff up to aircraft radial engines and 16" shells.

Relatively small, but still quite heavy and bulky though ;) And we do have some larger stuff (Atleast large for what can fit in our smaller storerooms)

From the SLATER FB page -

So busy cleaning out the lower holds aft yesterday[Monday, December 2nd] that no one had time to take pictures. Remember, most of these guys are over eighty.

Also, indeed! That's one type of person I want to meet, a former Slater crew member!

[qaz14595]

December 23rd - Moved more stuff along with having our Christmas lunch!

(As usual don't forget if you have any questions at all about any of the pictures, etc feel free to ask!!!)

Entire set of pictures from the 23rd here in addition to the few on here - 2013 USS Slater Dec 23rd - a set on Flickr

Soo we even have a collection of Teak Decking for whatever reasons; With some of it in the POD -



The progress of emptying out the aft 3" magazine so we can access the voids below -



Found a message on one of those Bunk Canvasses -



As you can see, we got fed quite well ;) -



Explains better the marks at the waterline that where being done so it's known when we are high & dry -

[qaz14595]

And btw, think we have enough Gas Masks? haha -



And two from the day after Christmas that where posted on the Facebook page -

Finished cleaning out the aft 3" magazine -



Along with two of the void manholes that are in the aft 3' magazine (Sure won't be easy to open them for whoever gets that task)

[qaz14595]

December 28th, and as you can guess, more stuff was moved! Continued offloading uniforms and boxes of rate badges from the lower forward magazines to the PODS, along more frame numbering!

Additional pictures here - 2013 USS Slater Dec 28th - a set on Flickr





There was also the emptying of a tank that is at the stern, under Aft steering -



Like a mirror it looks like! -



As you can see, it appears like we are even a little higher in the water at the stern now -

[qaz14595]

Close up on how we are just slightly higher in the water now -



And just two more interesting views from yesterday!

[qaz14595]

State Preservation Award

Just realized I didn't share this news from earlier this month -

USS Slater among honorees in state’s preservation awards - Albany Times Union

USS Slater given preservation award - Saratogian

NY parks agency announces preservation awards - WSJ.com

Quoted the shortest of the three articles here (The WSJ one) and the rest go more in depth about what our citation reads etc. -

Associated Press
ALBANY, N.Y. — New York's Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has announced the recipients of the 2013 New York State Historic Preservation Awards.

The Buffalo Neighborhood Preservation Initiative was cited for its work getting a group of Buffalo's largest and most significant residential and commercial areas listed on the New York and National Registers of Historic Places.

Albany's USS Slater Destroyer Escort Museum was cited as one of the finest naval ship exhibits in the country, drawing thousands of visitors to Albany's riverfront.

George Traikos and his company, Fitzhugh Associates, were honored for transforming the rundown Rochester Free Academy building in downtown Rochester into a vibrant commercial and residential complex.

Also honored was the Rock Island Lighthouse State Park at Fisher's Landing in the Thousand Islands region.

—Copyright 2013 Associated Press

[qaz14595]

Winter Fund! - Joys of an Albany Winter!



Seeing how cold it is, can't help but share this - Local Briefs - Times Union

Next two day's weather - (Will be interesting how well the circulators can do against all the Ice. . .)

Today - High of 9° and feels like -7° Friday; High of 6° and feels like -11° (Low of -6° & Feels like -15°)

USS Slater volunteer fund drive is under way

ALBANY — USS Slater's 15th annual Winter Fund Drive, with the theme, "it's time to help keep a volunteer warm this winter," has launched.

The appeal is designed to allow volunteers to keep working on the World War II destroyer escort's restoration through winter months and has become an important part of the museum's operating fund.

A network of 3,000 members in all 50 states help support the Slater. In 2013 the only public funding the museum received was a $1,000 city of Albany Arts Grant to support public programs. Private donations provide half of the museum's operating budget.Volunteers donate an average of 16,000 hours a year to the project.

Winter Fund donors are welcome at any level. Visit the website at Destroyer Escort Historical Museum, Albany, NY for more information. Museum memberships begin at $25. Donations may be mailed to USS SLATER, Box 1926, Albany, NY 12201.

[JRT]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]35003[/ATTACH]

Seeing how cold it is, can't help but share this - Local Briefs - Times Union

Next two day's weather - (Will be interesting how well the circulators can do against all the Ice. . .)

Today - High of 9° and feels like -7° Friday; High of 6° and feels like -11° (Low of -6° & Feels like -15°)

WAMC provides a good detailed weather forcecast that usually comes on a little before ~07:55 and ~12:25 weekdays, and they post it on line shortly afterward.

Here is a link to the forecast that was broadcast this afternoon:
Weather Forecast broadcast 12:25 02-Jan-2014 on WAMC

[qaz14595]

Cold!!

So as I mentioned previously, the weather for the first few days of 2014 in Albany was quite cold, and as you guessed; the cold continued onto Saturday.

As per The Weather Channel's Weather.com the warmest it was was, 20 & felt like 6.

All of the pictures - 2014 USS Slater Jan 4th - a set on Flickr

All in all, as far as I could tell the circulators where a decent job at preventing ice build up aside from a fair bit of ice off of the port bow down to approximately the first mooring pillion thing.

So as you can see due to the ice build up the #1 line was extra taught; So "Boats" Haggart (Who's 85) had my dad & I go out on deck to just set up two Rat tails to be used later in the day when it was a little "warmer" so we could slack the line a little.



Then while we where out there, the dad noticed the electrical cable to the circulator on the starboard bow had all the tension on it from being stuck in the ice.



So then "Boats" decided we should go about dealing with it then (As per Weather Channel at that time it was 6 & felt like -12 out) So we used two shackles attached to a line and dropped it numerous times to break it free from the ice, then once we got it approximately halfway up we used the shackles on it to knock off additional ice that was built up/still on the power cable along with the ropes holding it in place so it would be easier to haul up.



With the circulator on the deck, then it was brought down inside so the electrical power cable can be tied to the rope that holds the circulator in place that way it's the rope that has all the weight on it. (As you can see based on a view of one that was properly set up to start with)



One of the lower storerooms with the fiberglass insulation removed at/below the waterline as part of the drydocking preps so the steel is visible for fire watch.

[qaz14595]

Adjusting the #1 line, it was so cold out we had to use a crowbar due the line being frozen in place (Along with a hammer to knock it back in place around the bit)

Keep in mind it was 16 and felt like 2 out at that time. (Though probably even colder than that with just how windy it was being in the wide open on the bow)

P.S Don't forget "Boats" is 85 years Old....Er young too!



As you can see the #1 line is less taught!



Another interesting thing to note with the ice, as you can see the ice is lifting up the Donut Fenders slighlty



Lastly the pic from the FB post along with quoting what was with it

The day started at -2 degrees. 15 volunteers made it in. Sounded voids, worked loosening manhole covers, blank flanged a couple open drain lines in the forward magazine and continued removing fiberglass insulation and vacuuming in the bilges. When it warmed up to +20 "Boats" Haggart took Bob and Thomas Scian forward to adjust mooring lines. Oh, and Tanner cooked breakfast and lunch.

[blidgepump]

Arctic work detail.....

So as I mentioned previously, the weather for the first few days of 2014 in Albany was quite cold, and as you guessed; the cold continued onto Saturday.

As per The Weather Channel's Weather.com the warmest it was was, 20 & felt like 6.

All of the pictures - 2014 USS Slater Jan 4th - a set on Flickr

All in all, as far as I could tell the circulators where a decent job at preventing ice build up aside from a fair bit of ice off of the port bow down to approximately the first mooring pillion thing.

So as you can see due to the ice build up the #1 line was extra taught; So "Boats" Haggart (Who's 85) had my dad & I go out on deck to just set up two Rat tails to be used later in the day when it was a little "warmer" so we could slack the line a little.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]35037[/ATTACH]

Then while we where out there, the dad noticed the electrical cable to the circulator on the starboard bow had all the tension on it from being stuck in the ice.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]35038[/ATTACH]

So then "Boats" decided we should go about dealing with it then (As per Weather Channel at that time it was 6 & felt like -12 out) So we used two shackles attached to a line and dropped it numerous times to break it free from the ice, then once we got it approximately halfway up we used the shackles on it to knock off additional ice that was built up/still on the power cable along with the ropes holding it in place so it would be easier to haul up.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]35039[/ATTACH]

With the circulator on the deck, then it was brought down inside so the electrical power cable can be tied to the rope that holds the circulator in place that way it's the rope that has all the weight on it. (As you can see based on a view of one that was properly set up to start with)

[ATTACH=CONFIG]35040[/ATTACH]

One of the lower storerooms with the fiberglass insulation removed at/below the waterline as part of the drydocking preps so the steel is visible for fire watch.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]35041[/ATTACH]

qaz... excellent work on the cold weather work detail!