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

[qaz14595]

Part 2 for today

Saturday June 13th, Full set of photos are in the link; Includes additional views of setting up the shade sail, more RDF platform work including closeups on the platform, rigging the forward davit block among other stuff - 2015 USS Slater June 13th - an album on Flickr

Perks of being an early bird on Saturday's....Breakfast, Eggs over easy, french toast, bacon and sausage -



With the shade sail there's no alterations at all done to the ship -



We got the forward block re rigged on the boat davit...and of course the most senior of us; our 86 year old bosun is who goes up the ladder (Yes we had the ladder tied off) -



Coffee break in Chiefs...not much room left -



We're in awe as Benner welds an outlet in place for the starboard 01 level searchlight. Can be seen in the upper right corner along with in center the port one can be seen -

[qaz14595]

Part 3 for Today's updates

Full set of photos included additional views of removing wasted metal from the RDF platform in the midst of a steady rain storm, lowering the blocks on the boat davit in case there needed, the Whaleboat returns from the boatyard, engineers doing another test run, 93 year old Clark progressing on the dummy stuffing tube nest, plus closeups on the platform with the wasted metal removed - 2015 USS Slater June 15th - an album on Flickr


Dan & Tanner work on cutting pieces out in the rain while I was on the deck untying each part once lowered -



Tanner & his fully completed Davit pedestal collar -



It's back -



Karl, Mike & Gary pose next to the 3 Cyl during it's test run -



Closeup on the platform with the metal removed -

[qaz14595]

Part 4 for Today

Lot's of additional photos from the ceremony are available here - 2015 USS Slater June 20th - an album on Flickr

Third Saturday in June is DE Day... DE you ask..what is it? Well here's the answer as per the June 2015 SLATER SIGNALS - "It’s estimated that about 150,000 Sailors served in the WWII destroyer escorts, from their introduction in 1942 until the last DER went out of commission in 1973. They were mostly Reservists. After the war, these civilian Sailors put the war behind them and went back to their civilian lives. Their ships went into mothballs to await the next call of duty. Many of the ships were called back during the Cold War and remained on duty through the Vietnam War. As these citizen Sailors reached retirement, they began to look back on their years of naval service with a sense that the contribution of the destroyer escort was being lost to history. In the early 1980s, the Navy redesignated the modern destroyer escorts as frigates, and the DE disappeared from the naval inventory.
This sense of lost history resulted in two events. First, the veterans of the Destroyer Escort Sailors Association banded together to save the USS SLATER as a monument to their service. Second, they instituted one day each year to commemorate their service. The third Saturday in June was designated Destroyer Escort Day and celebrated by the thirty DESA Chapters around the country On this day we pay homage to the Destroyer Escort sailors killed in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the Cold War years, and to the ten Destroyer Escort ships lost in action. The first Destroyer Escort Day was held at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City on June 16, 1990. We continue the tradition today, and will continue to commemorate as long as USS SLATER exists to remind us of their sacrifices."

Even at 93 and using two canes Chief Clark still participates in the color guard & still is spiffy in whites! -



The full color guard -



As part of the ceremony the name of each DE lost is read, the ships Bell is tolled and a red or White carnation is dropped into the Hudson -



It even included a live rendition of taps -



The DESA (Destroyer Escort Sailors Association) Ladies Auxiliary was present with there quilt raffle even -

[qaz14595]

Part two from DE day...as before lot's of additional photos from the ceremony are available here - 2015 USS Slater June 20th - an album on Flickr

One of my all time favorite pictures I've had the honor of being part of..I'll just quote the caption from FB "It was quite an honor to pose with six World War II Veterans. Left to right, GM Bill Scharoun served in USS OSMUS DE 701, SoM Stan McMillian served in USS BULL DE-693 and USS BATES DE-68. RM Chris Fedden served in USS EUGENE A GREENE DD711, SM Les Beauchaine in USS FORMOE DE-509, ET Don Shattuck USS WESSON DE-184 and HAROLD C. THOMAS DE 21, and HTC Clark Farnsworth USS LEYTE CV32." -



It was well attended -



Attaching one of the newly fabricated spent shell bag to one of the 20's -



This year, the commemoration of DE Day was supported by the members of the Lehigh Valley Fleet Reserve Association who came from Pennsylvania to participate. -



Shipfitters & Deck gang figure it would be best to have them fabricate a boom in order to remove the old 25 man life raft forward port side -

[qaz14595]

Part 6 of 9 for today

For additional Boat ride photos, life raft work etc. here's the link - 2015 USS Slater June 22nd - an album on Flickr

Underway -



Tidying up fittings that go on the RDF platform -



This week was another test run; this time of the 8 Cyl to fully figure out the cooling water -



I got some priming done on the Roller Loaders to cover up the red -



First piece of new metal has been raised for fitting -

[qaz14595]

As always full set of pictures in the link. Includes more RDF platform work, use of the mag drill, bringing aboard the rebuilt "Here here" booth, additional views of raising the another of the new rafts into place among other stuff - 2015 USS Slater June 27th - an album on Flickr

Using a borrowed MAG drill to do the cuts for the access plate -



I continued priming of Roller Loaders & K Guns -



How many people does it take to raise the raft? -



The guides had a busy day including a group of roughly 50 bikers -



This was a lot more difficult than it seemed to attach the Here Here booth...getting the bolts in, aligned and washer/nuts on took a while.

[qaz14595]

Part 8 of 9 for today...

Full set from the 29th are in the link to see all of the goings on from the day including Larry finding a long lost person he knew. It turned out they went to the same A school & while not on the exact same DE they where in the exact same squadron in Mid 50's 2015 USS Slater June 29th - an album on Flickr

The river was so reflective at the start of the whaleboat ride -



Just looks neat with camera affect & the clouds and such -



93 year old Chief Clark still at it completing the dummy stuffing tube nest -



It's popular in the afternoon on a hot day to gather round and watch them on the platform -



All in that day I fabricated some 9 dogging wrenches. From cutting them to size on the chop saw, sanding them, to priming then finish coat -

[qaz14595]

Part 9 of 9 for Today's update

For all of the goings on on July 4th including more further out pier views etc. - 2015 USS Slater July 4th - an album on Flickr

Bill, Dick & Nelson take cover from the rain while beefing up a fender -



Kings Point merchant marine academy cadet Tim working on wiring in the sound powered phone during his two week internship aboard -



Continuing the wiring of the sound powered phones with the help of Barry -



I got some chipping done in aft steering; the results of what amounted to half a days worth of chipping -



One of further out pier views more in the link above -



As always - If you have any questions, comments etc. about anything at all always feel free to ask and or say!

More to come in the next few days...Hope everyone is enjoying the catching up I've got done!

[qaz14595]

Part 1 of 8 or 9 for today...

Full collection of photos from the day are available in the link - 2015 USS Slater July 6th - an album on Flickr

The highlight of the day can be seen in the video; The startup & running of the #3 diesel powered Ship's Service Electrical Generator (GM / Cleveland Diesel 8-268a) on the lower level of Aft Engine Room B-3 on July 6th 2015. Following the start up the process of switching from shore to generator power is seen (1:24 into the video & the final step of flipping the breaker & going dark for a moment can be seen at 6:33) followed by showing the cooling water discharge and exhaust from the stack. (8:21)

Day started with me getting more priming done on the K Guns & Roller loaders -



As standard for Monday, we exercised the whaleboat -



One little puff of Smoke on the initial startup then run's clear -



Cooling water discharge just how we want it -



All looks good -

[qaz14595]

To save a little bit of time on what a slow ish day the pictures from the 11th can be seen here, includes; More chipping I had got done, work on the RDF, and torch work. 2015 USS Slater July 11th - an album on Flickr


Full set including more photos from the special whaleboat ride - 2015 USS Slater July 13th - an album on Flickr

Tanner at work on the Platform -



Some of those who went for a ride, I always play Bow hook-



I'll just quote this from SIGNALS "by now all our regular readers should be familiar with our oldest active volunteer, Chief Shipfitter Clark Farnsworth. He was famous for his 1998 statement, "If I go down to the ship, I'm going to work, not drink coffee all day." Well the fact is he’s kept himself so busy over the years that he never found time to take a whaleboat ride. Each Monday we exercise the whaleboat. Well, on Monday, July 13th, 93-year-old Clark finally took his boat ride. Assisted by his shipmates, he made it down the accommodation ladder into the boat for a trip down to the port."



Boats working away on getting the fender more beefed up -



Walker brought some new deck chairs to replace the old ones that had not been aging well The new ones are even made in the USA -

[qaz14595]

For the full set of photos including more of the ceremony here's the link as usual - 2015 USS Slater July 18th - an album on Flickr

The day started off with a MUST WATCH short video clip that does a slight job to show the environment aboard ship. Super Dave Mardon testing out special easy arcing welding rod that's bound to help him keep an arc going -

Then we held a retirement ceremony & once again I'll quote from SIGNALS "The ship sparkled with white and gold when Captain Jamie Pierce retired. CAPT Pierce is a third-generation graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and holds an MS from the Naval Postgraduate School. He served with various helicopter anti-submarine squadrons. He transferred to the Reserve in 1998 and commanded the Jaguars of HSL 60 in 2004. He went on to take numerous commands and duties, including his most recent as the Deputy Reserve Component Commander for Navy Region Midwest. He has been awarded the Legion of Merit, the Joint Meritorious Service Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal (five awards). He has over 2,900 flight hours."

And no...contrary to belief we didn't have a port list due to all the Brass -





Seeing how it's the RDF platform after all that's being worked on it was decided when the scaffolding is up why not replicate what should be there to add even more to our authenticity? Working on getting the ring for the RDF -



What happens when the boss is away -



Some of our crew had went down to the Ex. BARRY in DC to to remove parts prior to disposal. Among other stuff we gt a whole bunch of fuzzes;one of Barry's students sorting them in the Electrical shop -

[qaz14595]

As always additional photos from the 20th are available in the link - 2015 USS Slater July 20th - an album on Flickr

93 year old Chief Clark must have enjoyed his boat ride so much he brought along a shipmate from LEYTE CV 32 for another boat ride -



Both Benner & Dave were getting seal welding done on the platform -



How many people does it take to water Earl apply corroseal?



Smitty was out of town on vacation so it was me to scrounge up some pasta & pasta sauce we had about to make lunch -



Benner welding away -



The 25th was a half day for me so here's the link to those pictures, they include; Foggy morning on the river, Boats making breakfast, fixing snaking, more work on that fender & more on the RDF, there was a murder, plus Smitty was on vacation still so it was pizza for lunch 2015 USS Slater July 25th - an album on Flickr

[qaz14595]

Another two days in one post.. First the 27th. Full set in the link - 2015 USS Slater July 27th - an album on Flickr

A long time friend from Long Island drove up to drop off some exhaust elbows and gaskets for the main engines -



Deck gang re rigged the accommodation ladder with new line -



For the rest of the goings on from the 1st including more work on platform itself. broken cable, Falcon on the mast, Deck gang at work here's the link 2015 USS Slater Aug 1st - an album on Flickr

I put a fresh coat of paint on the port amidships floater nets -



How many people does it take to see if it's level? -



Close up on the broken upper forestay -

[qaz14595]

Full set of photos from Aug 3rd with all of the goings ons - 2015 USS Slater Aug 3rd - an album on Flickr

I had the opportunity to play coxswain -



93 Year old Clark welding on the dummy RDF -



Just like how this looks -



Putting the awning back up following the Coast Guard day gun salute the day prior (While Coast Guard day is the 4th we held it on Sunday the 2nd to allow more coasties to attend)



How many people does it take to firewatch while Dan welds on the RDF?



More updates to come later in the week - hope everyone is enjoying and as always if you have any questions/comments in the slightest always feel free to ask &/or say!

[ChrisV71]

I can't think of a better spot for this, but the ARM Manuel Azueta (D-111) was retired on July 3 by the Mexican Navy. She was previously the Hurst (DE-250)

http://www.demotix.com/news/8019976/...#media-8019968

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mps4u-Y4HvY