We Got the IOWA

[RustyBattleship]

I don't know how many bodies were out there back then, but maybe 15% were skilled workers and the other 85% of people rated between decent workers and dimwits. With the "deep pockets" of manhours available, it was a place for shops to stash their worthless people instead of having them work on the USS Horne or USS Tarawa.

I remember the private contractor fire watches back then. One was a pimp and he had his stable of "Firewatch gals" who would meet their "John" onboard in some out of the way space. They were followed by another firewatch, presumably the bodyguard who carried the CO2 bottle onboard. :)

I remember those firewatch people. Supposedly they were to be High School students doing summertime "community service" work. One gal was always in heavy makeup and had several rings on her fingers. Most of those rings were big enough to snag on a ladder rung. I told her to take the rings off because if she slipped and fell a snagged ring would rip her finger off.

Most of them, as you said, were useless. But I do recall one tall, attractive blonde girl who I think was self training herself to be a fire fighter. When she was called for firewatch duty, she responded on the run leaping over door sills, tools on the deck, etc. without losing any balance. Obviously she was quite athletic and after the summer firewatches left I was told by an officer from the ship superintendents office that she was a star soccer player in school.

But yes, sadly, most of them were more in the way than being helpful. I think that was the first and only time we took on community service personnel for firewatch duty.

[Ytlas]

Long Beach Naval Shipyard reactivated and modernized the New Jersey in the 1980's a month ahead of schedule and "under budget". But we had 2,000 to 4,000 skilled workers at a MINIMUM aboard her 24/7. We even farmed in people from Philadelphia NSY and Todd Shipyard as well as farming out drafting designs to local engineering companies.

I don't know how many bodies were out there back then, but maybe 15% were skilled workers and the other 85% of people rated between decent workers and dimwits. With the "deep pockets" of manhours available, it was a place for shops to stash their worthless people instead of having them work on the USS Horne or USS Tarawa.

I remember the private contractor fire watches back then. One was a pimp and he had his stable of "Firewatch gals" who would meet their "John" onboard in some out of the way space. They were followed by another firewatch, presumably the bodyguard who carried the CO2 bottle onboard. :)

[Ken_NJ]

Some nice pictures for the day...

Photos: Flyover the USS Iowa and SS Lane Victory – - The Daily Breeze Media Center

[Dreadnought]

Sounds like you're a well experienced GM. So get your fanny out to San Pedro and start working on them.

Seriously, we still have a long way to go to get proper shore power to the ship, getting enough pipefitters to reactivate the CHT system, electricians to activate at least the traverse and elevation of the guns, wood workers to install new decking (when we can get it), etc. Long Beach Naval Shipyard reactivated and modernized the New Jersey in the 1980's a month ahead of schedule and "under budget". But we had 2,000 to 4,000 skilled workers at a MINIMUM aboard her 24/7. We even farmed in people from Philadelphia NSY and Todd Shipyard as well as farming out drafting designs to local engineering companies.

It's a whole different ball game now with a lot of the summer volunteers gone back to their regular jobs or back home (those from the Richmond/San Francisco area).

On another note; I got a new PC tower installed and running today. Still trying to get used to it. But I can get on line now without having to go through "the back door" with Internet Explorer or my wife's laptop. Still have to reinstall Corel Draw so I can continue doing drawings for PBC.

Catch you all later.

Sorry Mr. L. dont think this will pay the bills, but I would like to come out at some point and meet up if possible.:)

[RustyBattleship]

Well, I guess my biggest question is are they going to do it by the book (power to main switchboard, power to gun plot, power to gun layers handwheels or director etc, many different ways) or are they just going to fill the sytem, jumper out the 60hp motor manually and hope it works?)

I guess what I am getting at is unless you do it from the motor end you are going to have to close the FC system loop entirely (eliminating the unecessary), after ofcoarse dealing with the hydraulics and safeties, mechanics.

P.S. Glad to hear you guys are doing well.:)

Sounds like you're a well experienced GM. So get your fanny out to San Pedro and start working on them.

Seriously, we still have a long way to go to get proper shore power to the ship, getting enough pipefitters to reactivate the CHT system, electricians to activate at least the traverse and elevation of the guns, wood workers to install new decking (when we can get it), etc. Long Beach Naval Shipyard reactivated and modernized the New Jersey in the 1980's a month ahead of schedule and "under budget". But we had 2,000 to 4,000 skilled workers at a MINIMUM aboard her 24/7. We even farmed in people from Philadelphia NSY and Todd Shipyard as well as farming out drafting designs to local engineering companies.

It's a whole different ball game now with a lot of the summer volunteers gone back to their regular jobs or back home (those from the Richmond/San Francisco area).

On another note; I got a new PC tower installed and running today. Still trying to get used to it. But I can get on line now without having to go through "the back door" with Internet Explorer or my wife's laptop. Still have to reinstall Corel Draw so I can continue doing drawings for PBC.

Catch you all later.

[Dreadnought]

Don't forget that the ship is only about 5 miles west of where Long Beach Naval Shipyard used to be. We have a lot of Shop 36 weapons/ordnance retirees still around that reactivated the big bore bang-bangs on NJ and MO. Also a lot of former GM's around the area. But it's their job, not mine, and when they can get around to it.

My expertise is in welding, riveting, bending steel, cutting steel and hammering it into place with no less than a 4 lb button-set hammer. And then doing the engineering calcs to make sure it's strong enough and if it will change the trim of the ship. That is followed up by drawing plans (if required) in Corel 8 (wish I could afford Corel 12 as it would talk to my printer in English instead of # symbols.)

Anyway, we're doing pretty good. I forget the number but we had 600 to a thousand visitors a day during July and August. September is slowing down as the kids have to go back to school and the vacationers whose northern border of their State is also the southern border of Canada have to take down the screens, install the storm windows and see if the snow blower still works.

Well, I guess my biggest question is are they going to do it by the book (power to main switchboard, power to gun plot, power to gun layers handwheels or director etc, many different ways) or are they just going to fill the sytem, jumper out the 60hp motor manually and hope it works?)

I guess what I am getting at is unless you do it from the motor end you are going to have to close the FC system loop entirely (eliminating the unecessary), after ofcoarse dealing with the hydraulics and safeties, mechanics.

P.S. Glad to hear you guys are doing well.:)

[RustyBattleship]

Don't forget that the ship is only about 5 miles west of where Long Beach Naval Shipyard used to be. We have a lot of Shop 36 weapons/ordnance retirees still around that reactivated the big bore bang-bangs on NJ and MO. Also a lot of former GM's around the area. But it's their job, not mine, and when they can get around to it.

My expertise is in welding, riveting, bending steel, cutting steel and hammering it into place with no less than a 4 lb button-set hammer. And then doing the engineering calcs to make sure it's strong enough and if it will change the trim of the ship. That is followed up by drawing plans (if required) in Corel 8 (wish I could afford Corel 12 as it would talk to my printer in English instead of # symbols.)

Anyway, we're doing pretty good. I forget the number but we had 600 to a thousand visitors a day during July and August. September is slowing down as the kids have to go back to school and the vacationers whose northern border of their State is also the southern border of Canada have to take down the screens, install the storm windows and see if the snow blower still works.

[Dreadnought]

Have had a serious computer crash. Can't get back onto my regular AOL and am plodding my way through Internet Explorer that I'm totally unfamiliar with.

Spent 6 hours aboard the Iowa yesterday, mostly in meetings. So far we are opening up the ship basically just one compartment at a time as we are down to a skeleton crew of workers but have plenty of tour guides.

We did elevate the guns of Turret III a couple of weeks ago, but just to exercise the machinery. So far it's all manual as we don't have the shore power yet to operate the hydraulics and motors so it's real, real slow. Can use a few more cash donations.

Send the check to Pacific Battleship Center, PO Box 1739, San Pedro, CA 90733. We are a 501c3 so it's tax deductible.

I'm also setting up group tours with American Legion Posts and VFW posts also in discussion of other events. Still need to drop open the hatch of Turret I so these ex tank gunners and field artillerymen can see what a REAL breech block looks like.

Catch you later (if my computer repair expert can make my PC to put AOL and Verizon Wireless {dropped AT&T} talking to each other.)

*Dick, Question....Has you team inspected both A and B ends (electric-hydraulic drive)?

I would have thought they would have had the couplings removed, shafts treated, fluid drained etc.

So you guys are going to unlock the safety's, patch into the elevation circuits with shore power to elevate after flushing the system,changing filters and refilling with fluids?

Wow, either you guys have a VERY generous benefactor or someone seriously misquoted what they thought it might cost and still preserve the machinery.

[RustyBattleship]

Have had a serious computer crash. Can't get back onto my regular AOL and am plodding my way through Internet Explorer that I'm totally unfamiliar with.

Spent 6 hours aboard the Iowa yesterday, mostly in meetings. So far we are opening up the ship basically just one compartment at a time as we are down to a skeleton crew of workers but have plenty of tour guides.

We did elevate the guns of Turret III a couple of weeks ago, but just to exercise the machinery. So far it's all manual as we don't have the shore power yet to operate the hydraulics and motors so it's real, real slow. Can use a few more cash donations.

Send the check to Pacific Battleship Center, PO Box 1739, San Pedro, CA 90733. We are a 501c3 so it's tax deductible.

I'm also setting up group tours with American Legion Posts and VFW posts also in discussion of other events. Still need to drop open the hatch of Turret I so these ex tank gunners and field artillerymen can see what a REAL breech block looks like.

Catch you later (if my computer repair expert can make my PC to put AOL and Verizon Wireless {dropped AT&T} talking to each other.)

[GrayGhost1975]

Are the 16" guns on the Iowa going to be elevated at some point?

[DonBelt]

This is the Massachusetts, but I imagine the brigs are similar. I usually tried to stay out of those kinds of places myself...

[Ytlas]

How much of the Iowa is open to public viewing?

Can I get a private tour of the ship?

Yeah, is the brig open?

[gunnut]

How much of the Iowa is open to public viewing?

Can I get a private tour of the ship?

[Dreadnought]

Pretty much agree with Rusty. Not only does it keep the ship manuverable in tow but also the fact that if those props are turning then so is the machinery connected to it turning (shafts turbines bearings etc). The Iowas have what is called a "locked" drive train which means once on piece of equipment is turning then so are the rest of the equipment on that drive trane if not disconnected. This is something that would greatly work against their mothball material condition of preservation. Also if the props turn it may also overtake the towing ship and cause either a collision or seperation of your tow apperatus. The shaft seals leak water normally even when the ships are in service but if not "checked" you could easily flood shaft alley and other spaces.

[tbm3fan]

Lot's of plans that I have heard somewhere before in 1998. Most never ended up coming to life when reality set in. Emergency center was an idea of the Hornet. There was the idea of a restaurant also on board. No one in charge thought about the fire hazard issues. Having 95% open impossible given the possibility of accidents due to difficult access below 3rd deck. Separate facilities off the ship for selling tickets and trinkets abandoned after a few years of wasting money. The paid for space ended up storing books, form the old air base, that had no value to the ship. The Hornet should have stuck to a basic vision in the early years instead of dreaming what it would do in the future. It takes several years before you know your true revenue stream after the newness wears off and it will. The Hornet found that out the hard way and after signing an initially lease agreement that was onerous in the rent payments required. The rent turned out to be waayyy out of line with revenue from ticket sales and Alameda wanted to hold the Hornet to their originally outrageous monthly rent. Took Alameda most of the decade to see the reality. Dreaming is nice but one needs to keep it in check for museums like ours.