Fall 2006 HNSA Anchor Watch.Qxp
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OCTOBER ANCHOR NOVEMBER DECEMBER WATCH 2006 The Quarterly Journal of the Historic Naval Ships Association www.hnsa.org “UNDER WAY ON NUCLEAR POWER”: THE SUBMARINE FORCE MUSEUM’S NAUTILUS 2 ANCHOR WATCH H.N.S.A. STAFF H.N.S.A. OFFICERS Executive Director President CDR Jeffrey S. Nilsson, U.S.N.R. (Ret.) CAPT Frank W. Montesano, U.S.N. (Ret.), Executive Director Emeritus U.S.S. LEXINGTON CAPT Channing M. Zucker, U.S.N. (Ret.) Vice President Executive Secretary William N.Tunnell, Jr., U.S.S. ALABAMA James W. Cheevers Secretary Individual Member Program Manager LCDR Sherry Richardson, H.M.C.S. SACKVILLE CDR Jeffrey S. Nilsson, U.S.N.R. (Ret.) Treasurer Anchor Watch Editors James B. Sergeant, U.S.S. ALBACORE D. Douglas Buchanan, Jr. Immediate Past President Scott D. Kodger David R. Scheu, Sr., U.S.S. NORTH CAROLINA Webmaster Richard S. Pekelney European Coordinator HONORARY DIRECTORS CAPT Cornelis D. José, R.N.L.N. (Ret.) Vice Admiral Drew Robertson Dr. Christina Cameron John Jamian Admiral Michael G. Mullen, U.S. Navy H.N.S.A. COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS DIRECTORS AT LARGE David P. Burnette Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum COL Pat Cunningham Annual Conference Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park Brad King, H.M.S. BELFAST Brad King Awards H.M.S. BELFAST James W. Cheevers Maury Drummond United States Naval Academy Museum U.S.S. KIDD Communications Karin Cronin Dr. John C. Fakan, U.S.S. COD Independence Seaport Museum Curatorial Alyce N. Guthrie Dr. Norman M. Cary, Jr. PT Boats, Inc. Education RADM John P. McLaughlin, U.S.N. (Ret.) San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum Karin Hill, The Navy Museum John McMichael Insurance Seawolf Park COL Patrick J. Cunningham Robert E. Partrick Buffalo Naval Park Associate Member Representative Marketing U.S. Cruiser Sailors Association Paul C. Farace, U.S.S. COD Richard S. Pekelney Membership Individual Member Representative CDR Jeffrey S. Nilsson, U.S.N.R. (Ret.) Timothy C. Rizzuto Preservation U.S.S. SLATER Joseph W. Lombardi CAPT David R. Scheu, Sr., U.S.N. (Ret.) Ocean Technical Services U.S.S. NORTH CAROLINA Battleship Memorial CAPT Michael J. Schneider Submarines S.S. JOHN W. BROWN William N. Tunnell, Jr. Bruce H.Smith U.S.S. DRUM Port Columbus National Civil War Naval Museum ANCHOR WATCH 3 THE ANCHOR WATCH TEAM OCTOBER - NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2006 Executive Editor JEFFREY S. NILSSON Publisher CONTENTS ROBERT D. BOARD FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, Jeff Nilsson...4 Editors D. DOUGLAS BUCHANAN, JR. NEWS FROM THE FLEET...5 1425 Sussex Road Wynnewood, Pennsylvania 19096 U.S.A. U. S.S. NAUTILUS / Submarine Force Museum, Stephen Finnigan...5 Tel: 267-974-8274 / Fax: 610-642-1967 [email protected] U.S.S. PT 658 / Save The PT Boat, Inc., Jerry Gilmartin...7 SCOTT D. KODGER H.M.C.S. HAIDA / Friends of H.M.C.S. HAIDA / H.M.C.S. HAIDA 62 Battleship Place National Historic Site, Bob Willson...11 Camden, New Jersey 08103 U.S.A. Tel: 966-877-6262 x 201 U.S.S. CONSTELLATION / U.S.S. CONSTELLATION Museum, [email protected] John Pentangelo...12 Anchor Watch Editors Emeritus S.S. JEREMIAH O’BRIEN / National Liberty Ship Memorial / S.S. LANE VICTORY / U.S. Merchant Marine Veterans of WWII, ROBERT A.WILLSON Jan Michaelis...14 ANNE E. McCARTHY S.S. RED OAK VICTORY / Richmond Museum of History, Proofreaders John Reed...14 JEFF CARY JEFFREY S. NILSSON H.N.S.A. NEWS & VIEWS, Jeff Nilsson..15 Contributors BOOK REVIEWS, Anne McCarthy...17 KIT BONNER NEW FLEET AND ASSOCIATE MEMBERS, Jeff Nilsson...18 STEPHEN CARLSON JEFF CARY H.N.S.A. FLEET PHOTOS...20 STEPHEN FINNIGAN JERRFY GILMARTIN BATTLESHIP TRIVIA CHALLENGE, Jeff Cary, PAUL JOHNSTON with Paul Stilwell...21 ANNE MCCARTHY JAN MICHAELIS H.N.S.A. NEW & RENEWING MEMBERS, Jeff Nilsson...22 JEFF NILSSON RAY NOBLE 2006 Annual H.N.S.A. Conference Update...23 JOHN PENTANGELO JOHN REED CHET ROBBINS PAUL STILLWELL THE COVER BOB WILLSON CHANNING ZUCKER The U.S. Navy’s first nuclear powered ship U.S.S. NAUTILUS (SSN-571) underway on the surface. NAUTILUS’ underwater DISCLAIMER performance was every bit as impressive as that of her Articles represent the views of the authors fictional predecessor in Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the The Sea. Photo courtesy Submarine Force Museum. Historic Naval Ships Association (H.N.S.A.) 4 ANCHOR WATCH Museum. The Naval Museum has five ships – a LOTSAM AND ETSAM minesweeper, a missile boat, a full-rigged sailing ship, a F J motor torpedo boat and a submarine. BY JEFFREY NILSSON We have also brought in the Motor Torpedo Boat Veterans, a group of four Swedish motor torpedo boats, including T121 SPICA, and finally, the LILAC Preservation Project in New York City, New York. A brief description of each new member is contained on page 18 in my other article in this issue of Anchor Watch. The Canada Marine Discovery Centre has a new name and street address – it will now be known as the Parks Canada Discovery Centre. Their new address is 57 Discovery Drive, Hamilton, ON L8L 8K4, Canada. s you read this issue of Anchor Watch during the The destroyer U.S.S. KIDD continues to get itself in the first part of October, a number of our museums limelight. On 26 July, the KIDD served as the focal point will be enjoying the hospitality of Mr. Brad King of the televised “CBS Early Show” in conjunction with Aand his stalwart staff of H.M.S. BELFAST in London. CBS’s “Great American Series.” They have also been scouted by Paramount Pictures. The film-production I have just completed my first “News from the Historic company has been evaluating the ship for use in filming Fleet” column for the Tin Can Sailors newsletter and scenes for the upcoming movie The Curious Case of HNSA’s own Anchor Watch and, after having breathed a Benjamin Buttons. This film is based on a story by F. Scott deep sigh of relief, began putting “Flotsam and Jetsam” Fitzgerald. It will star Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, and is together. I know that I have asked through an executive scheduled to go into production at year’s end. director memorandum that HNSA-affiliated museums send me their own newsletters, but I am taking this opportunity The U.S. Brig NIAGARA took part in the American Sail to ask again – perhaps to a wider audience. Please folks, Training Association’s “Great Lakes Tall Ships Challenge” send me copies of your museum newsletters if your this past summer. There were events in Cleveland, Bay museum publishes one. City, Green Bay, and Chicago. She also made calls at Sturgeon Bay, Port Huron, and Detroit. It was a busy On 6 September, our own Chan Zucker was honored by summer for the ship. the Tidewater Council of the Boy Scouts of America at its annual Awards Dinner. Chan received the Distinguished The Great Lakes Naval Memorial and Museum has Eagle Scout Award which is granted to Eagle Scouts who, signed a 30-year lease with the City of Muskegon, after twenty-five years, have distinguished themselves in Michigan, for the waterfront site that it has occupied since their work. Chan as you know, served as a U.S. Navy 1987. The site includes the moorings for the submarine officer retiring at the rank of Captain, and then served as U.S.S. SILVERSIDES and the former U.S. Coast Guard the Executive Director of the Historic Naval Ships Cutter McLANE. Bob Morin and his board consider this Association. Congratulations, Chan.* long-term lease to be an important step in seeking donations for a new waterfront facility. Preliminary plans We have brought in a number of new Fleet and Associate for the facility have been posted on their website Members over the past year. They include the following (www.glnmm.org). It will include a library, theater, and Associate Members: The Battleship SOUTH DAKOTA classroom for the museum’s growing educational program. Memorial in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; the Watson It will also include a larger exhibit area and climate- Museum and Research Library, in Braintree, controlled artifact storage. There will be provision for a Massachusetts; the Melik Society in London, England; the larger gift store, and a community room for conventions Coast Guard Cutter ALERT Preservation Team of and banquets. The museum continues to raise funds to dry Houston, Texas; the Gyrodyne Helicopter Historical dock WWII veteran SILVERSIDES. Foundation of Reno, Nevada; and the Baltimore and Chesapeake Steamboat Company in Baltimore, Captain Chris Sinnett has relieved Captain Eric J. Shaw Maryland. FLOTSAM & JETSAM CONTINUES ON PAGE 22. New Fleet Members include the National Maritime Museums of Sweden, which itself includes the National *Used by permission of The Virginian-Pilot Maritime Museum, The Naval Museum and the VASA ANCHOR WATCH 5 NEWS FROM THE FLEET H.N.S.A. FLEET MEMBER IN THE SPOTLIGHT U.S.S. NAUTILUS (SSN-571) THE U.S. NAVY SUBMARINE FORCE MUSEUM Groton, Connecticut, U.S.A. By Stephen Finnigan, Curator Above: NAUTILUS underway on the surface. The pioneering nuclear-powered submarine, perhaps best known for her famous voyage under the North Pole, is today preserved at the U.S. Navy’s Submarine Force Museum. Photo courtesy Submarine Force Museum. “HISTORIC SHIP NAUTILUS” the traditional bottle of champagne across NAUTILUS’ bow as she slid down the ways n July 1951, the U.S. Congress authorized into the Thames River. Eight months later, on construction of the world’s first nuclear- 30 September 1954, NAUTILUS became the powered submarine.