Summer2009 AW:Winter2006 HNSA AnchorWatch.qxd 7/1/2009 4:18 PM Page 1 JULY ANCHOR AUGUST SEPTEMBER WATCH 2009 The Quarterly Journal of the Historic Naval Ships Association www.hnsa.org LCVP FROM NORMANDY FINDS HOME IN ILLINOIS Summer2009 AW:Winter2006 HNSA AnchorWatch.qxd 7/1/2009 4:18 PM Page 2 2 ANCHOR WATCH HNSA STAFF HNSA OFFICERS President William N. Tunnell, Jr., U.S.S. Alabama/U.S.S. Drum Executive Director Vice President CDR Jeffrey S. Nilsson, U.S.N. (Ret.) RADM John P. (Mac) McLaughlin, U.S.S. Midway Executive Director Emeritus Secretary CAPT Channing M. Zucker, U.S.N. (Ret.) LCDR Sherry Richardson, H.M.C.S. Sackville Executive Secretary Treasurer James W. Cheevers COL Patrick J. Cunningham Individual Member Program Manager Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park CDR Jeffrey S. Nilsson, U.S.N. (Ret.) Immediate Past President Anchor Watch Editor Captain F. W. "Rocco" Montesano, U.S.S. Lexington Jason W. Hall Battleship New Jersey Museum HONORARY DIRECTORS Webmaster Admiral Thad W. Allen, U.S. Coast Guard Richard S. Pekelney Sean Connaughton, MARAD International Coordinator Admiral Michael G. Mullen, U.S. Navy Brad King Larry Ostola, Parks Canada Vice Admiral Drew Robertson, Royal Canadian Navy H.M.S. Belfast Admiral Sir Alan West, GCB DCD, Royal Navy DIRECTORS AT LARGE Captain Jack Casey, U.S.N. (Ret) HNSA COMMITTEE U.S.S. Massachusetts Memorial CHAIRPERSONS Maury Drummond U.S.S. KIDD Alyce N. Guthrie PT Boats, Inc. Annual Conference William N. Tunnell, Jr. Brad King U.S.S. Alabama/U.S.S. Drum H.M.S. Belfast Awards Terry Miller James W. Cheevers Tin Can Sailors, Inc. United States Naval Academy Museum Associate Member Representative Communications CAPT F. W. "Rocco" Montesano, USN (Ret) Dr. John C. Fakan, U.S.S. Cod U.S.S. Lexington Curatorial Richard S. Pekelney Ms. Patricia J.Rogers Individual Member Representative Carnegie Science Center Education Timothy C. Rizzuto U.S.S. Slater Karin Hill, The Navy Museum Insurance Patricia Rogers COL Patrick J. Cunningham Carnegie Science Center Buffalo Naval Park CAPT Michael J. Schneider, USN (Ret) Marketing S.S. John W. Brown Paul C. Farace, U.S.S. Cod James Schuck Membership U.S.S. New Jersey CDR Jeffrey S. Nilsson, U.S.N. (Ret.) Preservation William Sheridan Joseph W. Lombardi U.S.S. Saratoga Museum Foundation Ocean Technical Services Submarines Bruce Smith William N. Tunnell, Jr. Port Columbus Civil War Naval Center U.S.S. Alabama/U.S.S. Drum Matt Woods Intepid Sea, Air and Space Museum Summer2009 AW:Winter2006 HNSA AnchorWatch.qxd 7/1/2009 4:18 PM Page 3 ANCHOR WATCH 3 THE ANCHOR WATCH TEAM CONTENTS FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, Jeffrey S. Nilsson...4 SPRING 2009 THE CANTIGNY FIRST DIVISION MUSEUM, Keith R. Gill...5 Executive Editor U.S.S. NEW JERSEY, Michael J. Flynn...7 JEFFREY S. NILSSON BOOK REVIEWS, Terry Miller & Robert Willson...8 Publisher U.S.S. PENNSYLVANIA...9 ROBERT D. BOARD NEW & RENEWING HNSA MEMBERS...10 Editor JASON W. HALL M314 ALTA, Svein O. Mogan...11 Battleship NEW JERSEY Museum 62 Battleship Place HNSA NEWS & VIEWS, Jeffrey S. Nilsson...12 Camden, New Jersey 08103 U.S.A. Tel: 856-966-1652 ext. 201 H.R.M.S. MERCUUR, S.W. van Idsinga...13 [email protected] EDITOR GONE A ROVING, Jason W. Hall...14 Anchor Watch Editors Emeritus T121 SPICA, Lennart Törnberg...15 ROBERT A.WILLSON ANNE E. McCARTHY H.M.S. BELFAST, Brad King...16 D. DOUGLAS BUCHANAN, JR. U.S.C.G.C COMMANCHE, Joe V. Peterson...16 Proofreaders D. DOUGLAS BUCHANAN, JR. U.S.S. PAMPANITO, Richard Pekelney...17 JEFFREY S. CARY U.S.S. MISSOURI, Keith DeMello...18 JEFFREY S. NILSSON SUSAN M. NILSSON TRIVIA CHALLENGE, Jeff Cary with Paul Stillwell...19 Contributing Writers JEFF CARY KEITH DEMELLO The Anchor Watch in COLOR! MICHAEL J. FLYNN The Anchor Watch is now available in color on the KEITH R. GILL HNSA website. To see this issue, and past issues, JASON W. HALL in full color, S.W. VAN IDSINGA visit:http://www.hnsa.org/anchorwatch/index.htm BRAD KING TERRY MILLER SVEIN O. MOGAN JEFFREY S. NILSSON RICHARD PEKELNEY JOE V. PETERSON THE COVER PAUL STILWELL Top: An LCVP LENNART TÖRNBERG approaching Omaha ROBERT WILLSON Beach, June 6, 1944. DISCLAIMER Bottom: LCVP on Articles represent the views of the authors display at the First and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Division Museum at Historic Naval Ships Association (HNSA) Cantigny. Summer2009 AW:Winter2006 HNSA AnchorWatch.qxd 7/1/2009 4:18 PM Page 4 4 ANCHOR WATCH Norfolk, Virginia on Saturday the May 30, to return to Lewes, DE. She had been in Colonna’s Shipyard. Inc. in FLOTSAM AND JETSAM Norfolk for more than six months undergoing very much BY JEFFREY S. NILSSON needed repairs to her hull. LST-393, the World War II tank-landing ship of D-Day fame, that makes her home along the Muskegon, MI lakefront, opened for its fourth season on Saturday, May 16th, 2009. The cavernous tank deck has been converted into a museum dedicated to the Army, Navy, Marines, the Army Air Corps and the Air Force. There are displays of uniforms, field equipment, rations and medical supplies. Eventually, it is the intent of the museum folks to have artifacts in environmentally controlled spaces. While on board, visitors can go down two decks to see the restored engine rooms, as well as the auxiliary engine room, gyro n June 5, 2009, the Virginian-Pilot announed that room and shaft alley. The tour includes the berthing deck, William (Bill) B. Cogar would become the new the mess deck, sick bay, scullery, stern rudder room, crew’s President and CEO of the Mariners’ Museum, quarters, galley, officers deck, ward room and captain’s ONewport News, VA, effective November 1, 2009. Mr. quarters which have all been recently restored or are in the Cogar came to the museum as the chief operating officer in process of restoration. On Friday nights, when the weather 2007 and will replace Mr. Timothy J. Sullivan who will is cooperative, movies are shown on the main weather retire on October 31, 2009. Bill has published a number of deck. books and articles on naval and maritime history, and was a history professor at the United States Naval Academy in On board U.S.S. Lexington in Corpus Christi, TX, museum Annapolis, MD. Previously he had served the Mariners’ officials opened a major new exhibit in late April. VEE Museum as Vice President and chief curator from 1998 to Corporation of Minneapolis, MN designed, built and have 2002. Please join me in wishing Bill every success when completed installation of a one-of-a-kind Virtual Battle he assumes his new position. Congratulations Bill! Stations interactive exhibit. The kiosks titled Air to Air Combat, Carrier Landing and Ship’s Gunnery represent On May 1, 2009, the anniversary of the Battle of Manila three areas of education and interaction associated with Bay, I had the privilege of attending the dedication of the Lexington’s days as an operational aircraft carrier. Each recently restored bridge and pilot house of the U.S.S. unit contains four computer stations, three of which contain Olympia at the Independence Seaport Museum in modern video interactives that engage the audience in a Philadelphia, PA. Ms. Lori Dillard Rech acted as Mistress specific action that relates to its area. The fourth station at of Ceremonies and introduced the speakers that included each unit contains interesting information related to former Secretary of the Navy John Lehman, Seaport Board Lexington history. Local Community leader and of Port Wardens Chairman Peter McCausland and noted philanthropist, Gloria Hicks, spearheaded funding for the author Lawrence Burr who was the keynote speaker. The project during her tenure as Board President. Board ceremony, the culmination of two years of restoration member Ryan-Sanders and Vice President J.J. Gottsch led work, included the firing of Olympia’s two signal guns (one the search committee that selected VEE Corporation. The of which was fired by my son CDR Erik Nilsson, USN). decision was based on VEE’s 28 plus years of experience In addition, there was a ten-piece brass band clad in period and their impressive client list that includes Mutual of uniforms, tours of the bridge and pilot house, and a sunset Omaha Wild Kingdom Interactives, NBA Jam Session, flag-lowering ceremony. and Playhouse Disney Mall Tour. VEE Corp. Director of Design, Peter Windingstad, and Account Executive Janeen Also at Independence Seaport Museum, more than three Bjugstad were on hand for the opening. “We are thrilled to hundred people made merry at the April 23 opening be able to work with a highly experienced and nationally reception for Skin & Bones – Tattoos in the Life of the renowned partner such as VEE Corp,” said “Rocco” American Sailor. The exhibit, which explores the symbiotic Montesano, Lexington’s Executive Director. “And, we are relationship between sailors and tattoos, was a huge hit at proud to see Mrs. Hicks’ vision become a reality that is the opening and continues to attract crowds. The exhibit certain to bring joy to many thousands of visitors over the received rave reviews in The New York Times on May 23, years to come.” and will be open through January 3, 2010. The ex-Overfalls historic lightship, left the yards in Jeffrey S. Nilsson Summer2009 AW:Winter2006 HNSA AnchorWatch.qxd 7/1/2009 4:18 PM Page 5 ANCHOR WATCH 5 NEWS FROM THE FLEET DISCOVERY AND RESTORATION OF RARE LCVP THE CANTIGNY FIRST DIVISION MUSEUM Wheaton, Illinois, U.S.A.