[GreenKeys] Navy plans to Sink America (off-topic)
Bob Camp
ham at cq.nu
Sun Mar 6 14:52:50 EST 2005
Hi
Well as a taxpayer it certainly makes me feel a whole lot better that
all the stuff we are going to sink into 6,000 feet of water has been
properly de-mil'ed. I would hate to think that it could fall into the
wrong hands as it passed the 5,000 foot mark. The thousands (or tens of
thousands) of man hours swinging sledge hammers definitely were well
spent. I'm sure the it gave the guys who did it a real sense of serving
their country.
I wonder how much the smash up process has slowed down the sensor
installation program? I'd bet it would be a *lot* easier to instrument
a functioning ship than one that's all trashed out. Spending money to
spend more money ....
The obvious problem is that the Navy does not make these stupid rules.
They get their instructions from congress and the President on this
kind of stuff. Certainly there are those in all the services that
follow these rules a bit more than others, but there are rules. The
bottom line is still that the only change will have to come from our
elected representatives. Changing the rules at that level would be a
royal pain, but ultimately would be better for *all* involved.
Take Care!
Bob Camp
KB8TQ
On Mar 6, 2005, at 12:45 PM, Gregory W. Moore wrote:
> Good Morning, Don, and the Greenkeys Group...
>
> Since I happen to be one of the Preservation Officers of the USS
> America Museum Foundation, we
> have tried for years to save her for a museum ship, As Don knows, I
> was trying to get some greenkey
> stuff for restoring MainComm and Radio Central to the era on which I
> served aboard her (1960's)
> Don was nice enough to provide a TDA which I have repaired to
> operating condition, and now, given
> the circumstances, will now adorn my shack (which, in honor of the
> CV/CVA-66, I am setting up
> like a ship's radio room, albeir smaller, since my basemnt in mo way
> is as large athwartships as
> the radio spaces on the America.
> I do have a rather sad story to relate. In December of 2002, the
> President of the Museum Foundation,
> Mr Lee McNulty, and I had the pleasure of going aboard her for one
> last time, in Philadelpha. Since I live
> near the city, it was an easy trip. Both Radio Central and Main Comm
> were stripped out, and what was
> there was demillled with a sledge hammer. However, on the 02 level,
> in the former CIC, lo and behold,
> what did I see, but two M28ASR's "full up" with underdome reperfs,
> etc, they even had paper and tape
> still threaded. Now, the same gorilla had made a demil attempt by
> slamming something into the keyboard,
> but I guess that said gorilla didn't know how to open the cover
> because the printer and the reperf and mounts
> were pristine,,, the 28 even had GEARSHFTS!!!!!!! now, at the time
> we were aboard, we were still
> seeking our Tax exempt status, and at the time, we couldn't remove any
> "artifacts.. Being a dedicated
> Greenkeyer, however, I couldnt get the thought of these units being
> lost to the Greenkey community
> forever. I knew I couldn't get the cabinets ( I have had 8 spinal
> surgeries, and lifting a cabinet out
> several hatchways and down 3 decks (the catwalks had been removed,
> there was no chance of getting
> the units up to the flight deck.... was totally out of the question)
> so I wanted to strip the cabinets out,
> including the TEMPEST filters located in the input lines.
>
> At any rate, earlier this year, prior to the Memorial service held
> friday a week ago, I sent an email
> to NAVSEA Philadelpia, trying to get access for at least 1/2 hour or
> so to get the "innards" as well
> as some of the standard florescent fixtures to add realism to the
> shack.... I thought you would
> like to hear the response:
>
> Mr. Moore,
> Wrong e-mail address first time. Please see below.
> r/
>
> Ken Naegele(N33)
> NAVSEA Inactive Ships Management Office
> Phila. Naval Business Center
> 4701 S 16th Street(Bldg.545)
> Philadelphia, Pa. 19112-5095
> Comm. (215) 897-6760
> DSN- 443
> E-Mail: kenneth.naegele at navy.mil
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Naegele, Kenneth A CIV INACTSHIPOFF, N33
> Sent: Friday, January 28, 2005 8:45
> To: Greg Moore (E-mail)
> Cc: Masino, Michael J CIV INACTSHIPMAINTO PHIL PA; Deegan, Tom CIV
> INACTSHIPMAINTO PHIL PA; Jones, Michael A CIV NAVSEA INACTSHIPOFF
> PORTSMOUTH; Blackburn, Carolanne CIV INACTSHIPMAINTO PHIL PA
> Subject: FW: ex-AMERICA, fluorescent llight fixtures, possible
> recovery of components from CIC
>
> Mr. Moore,
> Unfortunately your request for lighting fixtures and teletype
> components cannot be supported. The ex-America is no longer a
> candidate for any equipment removals. It is in the final stages of
> SINKEX preparations and any further removals would severely disrupt
> the tight schedule that remains.
> r/
>
> Ken Naegele(N33)
> NAVSEA Inactive Ships Management Office
> Phila. Naval Business Center
> 4701 S 16th Street(Bldg.545)
> Philadelphia, Pa. 19112-5095
> Comm. (215) 897-6760
> DSN- 443
> E-Mail: kenneth.naegele at navy.mil
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Masino, Michael J CIV INACTSHIPMAINTO PHIL PA
> Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2005 17:00
> To: Naegele, Kenneth A CIV INACTSHIPOFF, N33
> Cc: Blackburn, Carolanne CIV INACTSHIPMAINTO PHIL PA
> Subject: RE: ex-AMERICA, fluorescent llight fixtures, possible
> recovery of components from CIC
>
> Ken
> Note attached request. Can you let this person know we can't support
> this request or pass to Mike J.
> /R
> Mike
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Gregory Moore [mailto:nnn0bvn at navymars.org]
> Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2005 11:03
> To: Masino, Michael J CIV INACTSHIPMAINTO PHIL PA; Blackburn,
> Carolanne CIV INACTSHIPMAINTO PHIL PA
> Cc: nnn0bvn at navymars.org
> Subject: ex-AMERICA, fluorescent llight fixtures, possible recovery of
> components from CIC
>
> Good afternoon, Mike and Carol,
>
> As you may remember, I was one of the persons who went aboatd the
> ex-AMERICA on
> 4 Dec 2002, along with Mr Lee McNulty, of the USS America Museum
> Foundation. At the time, we were still in the process of becoming a
> non-profit organization, and were separating from the Carrier Veterans
> Organization, although I am still a Life Member of Same. These
> points, however, as you are well aware, are now moot, as the
> ex--AMERICA will be sunk as part of a SINKEX sometime this year, and
> all of our organizations have recieved communications to that effect.
> You are also no doubt aware, that we are holding a Memorial Service
> on 25 FEB 2005 at 1200 Hrs. for the ship, and those shipmates who are
> still on Eternal Patrol, who were lost during her long period of
> outstanding service to this great Republic in which we live. I hope I
> have a chance to meet both of you again at that time.
>
> I am sending this email for an entirely different purpose. Some time
> ago, I approached you, concerning the possibility of obtaining several
> Navy-standard fluorescent light fixtures for installation in my own
> personal radio room which I use for Navy MARS, and which I desire to
> "outfit" in resemblance to a shapboard radio space. To do this, I
> would like to acquire 4 standard light fixtures, of which the
> mountings don't matter, as I will have to fabricate them anyway to
> fit the location in which they are to be mounted, at least one
> bullkhead brass light switch and switch box with packing gland (no
> cable is necessary, as it will be simulated), and if in any way
> possible, 2 sound power phone jacks with boxes and packing glands.
>
> OK. now tha's out of the way, I have one more request. While visiting
> the ship and tagging equipment for future recovery which never
> occurred, I happened across two Teletype Model 28ASR units "full up"
> with underdome reperforators located in the former CIC space on
> the 02 level just forward of the Avionics shop. While someone had
> tried to demil these by hammering the keyboard, they were unable to
> gain access to the interior of the units, probably becaure they didn't
> know how. As a former RM. this is "old home week" to me. I would
> like permission to recover said reperforators, as well as the printing
> units and the speed change gearshifts for the mainshafts of both
> machines. With the passage of time, this equipment is rapidly
> becoming "pure unobtainium", especially the speed change gearshift
> assemblies. Today, with all message traffic being sent via satellite
> and computer, using 8 level ASCII code, the day of 5 level Baudot
> code and paper tape is fading into obscurity, and there are only a few
> diehard "Greenkeyers" like myself who collect, maintain, and actually
> operate these rare items. When the ex-AMERICA sinks, these pieces of
> history are gone irrevocably, forever. I can provide a
> respectful repository for these items, and continue to use them in the
> manner for which they were designed.
>
> I wish to state that this request has no connection with the USS
> America Carrier Veteran's Association, the USS America Museum
> Foundation, Navy-Marine Corps Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS).
> the Historical Naval Ships Association (HNSA) or any other
> organization concerned with preservation or restoration. This is
> entirely a personal request by a dedicated collector and
> Teletype/Radio enthusiast. Credit for the items will be prominently
> displayed along with the items, including all those who helped with
> the donation thereof. They will be restored, maintained and used on a
> regular basis, to Navy Standards, with Navy issue tools, from Navy
> issue manuals (Mine).
>
> I have no wish to actually go aboard the ez-AMERICA, if such is
> impossible, the removal of the typing reperforators requires only a
> deep socket wrench and a screwdriver, and can be done by anyone with
> mechanical knowlege. It would be helpful, though and much faster, if
> I were to perform the removal, and should take no longer than 1/2
> hour/ I would sign any waiver you may desire
>
> The light fixtures, switch, and sound power phone jacks, of course,
> can be removed by anyone. I really hope you can assist me here, as I
> am really trying to make my "radio room" as realistic as possible so
> as to remind me of "back in the day" --hi--
>
> I thank you for your help in this matter
> Respectfully Submitted
>
> Gregory W. Moore
> 120 N Cedar Lane
> Upper Darby. PA 19082-1306
>
> Phone (610) 446-5871
> Cell (215) 805-9260 (I prefer calls on this)
> Fax (610) 446-0357
> email: reply to this message, or gwmoore at moorefelines.com
>
> tnx much de GW WA3IVX / NNN0BVN
>
>
> At any rate, you can see they blew me off. You would think that
> they would have been more than happy to
> get rid of some "useless material" which would have no bearing on any
> tests that they would make... considering
> the rest of the space looked like the face of the moon... OPNOTE:
> when Lee and I were aboard, in that very space
> I noted a whole PILE of Winchester disks just piled up in a corner of
> the compartment. Being the holder of many
> clearances, and havning security so deeply ingrained that it comes
> before anything else in my thoughts (those hours of
> numbing security briefs work --hi-) I reported same to the
> appropriate authorities, for I didn't know if they had sensitive
> material on them or not, heck, they were just thrown in a pile.....
>
> This is the thanks one gets --hi--- but as always BOHICA!!!!!!
>
> 73 de Greg WA3IVX/NNN0BVN
>
>
> Don Robert House wrote:
>
> > Explosive tests will send aircraft carrier to bottom of Atlantic
>
> (snip)
>
>
> --
>
> Happily turning electricity into RF energy for almost 40 years,
> on land, sea and air, professional and amateur,
> around the clock and around the world. KEEP CW ALIVE! Become an Elmer
> today!!!
>
> "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do
> nothing."
> --Edmund Burke
> Greg Moore NNN0BVN PA
> U.S. Navy-Marine Corps Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS)
> Official Pennsylvania Area Website:
> http://pages.prodigy.net/nnn0fbk/mars.htm
> Official Northeast Area Website:
> http://www.navymars.org/northeast/index.htm
> Navy-Marine Corps MARS: Proudly Serving Those Who Serve."
> E-Mail (MARS) nnn0bvn at navymars.org
> E-Mail (ARRL) wa3ivx at arrl.net
> ***********************************************************************
> *******************************
>
> PRESERVATIONS OFFICER: USS AMERICA (CV/CVA-66) MUSEUM FOUNDATION
> Please visit us on the web at
> http://www.ussamerica-museumfoundation.org
>
> SIGN OUR GUESTBOOK! KEEP HER MEMORY ALIVE!
>
> THIS YEAR, THE FINEST CARRIER THAT EVER SAILED THE 7 SEAS WILL
> BE GONE FOREVER, HER CALLSIGN NMIB (LATER NUSA) NEVER TO BE
> HEARD AGAIN, NOR BE SEEN FLYING PROUDLY FLYING FROM THE HALLIARD
> WHILE ENTERING OR LEAVING PORT.
>
> SHE MAY BE SUNK, IGNOMINIOUSLY, BY THE NAVY, SANS COLORS, SANS HONORS
> BUT WE, HER LOYAL CREW, AND SHIPMATES, WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HER FOR
> CARRYING US INTO HARMS WAY, AND BACK AGAIN WITH OLD GLORY FLYING AT
> THE GAFF, AND WITH HONOR APLENTY. AT LEAST WE TRIED TO SAVE YOU FOR A
> MUSEUM,
> BUT SOMETIMES YOU JUST CAN'T WORK MIRACLES WITH MORONS.
>
> NERK NERK NERK DE NMIB NMIB NMIB SK SK SK
>
>
>
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