Death of the Mothball Fleet?

[The Wingnut]

Those of you native to Northern California are familiar with the sight of the 'Mothball Fleet', 77 ships anchored in Suisun Bay. In their ranks are WWII era vessels including the U.S.S. Iowa, and the Hoga; a tugboat that survived the Pearl Harbor attack.

The ships have fallen out of 'favor' with the DoD and are now the targets of much pressure from environmentalists, activist groups, and numerous government agencies. The Iowa herself has been the topic of much debate in many cities around the Bay Area, as groups are attempting to preserve her and turn her into a floating museum much like the U.S.S. Hornet (CVS-12, not CV-8, which was sunk at the battle of the Coral Sea). These groups have met nothing but resistance in the military-unfriendly climate of most city counsels.

A few ships have been recovered from these fleets in the past and preserved, such as the Red Oak Victory and the Jerimiah O'Brien. The talk of scrapping these ships is disturbing. The cost is prohibitive...an estimated 1.5 million to make each seaworthy for the 5000+ mile tow to scrapyards on the Gulf Coast of Texas.

So, where do they go? Will the Navy deicide to assign them the same fate as the U.S.S. Oriskany, possibly one the the last unconverted straight-deck carriers which was built in 1944? The Oriskany was sunk in 200 feet of water in the Florida Keys this past month to create the world's larget manmade reef. The carrier was the last unconverted Essex-class carrier in existance. Pulled from her slumber in the Beaumont Ready Reserve Fleet, she now sits at the bottom of the ocean, never to be seen again other than by a select few divers.

...we're losing the past, through 'progress', and apathy.

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

So, where do they go? Will the Navy deicide to assign them the same fate as the U.S.S. Oriskany, possibly one the the last unconverted straight-deck carriers which was built in 1944? The Oriskany was sunk in 200 feet of water in the Florida Keys this past month to create the world's larget manmade reef. The carrier was the last unconverted Essex-class carrier in existance. Pulled from her slumber in the Beaumont Ready Reserve Fleet, she now sits at the bottom of the ocean, never to be seen again other than by a select few divers.

But still, better than being cut up for scrap and ceasing to exist altogether.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Sell them on ebay?

But seriously, at least a few of the more note worthy ships should be preserved as museums.

 

[RedPop4]

They're incredibly expensive though. One of the local municipalities bought the U.S.S. Cabot/Dedalo about 20 years ago or so, with the intentions of turning it into a similar museum. The costs were way more than the buyers and organizers bargained for. The vessel sat tied up at two different piers on the Mississippi for YEARS on end.

There was asbestos remediation to be done, plus the thing was a floating roach motel. It was in horrible condition, a veritable rust bucket when they bought her. The Cabot/Dedalo was a medium carrier from WW II which had subsequently been sold to the Spanish navy. It had been throroughly through its paces.

The Gulf Coast understands these things as the dreadnought U.S.S. Texas is just up the road in San Jacinto, TX as well as an old sub in Galveston. Just up in Baton Rouge, the destroyer U. S. S. Kidd is VERY popular as is the U. S. S. Alabama and the sub U. S. S. Drum in Mobile.

Sad to hear about the Iowa and the Hornet

 

[RedPop4]

Here's a good article
http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/carriers/cabot/ I made a couple of mistakes. It was in 1989 that the ship was brought to New Orleans. It WAS in good shape when it got here, according to this, well,it was preserved anyway.

Sad news, that it got scrapped though.

 

[Lincsong]

The San Francisco Bay Area has the largest concentration of over educated morons in the world. Thirty years ago this area had many military bases, thousands of people working there yet continued to elect Congressmen like Pete Stark, George Miller, The Burtons, Barbara Boxer. Then in the 1990's when the DoD finally closed all the bases, the morons around here cried and cried about the loss of military base jobs. I say rev up the mothball fleet and let's start doing maneuvers in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Japan to show those two pinheads in Iran and North Korea not to mess with nuclear weapons. There's a story that when Reagan had the navy do maneuvers in the Gulf of SIdra he was asked what should our fighters do if engaged by Libyan jets, how far should the U.S. pursue them? Reagan answered; "all the way to the hanger". :eusa_clap

 

[Mojave Jack]

There is something each one of us can do: contact your congressional members and local governments. Under the Preserve America Initiative, President Bush has made it a priority of the government to preserve, protect, and develop our cultural resources. Read the text of Executive order 13287 here. The President has stated that it will be a priority to advance the develoment of historical resources, and huge grants are available. I would urge everyone to read up on the Preserve America grants and encourage your local representives to apply for these grants. These are not just for the Mothball Fleet, but any landmarks, historic properties, or archaeological resources that may be threatened due to neglect or lack of funds. $3.5 million were just distributed under this program about two months ago.

Other funds are available, too. Here in the state of California, the State Library is in the process of distributing $43 million dollars (!) for the California Cultural and Historical Endowment. Take a look here to see who got the money. Note that the much-maligned Bay Area is getting $2,000,000 for the Rosie The Riveter National Park at the Richmond Shipyards via the Rosie the Riveter Trust. Somebody's doing more than just complaining about it.

Also, Congress just voted on the approriations bill for funding of public history and other heritage projects. We should all contact our congressional representatives and senators and urge them to vote to increase those funds next year and every year after that.

The money for these types of projects is out there. It's up to us to make sure that it gets directed to where it is needed, and to projects that are important to us.