I'd give my eyeteeth to go aboard the old girl one more time.
Posted on 06/10/2011 7:11:07 AM PDT by nuconvert
The ghost ships of Mothball Fleet: Incredible pictures of abandoned Navy war ships taken by crew of illegal squatters
They are the Navy ships that heroically fought in World War Two, now slowly rotting in a San Francisco bay. And as they are being towed, one by one, for scrapping, in just a few years they will all be gone.
A group of illegal squatters gained unprecedented access to the vessels by rowing at night for two years past security and climbing onto the ships, sleeping secretly on board for days at a time.
And as these stunning images show, their efforts were certainly worth it.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Good piece, great pics..I wish they hadn’t used the word “squatters”..it conveys the wrong idea. These people wanted to take pics, capture history before it dissappears..that was their sole motive...not “squatting” as we usually understand the term.
I hope the Iowa has been better maintained. Have they foudn a home for her yet?
Someone will get fired over this.
Interesting article, thanks for posting.
I was fortunate enough to visit Normandy 6 years ago. For me, one of the best parts was the fact that there were actually pieces of what was used to build Mulberry Harbor still sitting on the beach at Arromanches. There’s something about being able to see and touch a piece of history that fascinates me. Exploring the German bunkers was pretty cool, too.
Bump
First of all, the squatters are trespassing. These ships have been decommissioned by the US Navy awaiting to be either sold for scrap or prepared to be sunk as artificial reefs.
I have no problem of the US Navy scraping decommissioned ships. As for sinking these ships in the ocean as reefs; as long as they are cleaned of toxic waste, fuel, and ammo, go to it with a vengeance.
I'd give my eyeteeth to go aboard the old girl one more time.
Probably selling the scrap to one of our enemies to make weapons against the US. Ironic.
I domn’t approve of this but man they got some beautiful phjotos
Why didn’t they just ASK if they could go on the ships and take photos????
Since their faces are clearly visible- they are now asking for trouble.
I wonder what camera’s they used? Those were some incredible quality photos
Sounds like funding for preservation is progressing, but slowly.
Here’s more info ...
http://www.battleshipiowa.org/
These two clowns should be prosecuted.
Probably due to liability concerns..
Probably, and I don’t inherently disagree. But it didn’t lessen my disappointment...
Thanks. I remember in the 80’s the USN had a project for rocket boosted shells from BBs. Tests had successfully shown 50+ mile range, and they expected to get to 100+miles, which would put about 60% of the world’s population/cities within range. Every time I read about using a $ 1 million cruise missile to take out a truck, I wish we had kept one of the BBs on active duty. I remember the last time a BB fired for real, it was the NJ off the Lebanese coast, after the Marines were killed by a suicide bomber..
I remember the show “You Asked For It” going up the Hudson to where the WWII fleet was mothballed. Hundreds of ships. Row by row. PT boats. Destroyers. Subs.
I remember the show “You Asked For It” going up the Hudson to where the WWII fleet was mothballed. Hundreds of ships. Row by row. PT boats. Destroyers. Subs.
Because they'd have been told no. Bureaucrats' first reaction to anything is to say "NO." Second it would have alerted the "authorities" and would have made it harder to get in and take the pictures. Third, Whose ships are they anyway? It was TAXPAYER money that paid for them, and since the government is throwing them out, it seems reasonable that the TAXPAYERS at least get a look at them.
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