Historic warship Olympia may be scrapped, sunk

The News Tribune (Tacoma WA) ^ | 5/27/10

[llevrok]

[omega4179]

That would be a tragedy but these ship museums never are profitable enough to maintain a ship.

[C19fan]

I think the only other ship like her in the world is the Mikasa from the Russo-Japanese war. Disgrace if she becomes a reef.

[GonzoGOP]

One of the most important ships in US history. She could be saved for the prize money that has been given away on Survivor, but instead they are going to send her to the scrappers torch.

[henkster]

I visited the Olympia about 20 years ago. They had Dewey’s footprints marked on the bridge where he gave the “You may fire when ready” order.

It would be a shame to sink her. She is the last example of her kind of ship; a late “ironclad” with no sail, yet before the age of the dreadnought. To my knowledge, there are no other post-sail pre-dreadnought ships still afloat.

[brushcop]

Good grief, some things are worth saving regardless. Surely the maintenance of this great ship wouldn’t cost a fraction of what this man has given away to non-producers just this year alone.

[llevrok]

WA state ping

[henkster]

I stand corrected. I did not know Mikasa was still afloat; I would have expected her to have not survived WW2.

[Paladin2]

Love the shape of the bow. Not at all sure why they did that, but it wuz apparently the style of the time.

[C19fan]

Somehow the Mikasa did survive US bombings. Based on the Wikipedia entry, Nimitz lead the effort to rehabiliate and preserve her.

[x]

“It will be a national disgrace and major embarrassment for Philadelphia and Pennsylvania if Olympia is disposed of by scrapping or being sunk off the coast of New Jersey,” said naval historian Lawrence Burr ...

It would indeed.

Years ago, "You may fire when ready, Gridley" was a familiar phrase.

How many people today have even heard of George Dewey?

[llevrok]

Love the shape of the bow

I think that's her stern. Pin tail. Perhaps it had to do with available manufacturing methods available then - or just a cool design thing.

[Snickering Hound]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battleship_Oregon

It’s what happened to the Oregon.

[Paladin2]

[C19fan]

Congresspukes find millions of dollars for their useless pork earmarks, like a Tea Pot museum, yet not one dime for something this important historically.

[Paladin2]

Uh, see #14. Did you build WWI ships as a kid?

[GonzoGOP]

To my knowledge, there are no other post-sail pre-dreadnought ships still afloat.

Mikasa, Aurora and Huascar are afloat and in good shape. Mikasa and Aurora are slightly younger than Olympia. Huascar is closer to ironclad than predreadnaught. She has simple pole masts, but they were backups to the engine and were never used in combat.

Mikasa

Huascar

Aurora

[Ramius]

I suppose it’s totally unfeasible to move it to Olympia, WA... that would be cool (and it’s my old home town).

[omega4179]

Mikasa is the last pre-dreadnought Battleship, USS Texas is the last dreadnought battleship, and Olympia is the last cruiser from that era. I think the USS Salem in Quincy, MA is the last big gun cruiser anywhere.

[Truth29]

Will Obama come and dedicate the symbol of America’s Navy as a reef?