Day 17

 

22 July 2020

To keep us amused, about twelve of these monsters pass through the Kill Van Kull, to and from Port Newark, every day.

 

On Wednesday, 22 July, we had our morning meeting with Joe Eckhardt, and he announced, “You’re going into dry dock tomorrow.” That came as a shock to both of us, and we took a “We’ll believe it when we see it” attitude. That day we had Ryan Symanski and Alaina Noland, from the Battleship NEW JERSEY, visit us. When they heard we were going into dry dock, they immediately made plans for a return visit the following day.  More fittings were attached to the mast, the mast ladder was installed, the painters began priming the mast, and the air search radar was taken to the paint shop. The yardarm was outfitted with all the correct 1945 fittings, and the stack parts arrived from the fabrication shop, and an evening thunderstorm cooled things off. On Thursday, the Caddell welders started the installation of the SL radar waveguide. They had completed all the metal mast jobs, except the SA radar platform handrails, a support for the center line ladder, and installation of the ship's whistle.

We welding the IFF antennas to the yardarm. They came from the LSM-45. She too served the Greek Navy and was returned to become a museum, but the project, sadly, failed.

Jack and Brendan, preparing turnbuckles for the back stay and yard braces.

Jack and Brendan, preparing turnbuckles for the back stay and yard braces.

Parts from the fabrication shop, for the stack repair.

Parts from the fabrication shop, for the stack repair.

Welding the IFF antennas to the yardarm. They came from the LSM-45. She too served the Greek Navy and was returned to become a museum, but the project, sadly, failed.

Welding the IFF antennas to the yardarm. They came from the LSM-45. She too served the Greek Navy and was returned to become a museum, but the project, sadly, failed.

We had two distinguished guests from the battleship New Jersey today. Ryan and Alaina wanted to see how things work with a museum ship at a shipyard. They were shown everything and had lunch with us. While at lunch we all received the word via phone

We had two distinguished guests from the battleship New Jersey today. Ryan and Alaina wanted to see how things work with a museum ship at a shipyard. They were shown everything and had lunch with us. While at lunch we all received the word via phone that we should enter dry dock around noon tomorrow. Brendan and Jack, our midshipmen and Gary, showed them around.

This is a shot of the air search radar platform, taken today.

This is a shot of the air search radar platform, taken today.

If you've been wondering if this trip is really necessary, this is a drone shot of the air search radar platform, taken shortly after for forestay rusted through and fell to the flying bridge.

If you've been wondering if this trip is really necessary, this is a drone shot of the air search radar platform, taken shortly after for forestay rusted through and fell to the flying bridge.