Double Singularity Blog

A non-profit group in Missouri formed in 2004 is currently looking for a location to open the only naval museum in the state, which would house the only decommissioned naval vessel for about 300 miles. Currently the group is looking at two proposals,

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I had posted before about the Navy's decision to scrap USS Trout. I had been wrong that there had been no interest in using her as a museum, but her deterioration had progressed to such a state that restoration was deemed unfeasible. James E. Brooks was kind enough to reply to that earlier post to let me know that Trout had recently passed through Key West on her way to Texas to be scrapped. Incidentally, the same firm that scrapped USS Des Moines, Esco Marine, won the bid to scrap Trout.

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For those who are interested Esco Marine, Inc, who completed scrapping USS Des Moines last year, has an online shop for ordering some of the surplus supplies from that ship as well as many others that they are scrapping. Looking for 8" shells and powder charges? Fire bricks? Maybe wooden doors? Check it all out online.

For those who are interested in USS Des Moines artifacts, a seller in Texas is auctioning off many of the items from the ship on ebay right now. If you type in "USS Des Moines" into the search field, you should find these items. Included in an auction ending in a few hours is the name plate from the back of the vessel. If only I could have it shipped here...

EDIT: Here is a link to the auction for the ship's name plate.

USS Orleck has been repaired from the damage sustained during Hurricane Rita, and a while back I reported that the museum was able to obtain some materials from USS Des Moines before she was scrapped. I contacted Steve Phillips, President of the USS Orleck DD-886 Naval Museum, and he was kind of enough to reply to let me know that they obtained smaller items such as lights, battle helmets, and mess trays. Thank you Mr. Phillips!

I had previously reported that the organization in Fall River had obtained radio equipment for the destroyer USS Joseph Kennedy from USS Des Moines before she was scrapped. They also obtained pieces for the 5" guns and the 5" ammunition handling room, the Mk 25 Fire Control Radar Station, and the Mk 37 Fire Control Director. Also obtained were battle helmets, a wardroom pantry refrigerator, and various bits from the engineering department.

USS Slater also was fortunate to obtain items from Des Moines. These items include two desks from the commissary office, many interior and exterior speakers for the 1MC system, steel battle lanterns, compartment fans, sound powered telephone headsets, two target bearing transmitters, battle helmets, life jackets, mess trays, two portable examination tables for battle dressing stations, and two typewriter desks.

Apparently USS Orleck also was able to find parts for restoration - not sure what though...

I've been playing around with Google Maps a little more, and on a hunch decided to take a look at Brownsville, TX. This is where Esco Marine is located, who won the contract to scrap Des Moines. Guess what I found?

Sadly, you cannot zoom in as much as you could at the Philly Navy Yard, but it is still interesting to browse through the area looking at the other ships that they are scrapping.

Just thought that I would post a picture I found on Google Maps of Des Moines at the Philly Navy Yard before she was scrapped...

You can find the image yourself on Google Maps ; you just should switch to satellite mode and it is a little to the right of center. While you are at it, check out the other ships sitting in mothballs. You can also find America CV-66, which was sunk last year. Enjoy!

USS Ling, which is a museum in Hackensack, New Jersey, is going to be losing the land that they are currently moored to. Moving a submarine is an expensive proposal anyway, but things are more complicated by the planned building of a bridge downriver and that the river is heavily silted. To read more check out their website.

Just a quick note - the Des Moines class cruisers were used as much as they were post-war, as opposed to other cruiser classes, because they were much larger and provided better sea keeping, had the speed to keep up with the faster aircraft carriers, and were equipped with flagship facilities. They were also cheaper to operate than some of the fast battleships - hence the deactivation of all but the Iowa class battleships.

Two notes of irony. The preferred flagships of the immediate post war navy were both named for Iowa - Iowa class battleships and Des Moines class cruisers. Also, the fact that the cruisers were seen as cheaper versions of the fast battleships came back into play in the 1980s when Congress wanted to rebuild the cruisers instead of the last two units of the Iowa class.