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Military Pictures & Info
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I was talking to an old friend when a question came up about an exercise we were a part of, gunnery qualifications for the USS Iowa BB-61. The last day of the exercise began at dusky dark. We were trailing the Iowa, maybe 400yrds, and shooting star shells over an island for illumination.
I thought those 16inch guns were impressive during the day. At night they are beyond my words to describe so to quote Keith Jackson “Whoa Nelli!e
!”
We were following close behind that night. No one was supposed to be on the weather decks. Of course a few of us couldn’t resist. 400 yards away but I could feel the shock wave when just one gun fired. They didn’t fire a broadside but several times 3 guns fired at the same time. I can’t imagine being on the other end of that…
The one thing I think surprised me the most was the fact I could see those 2000lb shells going down range with my naked eye. Didn’t see them for very long but I caught quick glimpses several times. And yes, they do go BOOM when they land.
Anyway, now I believe everything is on the net. I actually found a written record of that exercise in the summer of ‘87. An island just off Puerto Rico was used as a gunnery and bombing range by the Navy in those days… had been since ww2.
Here’s the info I found, oh, the second pic of the Iowa shows her after she got Tomahawk missiles. I remember when she got them. She tied up across the pier from us with her new Tommys, also ‘87, maybe ‘88.
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The Vieques, Puerto Rico, Naval Training Range was a United States naval facility located on the island of Vieques, about 5 miles east of mainland Puerto Rico.
Beginning on 17 March 1986, ... Lehman instead instructed the leaders of the Atlantic Fleet to ensure that Iowa's deficiencies were corrected...
...Afterward, Iowa returned to the waters around Central America and conducted drills and exercises while providing a military presence to friendly nations. On 4 July, President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan boarded Iowa for the International Naval Review, which was held in the Hudson River. On 25 April, Captain Larry Ray Seaquist assumed command of the battleship and her crew during Naval Gunfire Support requalification off Vieques Island near Puerto Rico. On 17 August, Iowa set sail for the North Atlantic,
I thought those 16inch guns were impressive during the day. At night they are beyond my words to describe so to quote Keith Jackson “Whoa Nelli!e
!”We were following close behind that night. No one was supposed to be on the weather decks. Of course a few of us couldn’t resist. 400 yards away but I could feel the shock wave when just one gun fired. They didn’t fire a broadside but several times 3 guns fired at the same time. I can’t imagine being on the other end of that…
The one thing I think surprised me the most was the fact I could see those 2000lb shells going down range with my naked eye. Didn’t see them for very long but I caught quick glimpses several times. And yes, they do go BOOM when they land.
Anyway, now I believe everything is on the net. I actually found a written record of that exercise in the summer of ‘87. An island just off Puerto Rico was used as a gunnery and bombing range by the Navy in those days… had been since ww2.
Here’s the info I found, oh, the second pic of the Iowa shows her after she got Tomahawk missiles. I remember when she got them. She tied up across the pier from us with her new Tommys, also ‘87, maybe ‘88.
--------------------------------------------------------
The Vieques, Puerto Rico, Naval Training Range was a United States naval facility located on the island of Vieques, about 5 miles east of mainland Puerto Rico.
Beginning on 17 March 1986, ... Lehman instead instructed the leaders of the Atlantic Fleet to ensure that Iowa's deficiencies were corrected...
...Afterward, Iowa returned to the waters around Central America and conducted drills and exercises while providing a military presence to friendly nations. On 4 July, President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan boarded Iowa for the International Naval Review, which was held in the Hudson River. On 25 April, Captain Larry Ray Seaquist assumed command of the battleship and her crew during Naval Gunfire Support requalification off Vieques Island near Puerto Rico. On 17 August, Iowa set sail for the North Atlantic,
Here is a couple bomber shots from ww2.
I found this the other day, don't know enough about paratroopers to guess the year.
My late Dad worked his entire career at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft, Government Products Division, the last decade or so helping with the development of the engines for the SR-71 Blackbird.
He was in high altitude testing, where P&W used test cells on the ground at their plant near Indiantown, Florida. He was in it from the start.
I think it's neat that in the beginning, he worked with the R-2800 Twin Wasp engine which went on to power some of the finest aircraft of it's day - Hellcat, Corsair, P-47; and ended with the fastest conventional aircraft to this day, the Blackbird.
Speaking of US battleships and 16" guns, we had the USS New Jersey for fire support up on the South Vietnam DMZ.
Those shells quite literally "sounded like a freight train" when they came overhead.
And they did a whole lot of damage.
But nothing like a B-52 strike.
Those shells quite literally "sounded like a freight train" when they came overhead.
And they did a whole lot of damage.
But nothing like a B-52 strike.
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I believe that was the last time a US battleship was in combat. The shells weighed as much as a Volkswagen.
Ben
The USS Wisconsin and USS Missouri fired during Desert Storm.
Awesome footage of the last time US battleships fired in anger
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IIRC they were launching Tomahawk from the battleships during Desert storm
The launched Tomahawks and fired their big 16" guns.
I remember seeing them on TV and it was impressive.
I remember seeing them on TV and it was impressive.
I lived, & worked in Hawthorne, Nv. in 1983. The base contractor at the time was Day, Zimmerman, & Basil. When the Beirut bombing happened we were spun up to supply the shells for the 16" naval rifles. Each shell was refurbished, & some were rebuilt to penetrate deeper into steel reinforced concrete, or bunkers. Very hard to hide from. Ballistic formulas are fixed, they depend on consistency, and are as dependable as the sun rising. The variants on the projectiles were reduced to near nothing, & the computerized aiming system was brand new, & state of the art. So, when shells started landing in the wrong zip codes, it had to the propellant doing it. For the first couple of weeks the impacts were wildly inaccurate. The mixing of different batches of propellant together was the causation, and, as soon as that was put right, accuracy was restored.
The propellant fiasco did not take place on the New Jersey, it happened under the direction of one officer stateside, at a depot that was supposed to sort out bad powder from batches that had been stored, Instead of doing as he should, and culling the bad out, he cocktailed it all together, and called it good. Presumably, to make his figures look better on paper. There were no charges filed. The same officer would be at the center of 2 naval inquiries in 1989 when a gun turret exploded of the Iowa, killing 47 sailors.
The gun pics are from Babbit, Nv. witch is no longer there, dismanted & moved as the based downsized. Just outside the front gate there was a vacant lot where they stored some 16" gun barrels, I used to sit on them when the weather was good, and have lunch. Better days.
The propellant fiasco did not take place on the New Jersey, it happened under the direction of one officer stateside, at a depot that was supposed to sort out bad powder from batches that had been stored, Instead of doing as he should, and culling the bad out, he cocktailed it all together, and called it good. Presumably, to make his figures look better on paper. There were no charges filed. The same officer would be at the center of 2 naval inquiries in 1989 when a gun turret exploded of the Iowa, killing 47 sailors.
The gun pics are from Babbit, Nv. witch is no longer there, dismanted & moved as the based downsized. Just outside the front gate there was a vacant lot where they stored some 16" gun barrels, I used to sit on them when the weather was good, and have lunch. Better days.
thanks @SeventiesWreckers great photos! I've never seen anything like these. I remember the accident on the Jersey, knew it'd be a whitewash over facts. That's just how the military works.
Yeah, you spend too much time thinking about the bureaucracy in the the Military it will really lay you low. Right now there are plenty of things to feel bad about without going looking for more. But, if your a glutton for punishment, it was the Iowa in 1989 that had the gun turret incident. They initially tried to blame it on gays in the military. That didn't fly, and it only got worse from there. It's an interesting read covering 2 official investigations, but still, deeply depressing if you care for the U.S. Navy.
@SeventiesWreckers That's right! it was the Iowa. My memory seems to get the hiccups occasionally.
True story, I had a buddy (Billy) who'd been on the USS New Jersey "around the world" tour in '83. He was my assistant company commander in '84, Great Lakes school command. One day an admiral visited the base, of course there was a review. 1000 guys in dress uniform, a dozen companies...
I was the yeoman (company clerk) standing beside Billy and my Senior Chief. I get the once over, admiral then steps in front of Billy. Billy had a silk tie he actually got in Bangkok Thailand. A little long but within regs. Being made from silk it looked just a tiny bit different than ones from the uniform shop.
The admiral noticed the tie, feels of it, then asks
"Where did you get that tie sailor?"
Billy says, "Thailand Sir!"
I could hear guys 5 rows back laughing!!!! It was funny!!!!! He wasn't trying to be a smart a^^, he respectfully answered the mans question.
Billy was proud of that tie, everyone knew about it.
I was holding my breath trying to choke back laughter!!! (as the admiral glanced at me) I remember thinking "please move on! I can't hold my breath forever!"
I could see my company commander out the corner of my eye, he was trembling... trying so hard not to laugh.
I heard him snort as the admiral went out of ear shot. I laughed all the way back to the barracks!!!! Heck, we all did, at least everyone who heard Billy's answer.
Think it's hard not to laugh at something funny in church? Try standing standing at attention 3ft from an admiral when something hysterically funny happens!
True story, I had a buddy (Billy) who'd been on the USS New Jersey "around the world" tour in '83. He was my assistant company commander in '84, Great Lakes school command. One day an admiral visited the base, of course there was a review. 1000 guys in dress uniform, a dozen companies...
I was the yeoman (company clerk) standing beside Billy and my Senior Chief. I get the once over, admiral then steps in front of Billy. Billy had a silk tie he actually got in Bangkok Thailand. A little long but within regs. Being made from silk it looked just a tiny bit different than ones from the uniform shop.
The admiral noticed the tie, feels of it, then asks
"Where did you get that tie sailor?"
Billy says, "Thailand Sir!"
I could hear guys 5 rows back laughing!!!! It was funny!!!!! He wasn't trying to be a smart a^^, he respectfully answered the mans question.
Billy was proud of that tie, everyone knew about it.
I was holding my breath trying to choke back laughter!!! (as the admiral glanced at me) I remember thinking "please move on! I can't hold my breath forever!"
I could see my company commander out the corner of my eye, he was trembling... trying so hard not to laugh.
I heard him snort as the admiral went out of ear shot. I laughed all the way back to the barracks!!!! Heck, we all did, at least everyone who heard Billy's answer.Think it's hard not to laugh at something funny in church? Try standing standing at attention 3ft from an admiral when something hysterically funny happens!
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I think this is the USS Enterprise at Coral Sea.
CV-6 1939
USS Alabama BB-60. There have been 3 battleships named Alabama. This is the last one, also the last of her class before the Iowa class battleships were built.
She's tied up to a pier in Mobile Alabama currently, a museum of sorts. I remember seeing it when I was a kid.
She's tied up to a pier in Mobile Alabama currently, a museum of sorts. I remember seeing it when I was a kid.
The day the Alabama hull was launched, Jan'42 at Norfolk naval ship yards. She didn't complete qualifications and trials until Nov'42.
I took a tour of the Alabama several years ago. It's got quite a history to it
More navy pics... aircraft? F6F Wildcats... photo taken 1943/4.
