October 2008 Field
Day Report
All Hands,
If it seems that things have
been a little different aboard your
favorite Gearing class Destroyer as of late, you would be 100% correct.
I apologize for the lateness in getting this news report out to the
fleet and my only excuse is that I got married to the former Jennifer
Almeida on October 5th. Thus, my time aboard and dealing with the ship
as of late has been lacking but through the efforts of others, DD850 is
getting back on a even keel. For those who thought I was married to the
KENNEDY, this proves I do indeed like the female variety that aren't
made of steel!
In any case, our first ever September Major field Day aboard USS Joseph
P. Kennedy Jr DD850 in Fall River, MA was accomplished with much
success. The weather was outstanding and this allowed for the exterior
work that KENNEDY so sorely needs to not just maintain her but to also
make her look ship-shape. Special Thanks to Bill Hamilton for his work
in the galley.
September major field day
Attendees:
Maury Crotteau (USS Harwood DD861)
Ed Zajkowski (USS Keppler DD765)
Al Lundgren (USS John Paul Jones DD932)
Owen Hayes (USS Waldron DD699)
Jim Mulvihill (USS Waldron DD699)
Mike Angelini (USS J.P. Kennedy Jr. DD850)
Don Furlong
Jeff Furlong
Gene Byers (USS Richard Kraus DD849)
Dave Stawicki (Museum Employee)
Rich Angelini (NAVSEA)
Andrew Feighery --First Timer
Rob Angelini (NAVSEA)
Vincent Rositani (USS Fiske DD842)
Vincent Rositani Jr
Howard Swanson (USS Brownson DD868)
Carl Swanson
Wayne White (USS Charles R. Ware DD865)
Bill Hamilton (USS Barry DD932)
William Albert
Gary Strouse
Tony Accattata (USS Harwood DD861)
Jim McGuiness (USS Abbot DD629)
Tom Kallman (USS J. P. Kennedy Jr DD850)
Ken Kallman
Rich O'Connor (USS Vesole DD878)
Bob Sipos (USS Fred T. Berry DD858)
Tom Publicover (USS Robert Owens DD827)
A partial listing of projects and museum support undertaken during the
field day included:
-- Repaired plugged galley sink drain line
-- Assisted staff with sewage pump repair
-- Corrected fuse blowing problem in galley
-- Investigated, repaired, and returned to service Vent Fan 1-83-1 in
B-1 Forward Fire Room for first time in 36 years!!
-- Replaced fuses for dedicated welding circuits
-- Repaired lighting in both shaft alleys
-- Acted as tour guides for USS Sproston DD577 reunion group
-- Prepared weekend meals for all hands including home made pies.
-- Attempted to restore exhaust fan in B-2 Forward Engine Room, work to
continue
-- 01 TORPEDO DK--Removed 2 Rotted Davit Sockets and 2 RAS (REFUEL AT
SEA) Supports. Fabricated and welded in new ones to complete to
working order along with a working davit.
-- MAIN DECK--PORT SIDE-- The repainting of the Portside main deck
bulkheads is now 85% complete. Prepped and painted bulkheads, overhead,
deck, gunnals, gutter, gear lockers, and fire fighting reels/valves.
This ongoing task is complete from FR 42- FR 157, a distance of about
215 feet.
-- Discovered two 100% grounds on FWD switchboard, FB-103 and FB-109.
-- Paint removal and prep work on WHALE BOAT
-- Ran Aft Diesel with Ship's electrical load.
-- Exercised STBD Anchor and Windlass
-- Investigated reliability of Dehumidifier for B1 and B2.
-- Installed light fixture in overhead for safety at visitor access door
from B-4 to B-3.
-- Added Navy style receptacle beside Degaussing Board in B-4.
-- Permanently removed AC unit from Ship's Office. Installed insulation
and bulkhead.
-- Moved material for easier access to sewage pump in Engineering
storeroom.
-- Repaired 2 lights in deck gear lockers on main deck.
-- Continued RBO repair in ET Shop.
-- Welded broken angle iron on Bridge face walkway.
-- Continued painting in CIC proper.
Highlights from our Weekly Projects and our first NAPS weekend of 2008.
-- A new Volunteer for KENNEDY but a electronics guru on
Paul S., has begun to work on the MK 25 fire control radar electronics
in the MK 25 Room and in the director itself. Using the missing parts
removed from ex-USS DES MOINES, Paul believes he can complete the MK 25
system aboard KENNEDY and has begun the effort. This is great news as
we look forward to the restoration and final display of the MK 25 Fire
Control Room to its original configuration. Paul spends Saturdays on
Paul!
-- CIC has taken on a life of its own. Al Lundgren has single handedly
repainted SONAR and the Undersea Battlespace in CIC and deserves a great
deal of credit for his dedication. The area looks like new and
operational. We were missing the front of the SQS-23 SONAR Control
Module but Al's son has a machine shop, and with parts removed from the
SONAR systems of other destroyers and pictures taken aboard EX-STEINAKER
DD863 in 2006, the missing piece is being manufactured to complete the
display. Along with this, the DRT and NC2 plotting area in CIC has also
been repainted.
-- With the arrival of a intact WLR-1 set from USS TROUT, Larry Ransom
(USS Beatty DD756) and his son has set it upon themselves to rewire and
rectify the ECM Room No 1 in CIC. For those who do not know our
philosophy on the restoration of KENNEDY, no compartment or space is
abandoned as a lost cause. ECM Room No 1 reveals that fact as a room
that was just about completely empty has the WLR-1 gear being rewired,
the secure phone system mounted, and the status board operating. This
allows this GEARING class Destroyer the opportunity to reveal a complete
CIC.
-- Many visitors have commented how fresh KENNEDY is looking with her
new interior paint in compartments and passageways. With Bob Washburn
(USS William R Rush DD714) continuing our successful NAPS program for
the 2008-2009 season, the ship is about to get a updated look in areas
that have been waiting for complete restoration for a long time. The
NAPS weekend on 25 October brought 11 NAPS students and 14 volunteers
(Maury Crotteau, Jim Mulvihill, Don Furlong, Rich Angelini, Mike Angelini, Mike
McCann,
Bob Ledux, Bob Ledux Jr, John Bisbano, Bob Washburn, Bob Young, Larry
Ransom, Larry's son, and Al Lundgren) to accomplish some new tasks. Our
program is aimed at the cleaning and painting of the Scullery, Steam
Line, Mess Decks, and the 01 Level passageway. This will lead to the
detailing and restoration of these areas. NAPS students began to wash
and clean these areas while also helping Bobby Young finish some final
prepping in the Bosun Locker. This along with the painting of the deck
on Aux Radio made for a very successful weekend.
-- One of the more exciting events this past weekend with the NAPS
students was the arrival and installation of our restored SPA-4 Radar
Repeater from our Swansea Radar Repeater Restoration Shop. Bob Ledux
and his crew brought the unit back to the ship, and with a mix of NAPS
and volunteers, installed it in CIC. As some might think, museum ships
are supposed to be "dead" and not have working items-- but we don't
believe in that. We are proud of our past 7 years of work to bring life
back to DD850. To say that 20 people stared at a working SPA-4 Radar
Repeater in CIC in awe does not give it justice. Everyone came out
of
the interior of the ship to help get this unit aboard. That makes 4
operational Radar Repeaters on KENNEDY. When I asked Bob what his team
plans to do now that all the transportable units have gone to his shop,
He merely states "Where are the Manuals for the SPA-8s?". We
love that
attitude.
-- Curator Chris Nardi and Tommy Lowney (USS Wisconsin BB64) recently
acquired a complete MK25 Radar Transmitter box for our MK 37 gun
director to replace the gutted version that was left with the ship so
many years ago.
-- Bill Hamilton, Carl Swanson, Howard Swanson, Maury Crotteau, Al
Lundgren, Bob Kilkelly (USS Perkins DD877),and Jim Mulvihill were aboard
during the October field day to work with Shipkeeper Dave Stawicki on
various projects.
-- Al Lundgren with support from Mike McCann has touched up the Local
Operating Position desks, crypto, and other areas to refresh Radio
Central.
-- Many compliments have come forward to the Captain and ship about
tours and information they receive from our volunteers. Jim Mulvihill
recently received praise from a couple visiting from
Many volunteers also supported the reunion of the USS Arnold J Isbell.
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Recent Donations:
Thanks go out to the following individuals for their recent
contributions to support USS J.P. Kennedy Jr. DD850. Every contribution
is very much appreciated. Without your support, we will not be able to acquire
the
equipment missing from DD850 or complete the major restoration projects
that this last USN Gearing class destroyer needs to accurately represent
the men who rode these ships.
1. Bob Kilkelly (USS Perkins
DD877) -- Bob has donated numerous
military artifacts as well as gift cards totaling $200 to Home Depot and
Lowe's to support our projects aboard DD850. Though Bob's health
doesn't allow him to be aboard as much as he likes, he supports the ship
from a distance. Thanks Bob.
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Notes:
1. The November mini field day
is the 21-22-23 of November. Ed
Zajkowski should be arriving mid week and we will have our NAPS crew
aboard to continue our programs on KENNEDY. I will be aboard as well
after a meeting on the Battleship. Please let us know if you plan to
attend!
2. Enclosed are photos from the
September field day and the
SPA-4 arrival. Notice in photo titled Spar-four034 in this email there
is a gentlemen to the left in a black jacket that can be seen smiling
even though his back is turned to us. This is Maury Crotteau a Chief
Radioman from USS Harwood DD861 who has literally seen DD850 go from no
electronics to complete radio and radar systems.
3.
UPDATE! I got a call from Al Lundgren last night to check my email.
Checking the email, I quickly found photos of the newly fabricated Command Control
Module for our SQS-23 Sonar in CIC which almost knocked me off my
chair. Al and his son completely replicated the missing unit using
photos from our sister ship USS Steinaker DD863 and then installed it in the
SONAR space aboard. Never in a million years did I think we would get
this unit to complete our SONAR space. A big Bravo Zulu to Al for his
dedication and hard work in completing SONAR. Photo enclosed!
4. Ed
Zajkowski went to the recent HNSA convention at Patriots Point in SC to see
LAFFEY DD724 and talk with other ship museums. He reports that we are
doing very well within the fleet in regards to our detail work and
restoration. Let's keep giving these other ships something to aspire to!
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Join the effort...Please consider helping KENNEDY in any manner you
can..history and this ship depend on YOU.
Fair winds and following seas,
Rich Angelini
Assistant Curator, USS JOSEPH P KENNEDY JR DD850
http://www.ussjpkennedyjr.org
