G503 Military Vehicle Message Forums

Wife and I were on the Golden Gate Bridge yesterday and what popped out of the fog and into the photo? Why it's the USS Carl Vinson!



She used to be based here in Alameda, as did Enterprise, Lincoln, Ranger, Midway, Coral Sea, Hancock, and others. Lots of Navy history here. Hornet CV-8 loaded aboard 16 B-25s on April 1, 1942 at Alameda, but I digress...

Speaking of Hornet, interesting paint job on the tails of the Hornet in the middle


In case anyone can't figure it out - no, the Navy isn't coming back to NAS Alameda - it's Fleet Week 2011! An assortment of Pacific Fleet and Canadian Navy vessels visited San Francisco and gave the guys and gals some liberty

Notice the two Hornets at the ready? Steam was coming from the port catapult. I think the Navy is always looking out for its safety.

A few other U.S. ships are part of this Group. CG-54 USS Antietam for example


The CO goes out of his way to display Old Glory


An Arleigh Burke Class destroyer was represented by DDG-69 USS Milius. This CO also likes his flag

You can't make it out but there is a POW/MIA sign on the aft stack.

T-AO-200 USS Guadalupe gets it's name from the WW2 fleet oiler that was scrapped decades ago. This one is operated by the Maritime Administration


Small but important partner is MCM-14 USS Chief, a mine countermeatures ship aka "minesweeper" named for the Navy's CPOs.


The business end of Chief


The Canadian equivalent of USS Chief, HMCS Saskatoon. This (MM) Maritime Coastal Defense Vessel was joined by sister ships Maniamo and Brandon


Canadian firepower was provided by an FFH patrol frigate, HMCS Ottawa. Not Aegis-equipped but a good friend to have around


Besides the many local US Coast Guard craft afloat today to maintain order during the Blue Angels airshow, this zoomy new cutter made an appearance. USCG Bertholf is the largest of a new class of ship called National Security Cutter

She was flanked by four 25' USCG RB-S Defender (I think) boats. At 45 knots max and fully armed, no bad guys were getting close to Mother Hen today. Don't know how the Navy was protecting theirs, but I guess there were more than a few M2s locked and loaded by Marines.

As usual the fully restored Liberty Ship SS Jeremiah O'Brien made the scene. It is based in San Francisco and cruises several times a year.


My grandfather skippered one in WW2, then a Victory. After my uncle graduated from Kings Point and shipped out on a Victory as Third Mate, his dad had his signalman flash to any merchant ship he got close to, "Is Kenneth Keith aboard?" Off Guam he finally got a positive reply and ended up getting Ken transferred aboard his ship.

O'Brien is alway so light the prop is partially out of the water. They used to ask some of our MVCC members if they would like to have their trucks winched aboard for a photo opportunity. Most of us saw through that. We wouldn't have gotten them back!


If you have read this far you have gotten your weekly dose of "Navy." Fleet Week in San Francisco is a great event and there is no better venue to watch a Blue Angels airshow.

Great pics, John! Thanks for sharing! I watched Fleet Week and the Angels from Alcatraz in 1996. What a view!

Paula

Great fotos!

Those are great photos, John... and I like the commentary also.

Here is a close up foto of one of the small types of boats that waited just outside the Gate to escort the ships into the bay. They would constantly drift towards the bridge with the incoming tide so they had to constantly start up and move back out.

Two of these 47' Motor Lifeboats were also out and about. USCG keeps them at their station at Ft. Baker right next to the GG Bridge, along with two of the 25' RB-S Response Boats. They are rough water rescue boats that can take a 3G impact. After capsizing they self-right within 30 seconds fully functional. This unit is responsible from Pier 39 to 50 NM out. Very nasty water out there even on a nice day. These boats represent the true link to the origin of the USCG, which evolved from the U.S. Life Saving Service. The USCG came about in 1914 when the USLSS merged with the Revenue-Cutter Service. That got them into ships with a patrolling mission.

This one is operated by the Maritime Administration.

John, no she's not. USNS Guadalupe is operated by Military Sealift Command - the blue, gold, gray, and black bands on the stack indicate this. Maritime Administration (MARAD) ships have red, white and blue bands on the stacks. Here's a link for more info on the Guadalupe: http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/19/19200.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ok, I've read this two or three times... I don't get the whole comments about the O'Brien and the Motor Vehicles and not getting them back?

bikeman wrote:Ok, I've read this two or three times... I don't get the whole comments about the O'Brien and the Motor Vehicles and not getting them back?

The O'Brien folks are always looking for permanent ballast. Know what I mean?

Tip your right I worked on 2 of her sisters the USNS John Ericson and USNS Laramie. They are operated by civilians but Navy owned basically MSC is an USN owned non profit company that buys fuel from the Navy and resells it back to them for a profit that pays for the ships and its crews. Its a good company to work for depending where you are its long days the longest I pulled was 18 hour day.