That would be the Patriots Point Maritime Museum. The vessels, in the
order of Bob's descriptions, are the USS Clamagore, USS Laffey and the USS
Yorktown. I've been there many times usually with school groups. The museum
is still very active but is having a lot of financial difficulties. Their
biggest problem is rust. The sub and the destroyer were simply not made to
sit in salt water for the period of time these vessels have existed. The
Laffey has been hauled out and refurbished at a local shipyard but the
museum is having trouble coming up with the money to cover the repairs. The
Clamagore is deteriorateing rapidly and should be displayed on land (as is
the WW II era German U-boat in Chicago). The Yorktown, being more robust, is
faring better. Years ago Patriots Point used to have the SS Savannah which
was the world's only nuclear powered merchant ship. They removed it when the
Laffey became available since it really wasn't consistent with their Navy
mission. Coincidentally I was able to go aboard the Savannah when she was
operational. She made port of call to Charleston around 1966 and my 6th
grade class made a tour. They even took us through the reactor room (rather
hurriedly I might add).
Charlie
On Thu, May 26, 2011 at 10:00 AM, Chris Barker <ftog@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> That must have been terrifying: Kamikaze attacks.
>
> Alastair MacLean's stories were great for adolescents, me included, but
> they were always so OTT with the hero's heroism and staying power. However,
> I'd be quite happy to read another one.
>
> Chris
>
> On 26 May 2011, at 12:16, Bob Whitmire wrote:
>
> > When in Charleston, SC, years ago, I visited the riverside park where
> they have an old diesel submarine, a WWII destroyer and a WWII aircraft
> carrier. I'm too lazy to look up their names. The destroyer was famous for
> having taken the greatest number of kamikaze hits in the Pacific, and I was
> blown away (oops!) by how small it was. When the sailors called them tin
> cans, they weren't kidding. Don't know how it could have taken one hit and
> stayed afloat, much less multiple.
> >
> > One of my favorite books growing up was Alistair Maclean's HMS Ulysses.
> Can't recall it it was a destroyer or a cruiser, though.
>
> --
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