Monday, January 29, 2007 by The Chief.

Great pictures of the Pampanito in drydock: http://www.w5blt.com/Pampanito/Pampanito2007.htm

Note:  Keep checking back for new pictures.

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Tuesday, January 23, 2007 by The Chief.

The Contra Costa Times is reporting that USS Pampanito has left its berth at San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf for Alameda’s Bay Ship & Yacht Co’s dry dock facilities to receive a proper Navy “shave and haircut.” The old warship will have barnacles and corrosion removed, and fresh paint applied. Volunteers expect Pampanito will return to its familiar moorings in San Francisco in early February.

I’m looking forward to visiting the old boat in March. It will be my first visit since the passing of my friend, Gary “Cowboy” McLaughlin who used to be a Docent onboard Pampanito.

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Monday, January 22, 2007 by The Chief.

The Navy has a new tradition of Monday Morning quarterbacking. Commanding Officers used to get some slack in the operation of their commands, but that was before their were so many more Officers ready for command than there were commands.

The Navy’s treatment of CDR Mooney was not unexpected, but was still wrong. Nevertheless, CDR Mooney and CDR Ruff understood the rules when they took command.

I’m guessing that the MSP was given urgent orders, and CDR Ruff wanted to show how quickly he could get on station and save the world. He gambled by not staying inside the breakwater to offload the pilot, and two sailors are dead because of it.

When this story first broke, I was willing to withhold judgment until more facts were available. I think the facts clearly show that CDR Ruff made a bad decision. OTOH, I think the Navy has far too few submarines to do all of the tasks expected of the Silent Service, and that adds to the pressure on the remaining boats to perform. A Safety Stand-Down will not solve this problem.

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Tuesday, January 16, 2007 by The Chief.

Eric Ryle of TheSubReport.com has a fascinating look at Kings Bay, Georgia:

TSR Visits Kings Bay and the St. Mary’s Submarine Museum

I was on the Vallejo back when we were the second Boomer to pull into Kings Bay. We were homeported in Charleston, and did our refits in Kings Bay. At that time, there was nothing on the base, and not much in the town of St. Mary’s. The only structure on the base was a block building where we could buy beer and shoot pool. The road was littered with the carcasses of dead armadillos that were waiting for the mosquitoes to haul them away. The very few Navy dependents in the area were bussed into Jacksonville NAS twice a week to shop at the NEX and Commissary.

The only fast food in St. Mary’s was a brand-new Kentucky Fried Chicken. My Boston-bred bride drove down from Charleston during our turnover, and she was aghast at the conditions. The closest motel was miles away, and was in terrible shape. The swimming pool was covered with several inches of black mung. During the night, moldy pieces of the ceiling fell on us as we slept.

From Eric’s and other reports, I understand that both the base and the city have developed nicely. I wouldn’t mind going back to see what they’re like now, but I’ll never forget what they were like, way back when.

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Monday, January 8, 2007 by The Chief.

It looks as though the USS Pampanito will be getting some routine maintenance, according to this story in the San Francisco Chronicle:

World War II sub taking shore leave for refitting

John Koopman

San Francisco’s most lethal tourist attraction is getting ready for a makeover.

The Pampanito, a World War II-era submarine that sank six Japanese ships and damaged four others, has been sitting for too long in the harsh salt water of San Francisco Bay. The boat has algae and all sorts of tiny sea critters living on her hull, along with the rust, chipped paint and general disrepair that come with age.

To spruce up the old warship and keep it as a floating tourist attraction at Fisherman’s Wharf, the Maritime National Historical Park Association will take the Pampanito to Alameda later this month for a couple of weeks in dry dock. There, at Bay Ship and Yacht Co., the 1,500-ton vessel will have its hull power-washed, rust ground down and sections of deteriorated metal replaced.

The boat will close to tourists Jan. 20, and is scheduled to be back in action around Feb. 10. . . .

We can only hope that the return to Fisherman’s Wharf is uneventful. San Francisco seems to hate all things related to the military. San Francisco labor-leader Harry Bridges managed to keep the boat out of San Francisco for a lot of years.

I’ve often thought that having the USS Pampanito, USS Hornet (currently in Alameda), and the USS Iowa (currently in the Mothball fleet in Suisun Bay), at one site would make one heck of a Naval Museum. Alameda has facilities, but is out of the way. Perhaps a ferry from Fisherman’s Wharf would create enough traffic flow to make the project worthwhile. If the City was serious about developing Hunter’s Point, that would also be a fitting location.

However, Pampanito does exceptionally well, right where it is on Fisherman’s Wharf. The site is not controlled by the city, but instead is part of the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. The boat gets a lot of visitors from all of the tourists that pass through the area. It is the best cared-for museum boat of any that I’ve visited. I’m not sure that moving it anywhere would be wise.

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