Comments on: James River Reserve Fleet

By: Steve Davis

Steve Davis — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 03:23:12 +0000

The reserve fleet ships were used at one time to store the vast surplus of grain produced by this country and at great expense I might add. I just wonder if this practice continues to this day?? Grain was being stored in the cargo holds, of ships at three reserve fleet points on the east coast and two on the west back in the late 50’s. Was said to keep for four to five years in storage this way. Was estimated the cost to store grain in these vessels was $25,000 a day in the mid 50’s.

By: Pat McLeod

Pat McLeod — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 17:08:17 +0000

Big O, I was on the Orion for 3 years, IC R-3 Div, just before she left Norfolk 1970 until 73, went to skool, and came back to CHS aboard the Sierra AD-18

My Brother was in R-3 Sound Shop Mickey (Charles) McLeod, did you know either of us

By: O BIG JOHN

O BIG JOHN — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 05:37:20 +0000

WELL I THINK SOME OF THE COMMENTS ARE STUPID. MY NAVY SHIP. ORION AS 18 WAS JUST SCAPED NOT NOG AGO. SHE WAS IN SERVICE ALMOST 50 YEARS. WE KEEP LETTING THESE SHIPS GO AND ONE DAY WE WILL WISH WE HAD THEM.

By: Charles Simmons

Charles Simmons — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 19:23:37 +0000

If properly equipped some of these ships could easily prevent the formation of a hurricane. They should be outfitted with powerful industrial strength blowers athwartship port and starboard and high volume pumps. Most of the earths water is barely above freezing; there is plenty of cold water to spray. In the beginning stage a hurricane is nothing but a rising column of warm humid air, rotated by the coriolis force. This is when monitoring ships can attack; sailing back and forth many times with powerful blowers and pumps spraying cold water from deep below to upset the relatively weak early forming hurricane. It must be done. There it is moving very slowly toward the East coast. Go get it! Don’t wait for it to get you. Remember Katrina! Remember New Orleans! Sail down the James River, past Newport News, under the Chesapeke Bay Bridge and on out to attack and attack again and again upsetting the newly named small hurricane. It is rediculous for the most powerful navy in the world to remain helpless before a hurricane while island populations and coastal cities are ravaged. Our government should do for the people what the people cannot so well do for themselves. (visit: http://www.superwindstorm.com)

By: Patrick Gallagher

Patrick Gallagher — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 22:58:16 +0000

It brings a tear to my eye when I view the ignominious end of so many noble and gallant ladies. After all, a ship is just not a “ship”. It is your domicile…it is your reality…it is your life. A mariner bonds with her. Asleep…off-watch…when a course change is made, or an engine-order has been transmitted…you are instantly awake. “Something” has changed. It is the finest and best alarm clock ever invented! A mariner becomes “one” with his vessel. He grows to know every “creak and Groan” of his Lady. He realizes that She must be nurtured and loved. For only in that loving and nurturing, can a sailor hope to be kept from the “wilderness and nothingness” that is the greatest “desert”…Mother Ocean. I miss the Sea so very much. Chief Mate, Unlimited. (ret.)

“The Sea is so very slow at recognition of effort and diligence…but, oh so very quick to sink the unfit”

I wish you all “Fair Winds and Following Seas!”

By: mvolk

mvolk — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 04:32:45 +0000

Recently the aircraft carrier USS Oriskany was pulled from the MARAD fleet in Beaumont and sank of the coast of Florida as an artificial reef.

By: Alex

Alex — Sat, 16 Jul 2005 19:23:15 +0000

Actually we pretty much are stuck with them. US environmental regulations keep us from exporting them to 3rd world countries for disposal, and its too expensive to dismantle them here. They’re not used for anything, they just sit there rotting and leaking.

By: Dom

Dom — Tue, 12 Jul 2005 10:39:37 +0000

oops sorry. thanks Will…

By: Will

Will — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 16:07:02 +0000

I think Dom meant here:

Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth

By: gIMpSTa

gIMpSTa — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 12:00:16 +0000

Dom did you forget to click link to page?