A look at a last-of-its-kind ship, after-the-jump ...
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This past weekend, I joined my brother and some old friends at a gathering of old chums in Albany, New York over the extended Veterans Day weekend. After telling a few old stories (OK, a lot of old stories) we went out for a walk downtown along the Hudson River (as prior rain had soaked some of our favorite hiking trails). Spontaneously, our host suggested we stop in a very apropos site — on Veterans Day itself — the last Navy ship of its kind still afloat (though a handful exist in museums).
And this was the USS Slater, one of some 563 destroyer escort (DE) vessels built during WW-II. These were designed to accompany larger vessels carrying troops and material across the Atlantic: a few early versions as part of the Lend-Lease Act of FDR, and most after the US entered the war. It was named after Seaman Frank Slater, a posthumous recipient of the Navy Cross for his heroism at his battle station (on the USS San Francisco) during the Battle of Guadalcanal of 1942. Construction began in 1943 and the ship was commissioned in May, 1944 at a cost of $3.4m ($55m in 2022 dollars).
None of us five were veterans, and so we arrived just in time for a guided tour by a Vietnam-era sailor named Jim. First we were shown a short film, explaining their purposes (including a nice hat tip to Franklin Roosevelt). Convoys crossing the Atlantic (even before the US was in the war) were subject to torpedo attacks from German U-boats (in their Wolfpack strategy) and later DE’s were used in the Pacific to defend against both Japanese submarines as well as Kamikaze attacks. These vessels had to be fast enough to outpace larger cargo ships, such as the USS Slater during its five convoys to the United Kingdom.
I know it’s a bit unfair to think this way as a sixty-seven year old (the ships’ crew were young fellows) but just looking at the tiny bunk areas: my joints hurt. Here are some photos from the ship’s online photo tour.
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Our tour guide Jim did a good job of not describing everything in minute detail (unless asked a question). He noted that — when in port — the crew ate well. After being out at sea for a few days … not so much (the coffee was truly not very good). He also noted why ships use red lights at night: not only to avoid using white lights (which enemy forces can see from a much further distance) but also to protect night vision and several other smaller reasons (perhaps not common knowledge).
The ship was decommissioned in 1947, and was transferred to the Greek Navy in 1951 as part of the Truman Doctrine. It did service in both patrol duty as well as a training vessel until its final decommissioning in 1991. The ship was donated to the Destroyer Escort Sailors Association, who arranged fundraising (as well as volunteer work) to restore the ship to as close to its old purpose. A permanent base was arranged on the Hudson River in Albany, and has undergone further restoration work since.
The ship is open from April-November annually, and guided tours are given (although one can simply walk onboard as well). It was shown (while under Greek command) in the 1961 film The Guns of Navarone. I can’t say that I am a military historian, much less part of the military-industrial-complex … yet found this (spontaneous) visit quite informative and you vividly sense the historical value vessels like this played in WW-II.
Let’s close with an apt tune from across the Atlantic: the song Shipbuilding.
During the Falklands War of 1982, the English record producer Clive Langer wrote music intended for Robert Wyatt: the former drummer for Soft Machine (who was paralyzed in a 1973 accident) and became a singer (though be forewarned that his voice is an acquired taste). Yet Langer was unhappy with the lyrics that Wyatt composed and instead turned to Elvis Costello, who composed lyrics highlighting the shipbuilding facilities in northern England, Scotland and Northern Ireland brought back to life by the Falklands War.
Robert Wyatt’s single version (with Elvis Costello’s background vocals) reached #35 on the British charts in 1983 — and you can listen to his version at this link. Later that year, Elvis Costello released his own album version, which you can hear below … featuring the American jazz trumpet legend Chet Baker.
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Next - enjoy jotter's wonderful (and now eternal) *PictureQuilt™* below. Just click on the picture and it will magically take you to the comment featuring that photo.
TOP PHOTOSNovember 15th, 2023
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And lastly: yesterday's Top Mojo - mega-mojo to the intrepid mik ...... who rescued this feature from oblivion:
10) Energy by Denise Oliver Velez +8319) maybe it’s a dung beetle by RolyPolyFishead +69