06/24/2012 - USS Amsterdam

USS Astroia (left) and USS Amsterdam (Right) - San Diego Reserve Fleet 1970

When I begin a tour I typically ask visitors if they were in the Navy; had family members in the Navy; or any association with the Navy.  On this visit I had a relative of Mrs. William E. Hasenfuss who sponsored the USS Amsterdam CL-101.  A ship sponsor is the person who breaks a champagne bottle on the bow of  a ship when it is launched.  Mrs. Hasenfuss was a gold star mother from Amsterdam, NY.  Her son was in the Army Air Force, and he was killed at Hickam Field, Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.


Many years ago (in 1970) I happen to do a little legal requisition work on the USS Amsterdam a few weeks before the ship was scrapped. When a ship is scheduled for disposal, active sailors and museum ships are given an opportunity to obtain spare parts. Some of the repair parts for the USS Slater are obtained in a similar fashion. 


I remember that the USS Amsterdam was a gold mine.  My interest was the  5" / 38 Cal Gun Mounts.  Even though the mounts were over twenty five years old, they were in excellent condition.  We stripped quite a collection of spare parts.


About six months later my ship (USS Henry W. Tucker) was deployed to Vietnam.  I was experiencing problems with my fuse setter and I was able to trade (navy slang - cumshaw) a breech block and recoil rod from the USS Amsterdam with the  Naval Ordnance Systems Support Office in Subic for priority repairs. As far as I know these spares from the USS Amsterdam helped three Navy Destroyers deployed to Vietnam.

6/24/2012 - DE Docent in a shoe

Before starting tours my wife and I walked a three mile loop through Albany. We ran across this year’s sculpture in the streets exhibit - "Stand in the Sole of Albany". We were pleasantly surprised by the picture of the SLATER.  I had to sit in the Sole of Albany.

This Dutch shoe was by local artist Tony Iadicicco, "...We wanted this piece to carry education, hence paralleling the concept from our Dutch history to our beautiful Hudson River depicted through a painting of the USS Slater DE766 battleship [Destroyer Escort]". (source Sculpture in the Streets Brochure).



More Photos

This day, seventy years ago, 06/24/1942

The next day I will be available for tours is Sunday, 06/24/2012. If it's a Sunny day I start with a walk around Albany (approx. 5K, 3+ miles) at 9:00 AM. Visitors are welcome to tag along but please send me an email.  btw - I have to leave early this Sunday (2:30 PM).

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Seventy years ago on this day, Wednesday, June 24rd, 1942 (during the Battle of the Atlantic three merchant ships were sunk): the American steam tug John R. Williams struck a mine and sank off Cape May, New Jersey; the unescorted British steam merchant Willimantic was sunk by gunfire by the U-156; and the unescorted Yugoslavian steam merchant Ljubica Matkovic was torpedoed and sunk by the U-404.

On June 24th, 1942 there were 73 U-Boats at Sea (Events this day - U-Boat Net).

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On June 24th, 1942,  in Nazi occupied Czechoslovakia the village of Ležáky was completely razed to the ground for reprisal for the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich (Butcher of Prague).

This day, seventy years ago, 06/17/1942

The next day I will be available for tours is Sunday, 06/17/2012. If it's a Sunny day I start with a walk around Albany (approx. 5K, 3+ miles) at 9:00 AM. Visitors are welcome to tag along but please send me an email.

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Seventy years ago on this day, Wednesday, June 17rd, 1942 (during the Battle of the Atlantic four merchant ships were sunk): the unescorted American steam merchant Millinocket was torpedoed and sunk by the U-129; the unescorted Norwegian steam tanker Moira was was torpedoed and then sunk by gunfire by the U-158; the unescorted Panamanian steam merchant San Blas was torpedoed and sunk by the U-158; and sailing with Convoy KS-511, the American steam merchant Santore struck a mine and sank in the Chesapeake Bay.

HMS Wild Swan ( Royal Navy): World War II: The W-class destroyer was bombed and sunk in the Bay of Biscay by Junkers Ju 88 aircraft of the Luftwaffe.

On June 17rd, 1942 there were 78 U-Boats at Sea (Events this day - U-Boat Net). 

Duties of Lookouts

I ran across this excellent (but long) Royal Navy video about lookouts.  The US Navy was slightly different.  They used a 360 degree system for bearings instead of the red/green terminology.   About 22 minutes into the video they discuss sighting a U-Boat periscope and torpedo wakes.  About 43 minutes in they discuss steps for preparing for nighttime lookout duty.

This day, seventy years ago, 06/03/1942

The next day I will be available for tours is Sunday, 06/3/2012. If it's a Sunny day I start with a walk around Albany (approx. 5K, 3+ miles) at 9:00 AM. Visitors are welcome to tag along but please send me an email.

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Seventy years ago on this day, Wednesday, June 3rd, 1942 (during the Battle of the Atlantic four ships were sunk): an unescorted Norwegian motor tanker Høegh Giant was torpedoed and sunk by the U-126; an unescorted Swedish steam merchant Anna was sunk by gunfire after two torpedoes missed by the U-404; an unescorted and unarmed American steam merchant City of Alma was torpedoed and sunk by the U-172; and an unescorted American steam tanker M.F. Elliott was torpedoed and sunk by the U-502. Four smaller vessels were also sunk by gun fire. 

On June 3rd, 1942 there were 60 U-Boats at Sea.  U-109 returned from a 71 day patrol, 2 ships sunk (11,544 tons) and 1 ship damaged (6,548 tons).

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In the Pacific Ocean, the Battle of Midway and the Battle of Dutch Harbor (Alaska) started on June 3rd.