COMISSIONING OF USS SAMPSON (DDG102)

C

Captains Cat

New member
Posted here so only us Brats see it!

By virtue of some of my jobs in the Navy, I get invited to nearly all the new ships' comissionings. Not that there are many these days, we used to build 12-15 new ones a year, now we're lucky if it's 2-5! This ship is 500+ feet long and displaces about 9000 tons. She is not trailerable! :shock:

She will be homeported in San Diego and be part of Destroyer Squadron One. Wikipedia Link

Any way, the Navy's newest Aegis Destroyer, the DDG 51 Class SAMPSON is being comissioned in Boston at the Black Falcon Cruise Terminal on Saturday November 3 at 1100. I have the ability to get up to 4 guest tickets and can't be there myself.

Anyone want to go? It's free and quite a sight. The sailors assemble on the pier, listen to a few boring speeches, and a few good ones and then they race onboard and "man the rail" as the radars begin to rotate, the guns swivel around and the music plays. The missiles used to come out on rails and turn but that was in the days before the vertical launcher. Now if they "came out", they would be flaming and then go kill something. So you won't see any missiles.

The attire for Civilians is "informal", for Military it's Service Dress Blue and for participants Full Dress Blue.

I've been to a lot of these and I promise you won't be disappointed. The ceremony usually lasts about 90 minutes.

Any takers? PM or e-mail me and I'll get the invitations and send them to you in the mail. First come, first served!

Cant find out why the url link won't work, but the addl info is there

Charlie, Capt USN (ret)

On edit by Da Nag - link fixed.
 
Hi Charlie! While perusing the site, I came across your offer to attend the comissioning of the USS Sampson.......a shame that no one was able to accept. I have always been intrigued by things nautical, and having served in the Navy, would be thrilled to view any vessel's ceremony. In 2000, I asked my step-dad, Henry, to ride with me to Pascagoula, MS. to welcome the USS Cole back for repairs after she was attacked in Yemen. Henry is a Korean war Navy veteran (the oiler USS Mispillion) and gladly agreed to go to Pascagoula with me. We were part of a small group of well wishers present when the Cole arrived aboard the Blue Marlin. The next year, Henry and I traveled to Mobile, AL. to welcome those brave, terrific veterans who brought the LST 325 from Greece back to the U.S. Do you remember their story, Charlie? A group of vets, some in their 80s, who worked for months to get the LST seaworthy and bring her home. One gentleman fell sick while in Greece and passed away at the airport upon returning to the U.S.

Man, how badly do we need some new generations of service men and women like those sailors? Anyway, I thank you for your continuing great service to our nation. Give me a shout when you get to New Orleans in December. I'd love see if I and/or Joan can meet you!

Kelvin
 
While I didn't have anything to do with putting the COLE back together, I did do it for the STARK and the They were FFGs , STARK got hit by two Exocet Missiles and ROBERTS hit a mine, both in the Persian Gulf.

We were the first ones to use a heavy lift ship to bring a big ship home. We used Mighty Servant, a very big ship that sinks like a floating drydock and comes up under the damaged ship. Pretty tricky as it hadn't been done before. STARK was repaired at Pascagoula and ROBERTS at Bath Iron Works in Maine. Someday when I've got the time, I'll put the whole story on here somewhere, some might enjoy hearing how it was done. I was in charge of all maintenance/repair of all Navy ships at the time. Had lots of help!

I'm going to be in N.O. Tuesday through Friday Dec 4-7th. Should have some time some of those evenings. I'm giving Conflict of Interest briefings to employees of the subcontractor companies working for my Joint Venture Company that is building the LPS 17's at Northrop Grumman Ship Systems.

I'll give you a heads up before I get down there. We're about 2 hours from Richmond in VA, next time you get up this way, I'll take you and your bride for a Tomcat ride. I plan to keep it on the lift all winter.

Charlie
 
I don't remember hearing about the Roberts, but I do remember the Stark incident. I also seem to recall a frigate or destroyer returning to Norfolk in '82 or '83 after a Phalanx test firing failed to bring down a drone. The drone was said to have struck the ship that the test was being conducted aboard. Did you hear of this, Charlie?

Joan is not my bride as of yet. Somehow, inexplicably, she has resisted my most potent matrimonial charms. But, I have the treble hook set deeply............she won't won't escape without a fight!!!

Charlie, after exiting the service and starting a family, I attempted to re-enlist in the Coast Guard. They wanted me to drop from E5 to E3, offered no guaranteed job, and then offered no guaranteed duty section. Well, I chose to not join the CG under those terms and quickly found employment here in Louisiana at a nuclear power plant under construction. After three years at the power plant, I was offered a job at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant in Radford, VA. This facility was located about 5 miles from my friend's home in the VA. mountains. I accepted a position there in production, making a lot of propellants for the 105mm, 120mm guns, mortars, and small arms. After 2 years, in a failed effort to salvage a struggling marriage (wife homesick, miserable all of the time), my family returned to LA. I quickly found a job at my current production facility and have remained in the chemical production (that sweet artificial vanilla, remember?). I did my part to hold my family together, for some 12 more years. But, I filed for divorce in 2002. My daughter, then 13, chose to live with me. She has been living near, and attending, LSU for a couple of years. She is a great kid and I am truly proud of her. Joan and I met 3 years ago and she is a sweet, sweet lady. Keeps me on course and towing the line without regret.

I have made a good living in the industrial arena, but if I were to imagine a dream vocation, it would be one such as yours. To support the nation's defense endeavors would certainly be a fabulous opportunity.

Take care, Charlie.

Kelvin
 
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