The warm weather has arrived in New England and it has brought about outside work as well as new arrivals to the KENNEDY family. My newest daughter, Christina Angelini, was born 20 March 2009 at 6' 15 ounces and my wife Jen and the baby are doing well. I can now use Christina as the main reason why these reports are always late. Other good news arrived that Blair Sandri (USS Forrestal CV-59) has had his first granddaughter born recently as well. Congrats to Blair. We know of one more arrival coming somewhere around 20 June for Rob Angelini and his wife. These kids are never too young to be recruited for the cause!
Besides the newborns, KENNEDY volunteers actually worked on the ship and have accomplished a good deal with our loyal NAPS team from Newport. We even had a active duty Rear Admiral join our April field day and work to chip the 01 Torpedo Deck!
Ship Projects:
1. Combat Information Center (CIC)
A. Al Lundgren (USS John Paul Jones DD932)has done it. Al has painted the overhead and bulkheads of CIC himself. All of CIC proper has now been freshly repainted and is being detailed. All that remains is small sections behind Air Plot (black area) and ECM Room No 1. Next time you see Al, give him a Bravo Zulu for his dedication. Al recruited Bobby Young (USS Patterson FF-1061) to help paint the deck edge trim around the borders of CIC.
B. Bob Ledux (USAF) and his son-in-law John Bisbano have hit pay dirt as well. Not long after sending our last restoration report, I happened to stumble across the SPA-8 Radar Repeater Manual in the Radar Equipment Room as we cleaned that respective compartment out of its clutter from being used as a storage space. No sooner did they have the manual, they dug headfirst into the SPA-8s. I am happy to report that they have resurrected one of the SPA-8s and possibly two! More details will be forthcoming upon my next visit with them.
2. Scullery
A. Jim Mulvihill (USS Waldron DD699) ensured signage and a Sound Powered Phone jack were detailed and cleaned during the final stages of our restoration here. Copies of the Compartment Checkoff Lists were mounted in the original locations as well as the mounting of a firewand and 1.5" sea strainer by Rob Angelini and Bobby Young. A small bit of detail painting and the acquisition of old fashion aluminum ribbed trash barrels remain. These trash barrels are not currently sold in hardware stores anymore. Anyone have a line on these with lids? They were used by the sailors to dump their leftover food and trash in the scullery passageway. We plan to put secure two in there and stencil on the cans.
3. After Engine Room
A. Bob Washburn and a team of NAPS students washed and cleaned down equipment, pipes, and steam lines in the Aft Engine Room in preparation for future painting.
4. Mk 25 Fire Control Room
A. Rob Angelini continued his quest to restore this abandoned space by completing all hand chipping and wire brushing. Since this room hasn’t been painted in well over 20 years, this task was ardous at best.
5. Level 01 Torpedo Deck Prep and Priming
A. Our April field day concentrated on the preparation and priming of the 01 Torpedo Deck and the MK32 Torpedo Tubes. A NAPS team lead by Rebecca Gaultney (NAPS student coordinator), Rich Angelini, Rob Angelini, Don Furlong, and Bob Washburn needle gunned the Bridge face, scraped down the torpedo tubes, and chipped rusted areas of the 01 level bulkhead. This effort will be ongoing for the May field day for hopeful completion.
However, we had a very special visitor working with us on this project. You see, Bob Washburn received a call right before our field day that the President of the Naval War College in Newport, RI wanted to join us for the day with his son Paul. The President was none other than Read Admiral James Wisecup, USN, who was recently Commander, Carrier Strike Group SEVEN in the Pacific, which includes the carrier RONALD REAGAN.
Admiral Wisecup, who's first assignment in the Navy was aboard a Destroyer in the late 70s, worked beside our volunteers with chipping hammer in hand as we worked across the 01 Torpedo deck bulkhead to remove rust and loose paint. He was extremely supportive to the NAPS students, our volunteers, and praised the efforts going on aboard KENNEDY. He is a inspirational leader and a great example for all. He wishes to pass along his Best Regards to all our DD850 volunteers for a Job Well Done in preserving our Naval Heritage. See the enclosed photos to see work being done on the 01 Level by the Admiral, NAPS students, and our regular volunteers.
6. Steam line
A. Touch up painting was accomplished and finishing details need to be completed. Items for this display and the configuration of the space for tourism has been discussed and referenced against Gearing class Destroyer General Plans. Plexiglas display areas are planned to be completed during the May field day.
7. Radar Equipment Room/IFF
A. A huge task undertaken by Rich Angelini, Maury Crotteau (USS Harwood DD861), Bob Washburn (USS William Rush DD715), and NAPS students was to empty this space which was a store room for over a decade. Literally hundreds of pounds of equipment and trash were stashed in here and were transferred to a hold in about 6 hours. This was a tiring and difficult task but now allows us to resurrect this space and remake the SPS-29 Radar Cabinets. The IFF Room was inventoried and found to have about 85% of its original equipment. Not long after this room cleared, Bob Ledux and John Bisbano had power to the SPA-8 Power transformers that are in this space.
8. General
A. Ed Zajkowski reactivated the Messdecks coffee urn in anticipation of using it for the May Field Day. Tom Publicover (USS Robert Owens DD827) added and tested a new drain line for the urn. The original urn is operating well and will be used for the May Major field day!
B. Tom Publicover, along with Dave Stawicki, worked to replace the drain line in the Forward Galley sink. The original line was found to be rotted and leaking into the fireroom. The line has been replaced but more work needs to be done to complete this task.
C. Ed Zajkowski walked down the steam heat piping aft to change to a hot water system and eventually survey the 2nd boiler. The second boiler in the Burke Museum is going to be removed as well as the smokestack associated with it. This will improve the profile of the ship.
D. Mike Angelini cleaned and reorganized areas of the DASH Hangar for the 15 May arrival of the SNOOPY DASH helicopter from the Papadakos family, which represent the original manufacturer GYRODYNE.
E. Bobby Young and Rebecca Gaultney completed the priming of the BOSUN Locker. We look forward to getting Dave Stawicki to spray the space for us to allow Bobby to display and stow our restored Deck gear and Tackle.
Upcoming and Continuing Projects:
1. Finish Aft Diesel Generator
2. Complete Steam line
3. Complete Prep/Prime of 01 Torpedo Deck and Tubes
4. Complete MK 25 Fire Control Room
5. Continue CIC restoration
6. Cleanup ASROC Magazine and load up remaining 8 missiles received from US Navy
7. Load and display SNOOPY Drone DASH helicopter from Gyrodyne.
8. Install DASH SRW-4 electronics in Aux Radio Room.
Notes: As always, Special thanks to the increased helping hand from cove employees Rui Moniz and Dave Stawicki.
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Special News:
1. May 15, 2009 will be the crane lift for KENNEDY to bring aboard our ASROC missiles, SNOOPY DASH helicopter, and do some minor work topside. We are looking for volunteer support. Please email us if you can support this effort.
2. The USS Myles C Fox DD829 plans to hold a reunion/field day in October
2009 to help support KENNEDY. We look forward to seeing you all aboard!
3. The New England Tin Can Sailors Bull Session for 2009 will include a visit to KENNEDY. I ask that all volunteers consider participating aboard the ship to welcome members and show off our Gearing class DD.
4. Our major May field day for 2009 is May 28-29-30-31. Please send in your registration and help us get volunteers aboard to forward our projects. We hope to continue upon our last major field day successes such as painting the Port side main deck and rebuilding the torpedo davit sockets. Please sign up today!
5. Our field day listing for the whole year can be found by going to http://jpkennedyjr.webs.com/field.html
6. We received the sad news that one of our KENNEDY volunteers, Neil Swanson (USS Shelton DD790) is very ill. Along with that, the wife of Phil Zeglin recently underwent some medical procedures. Please keep our friends in your prayers!
7. Some may not have heard but the Patriots Point Naval Museum in South Carolina is going to meet to decide whether or not to keep Laffey and the other ships at their complex. You might know that Laffey DD724 is in dire need of drydocking and it is proposed that this museum may not be able to keep her. Laffey is a Sumner class destroyer very similar to our Gearing class KENNEDY. Her leaks and need for money is now considered dire. Your help in preserving KENNEDY allows us to present her to the public and keep this example of a FRAM Destroyer afloat and operating. If something happens to Laffey, KENNEDY will be the only FRAM ship left open to the public in the United States. Please consider increasing your efforts to help KENNEDY.
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History and this ship depend on You! Join the effort.
Fair winds and following sea,
Rich Angelini
Asst Curator, JPK DD850
