Download Naval Parks Available for Touring - Military Locator and Reunion

NAVAL PARKS AVAILABLE FOR TOURING
WE THOUGHT YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN SEEING A LIST OF US NAVY SHIIPS AVAILABLE FOR TOURING
AND THEIR LOCATIONS
BUFFALO/ERIE COUNTY, NY:
USS LITTLE ROCK
USS Little Rock (CL-92, later CLG-4): Cleveland class
cruiser, later converted to Little Rock guided missile cruiser.
Launched August 1944 and then commissioned June 17, 1945.
Converted in 1960 and decommissioned November 1976.
The Little Rock was the first ship to bear the name of Little
Rock, Arkansas. The only guided missile cruiser on display in the
U.S., the USS Little Rock is the sole survivor of the Cleveland
class, the most numerous of U.S. wartime cruisers (29 vessels
total). The Little Rock made four cruises to the Mediterranean and
two to the North Atlantic. She served with distinction as flagship for
both the Second and Sixth Fleets.
USS LITTLE ROCK (CL-92)
USS THE SULLIVANS
USS The Sullivans (DD-537): Fletcher Class Destroyer
launched April 4, 1943, commissioned on September 30, 1943
and decommissioned in 1965. USS The Sullivans, named for
five brothers who lost their lives in the Battle of Solomon Islands when their ship sunk, is an excellent example of the
Fletcher class, the largest and most important of U.S. destroyers in World War II. The Sullivans served with distinction in
WWII, took part in intense combat in the Marshalls, Carolines,
Mariannas, and Philippines, rescued many survivors from
downed planes and damaged or sinking ships, and earned nine
battle stars for her service. The Sullivans also served in the
Korean War, the Cuban Blockade and assisted in the rescue
efforts of the nuclear submarine USS Thresher.
USS THE SULLIVANS (DD-537)
USS CROAKER SS-246
USS CROAKER (SS-246)
USS Croaker SS-246, (Later SSK-246): Gato Class submarine
launched December 19, 1943, commissioned April 21, 1944,
converted December 11, 1953, and decommissioned December
20, 1971. Built as part of the effort to assemble a major submarine force just prior to and after the U.S. entry into World War II,
USS Croaker was sent to the Pacific to wage a war of attrition
against Japan’s merchant marine and Navy. USS Croaker had 6
WWII Pacific war patrols, was awarded 3 battle stars, and
claimed 11 Japanese vessels including a cruiser, 4 tankers, 2
freighters, an ammunition ship, 2 escort craft and a minesweeper. After WWII, USS Croaker was converted and recommissioned as SSK-246 under the Hunter-Killer conversion
program. Routine cruises were made to the Atlantic, Caribbean,
and Mediterranean until the submarine was placed out of service
in 1968. The submarine then participated in various submarine
operations as a Naval Reserve trainer from 1968 to 1971 until
stricken from the Navy Register in 1971.
PHILADELPHIA, PA
USS NEW JERSEY (BB-62)
USS NEW JERSEY(BB-62):
USS New Jersey (BB-62) was the second of the four
IOWA-class battleships and throughout her long life she was
commissioned for 257 months beginning in May 1943. She
served during WWII, the Korean War and was the only battleship recalled to duty during the Vietnam War. A fourth period
of active duty for New Jersey began in 1982 when she again
fired her big guns in combat during the Lebanon crisis of
1983-84 and deployed to the western Pacific in 1986 and
1989-90, with the later cruise extending to the Persian Gulf
area. Finally decommissioned on February 8, 1991, and
stricken from the Navy list on January 4, 1999, the New Jersey was donated as a museum on July 20, 2000 and is now
preserved at Camden, NJ, just opposite from Philadelphia,
PA.
NORFOLK, VA
USS WISCONSIN (BB-64)
USS WISCONSIN (BB-64):
The Battleship Wisconsin BB-64 was one of the famous
IOWA-class ships. It was commissioned on April 16, 1944
and reported for duty in the Pacific. She helped neutralize
Japanese sea, air and ground forces occupying the Philippine Islands. It also supported landings on Iwo Jima and
Okinawa. The Battleship Wisconsin’s World War II service
ended transporting troops back to the U.S. The Battleship
later saw action in the Korean War and during Operation
Desert Storm. Now docked next to Nauticus in Norfolk, the
battleship is open for tours. The main deck and sections of
two upper decks are open for exploration.
EVANSVILLE, IN
LST 325
LST 325:
LST 325 was launched on October 27, 1942 and operated in
the North Africa area and participated in the invasion of Sicily and
Salerno, Italy. On June 6, 1944, LST 325 became part of the largest armada in history by participating in the D-Day invasion at
Omaha Beach. The ship continued to run supply trips between
England and France before returning to the U.S. in March 1945.
LST 325 was decommissioned in 1946 and sent to Greece on
September 1, 1964 as part of the grant-in-aid program. The USS
LST Memorial, Inc., a group of retired military men, acquired the
LST 325 in 2000. They paid their way to Greece, made the necessary repairs to the ship and sailed it back to the United States, arriving in Mobile Harbor on January 10, 2001. In 2003, the LST 325
made a sentimental journey up the Mississippi and Ohio rivers.
The 10 day stop in Evansville allowed more than 35,000 people to
take a tour. In June of 2005, she sailed up the east coast under
her own power for a six-week tour in Virginia and Boston. LST 325
is the last navigable LST in operation today.
CHARLESTON, SC—PATRIOTS POINT
USS YORKTOWN (CV-10)
USS LAFFEY (DD-724)
USS YORKTOWN (CV-10):
The USS Yorktown (CV-10) was the tenth aircraft carrier to
serve in the U.S. Navy. It was named in honor of Yorktown
(CV-5) sunk at the epic Battle of Midway (June 1942). She
was commissioned on April 15, 1943 and participated in the
Pacific Offensive that began in late 1943 and ended with the
defeat of Japan in 1945. Yorktown received the Presidential
Unit Citation and earned 11 battle stars for service in WWII. In
the 1950s, Yorktown was modified with the addition of an angled deck to better operate jet aircraft in her role as an attack
carrier (CVA). In 1958 Yorktown was designated an antisubmarine aircraft carrier (CVS), and would later earn 5 battle
stars for service off Vietnam (1965-68). The ship also recovered the Apollo 8 astronauts and capsule (December 1968).
Yorktown was decommissioned in 1970 and placed in reserve.
USS LAFFEY (DD-724):
The USS Laffey (DD-724) was named in honor of the first
Laffey (DD-459), sunk at the at the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal
in November 1942. Laffey supported the D-Day landings at Normandy on June 6, 1944 and was later transferred to the Pacific
Theater. While operating off Okinawa on April 16, 1945, Laffey
was attached by 22 Japanese bombers and kamikaze aircraft.
Five kamikazes and three bombs struck her and two bombs
scored near misses to kill 31 and would 71 of the 336 man crew.
Laffey shot down 11 of the attacking aircraft and saved the damaged ship. Laffey’s heroic crew earned her the nickname: “The
Ship That Would Not Die.” Laffey was awarded the Presidential
Unit Citation and earned 5 battle stars for service during WWII.
Laffey was repaired and was present for the atomic bomb test at
Bikini Atoll in 1946. On June 30, 1947, Laffey was decommissioned and placed in the reserve fleet. Re-commissioned in
1951, Laffey would earn two battle stars during the Korean War.
Laffey underwent FRAM II conversion in 1962 and served in the
Atlantic Fleet until decommissioned in 1975. Laffey is the only
surviving Summer-class destroyer.
USS CLAMAGORE (SS-43):
Clamagore was built as a Balao-class submarine, but was commissioned too late to see action in WWII. She would serve the next 30
years during the Cold War. In 1948, Clamagore underwent GUPPY I
conversion to improve underwater performance. In 1962-63, Clamagore
was one of only nine submarines converted to GUPPY II. A 15-foot section was added to accommodate upgrades in technology. This would be
the ultimate upgrade for WWII era diesel-powered submarines. Clamagore was decommissioned in June 1975. She is the only GUPPY III
submarine preserved in the United States.
USS CLAMAGORE (SS-43)
BOSTON/CHARLESTOWN, MA AREA
USS CONSTITUTION:
The USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned warship afloat
in the world. It was first launched in 1797. Constitution is one of six
ships ordered for construction by George Washington to protect
America’s growing maritime interests. The ship’s greatest glory
came during the War of 1812 when she defeated four British frigates
which earned her the nickname “Old Ironsides,” because cannon
balls glanced off her thick hull. The ship was restored in 1927 with
contributions from the nation’s school children.
USS CONSTITUTION
USS CASSIN YOUNG (DD-793)
USS CASSIN YOUNG (DD-793):
Representative of 14 Fletcher-class destroyers,
Cassin Young exemplifies the intense military-industrial
effort that greatly contributed to the Allied victory in
WWII. Named for the winner of the Congressional
Medal of Honor, Cassin Young first saw action in the
Pacific in April 1944. The ship rescued some 120 survivors of the stricken carrier USS Princeton in October
1944, but it was on the picket line off Okinawa that she
truly distinguished herself, surviving two separate hits
by Japanese kamikazes. Although the second attack,
on July 30, 1945, killed 22 and wounded twice as many
and totally disabled the ship, the heroic efforts of her
crew saved the ship. Decommissioned in 1946, Cassin
Young returned to duty in 1951. For the rest of the
1950s, she served primarily in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. She entered the reserve fleet for a second time
in 1960. She was transferred to the National Park Service for use as a museum ship in June 1978.
BATON ROUGE, LA
USS KIDD (DD-661)
USS KIDD (DD-661):
Representative of the Fletcher-class destroyers that formed
the backbone of the U.S. destroyer forces in WWII, USS Kidd is
named for Rear Admiral Isaac C. Kidd, who was killed aboard
his flagship, USS Arizona, when the Japanese struck Pearl
Harbor on December 7, 1941. Kidd saw heavy action in WWII,
participating in nearly every important naval campaign in the
Pacific, winning 8 battle stars. Kidd and her crew fought gallantly during the invasion of the Gilbert and Marshall Islands,
the Philippines at Leyte Gulf, and off Okinawa, where she survived a kamikaze attack. In 1951, the destroyer was deployed
to Korean waters, where it won another 4 battle stars for service. Decommissioned in 1964, Kidd entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. Kidd is the only destroyer to retain its World War II
appearance.
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX
USS LEXINGTON (CV-16):
The USS Lexington (CV-16) is a WWIIvintage aircraft carrier commissioned in 1943.
She served the U.S. longer and set more records than any other carrier in the history of
naval aviation. Originally named USS Cabot,
but when the original carrier named USS Lexington (CV-2) was sunk in the Coral Sea, a
campaign was launched to change the new
carrier’s name to Lexington. USS Lexington
(CV-16) was commissioned on February 17,
1943. She joined the Fifth Pacific Fleet at
Pearl Harbor and then participated in nearly
every major operation in the Pacific Theater
and spent a total of 21 months in combat. Her
planes destroyed 372 enemy aircraft in the air
and 475 more on the ground. She sank or
USS LEXINGTON (CV-16)
destroyed 300,000 tons of enemy cargo and damaged an additional 600,000 tons. The ship’s guns shot down 15
planes and assisted in downing five more. The Japanese reported Lexington sunk no less than four times! Yet, each
time she returned to fight again, leading the propagandist Tokyo Rose to nickname her “The Blue Ghost.” After the
war, Lexington was briefly decommissioned (1947-1955). When reactivated, she operated primarily with the Seventh
Fleet out of San Diego. Although not involved in actual combat, Lexington kept an offshore vigil during tensions in
Formosa, Laos, and Cuba. In 1962 she sailed into Pensacola, FL and began training operations, eventually being
officially designated CVT-16, Navy Training Center. She was decommissioned on November 26, 1991.
GROTON, CT
USS NAUTILUS (SSN-571)
USS NAUTILUS (SSN-571):
USS Nautilus (SSN-571) was the world’s first
operational nuclear-powered submarine. She was
also the first vessel to complete a submerged transit
across the North Pole. Named for the submarine in
Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the
Sea, Nautilus was authorized in 1951 and launched
in 1954. Because her nuclear propulsion allowed
her to remain submerged for far longer than dieselelectric submarines, she broke many records in her
first years of operation and was able to travel to location previously beyond the limits of submarines.
The Nautilus was decommissioned in 1980 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1982.
BREMERTON, WA
USS TURNER JOY
(DD-951)
USS TURNER JOY (DD-951):
The destroyer USS Turner Joy (DD-951) was the last Forrest Sherman-class destroyer
built. While some of these ships were later converted to guided missile destroyers, Turner
Joy remains close to her original 1959 configuration. The destroyer has been restored to
reflect the appearance during her active years between 1960 and 1982. Turner Joy’s distinctive service included a double-duty role as flagship for Destroyer Squadron 13 and
Destroyer Division 131 with several tours in the Pacific. She also stood air-sea rescue
duty near the Marianas Islands for President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s visit to several Asian
nations. In terms of history, this vessel is most remembered for her participation in the
Gulf of Tonkin incident which escalated the United States involvement in the Vietnam
War.
SAN DIEGO, CA
USS MIDWAY (CV-41)
USS MIDWAY (CV-41):
USS Midway (CV-41) was named for the Battle of Midway, and was the lead ship of her class, three of which
were completed, with another two ships cancelled. Serving
her country for 47 years, more than 200,000 American
veterans served aboard her. During that time, the USS
Midway saw service off Vietnam, in the Persian Gulf and
in a number of other conflicts and crises. After being the
first aircraft carrier forward deployed for 17 years in Yokosuka, Japan, she returned to North Island Naval Air Station in San Diego for decommissioning in April of 1992. In
over five decades of service, she received the Presidential
Unit Citation; Navy Unit Commendation; U.S. Navy & Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal; Navy Occupation Service
Medal; China Service Expeditionary Medal; and Vietnam
Service Medal.
CHICAGO, IL
U 505 GERMAN SUBMARINE:
On June 4, 1944,a German sub known as U 505 war prowling off the coast of West Africa on a hunt for American and
Allied ships, when depth charges from the USS Chtelain
blasted the dreaded U boat out of hiding. It was an end for the
violent run for the U 505 , which had terrorized the Atlantic
Ocean as part of a massive U boat campaign. Captured at sea
west of Africa on 4 June, 1944 by ships and Wildcat aircraft of
the US Navy task force 22.3, escort carrier USS Guadalcanal,
destroyer escorts USS Pillsbury, USS Chatelain, USS
Flaherty, USS Jenks and USS Pope. One dead and 59 survivors.