Historic Fort Wayne Gun Salute for USS Edson!

[mapleleafalumnus]

Historic Fort Wayne renders a gun salute to the decommissioned USS Edson as she's towed north on the Detroit River.

USS Edson Salute from Historic Fort Wayne Detroit - YouTube

[Wullie]

I hate seeing an old warhorse towed. I hate seeing one cut and broken for scrap even more. I'm glad she was saved.

I thought it rude the old coot wouldn't let the kid pull the lanyard on that last shot. LOL

When we were on Yankee Station, the DD's rotated in and out. We had several old WWII era Sumner class and Gearing class "2 stackers" along side on different occasions. They had the dual mounted 5"-38's for armament. They could put on quite a show with those cracking SOB's. DD's of the 40's and 50's were some way cool looking fighting ships.

The carrier I served on, USS AMERICA, CVA-66, was struck from the rolls and sunk in the Atlantic.
IN case you're wondering, C= carrier, V= fixed wing, heavier than air, A= ATTACK. The "A" was dropped from carrier designations inteh 80's to promote a kinder, gentler, image..... Not sure but I think Jimmy Carter had something to do with that.

My old ship will always be the CVA-66 in my mind.

Oh, MLA, my office is in Saginaw. Texas that is.

[mapleleafalumnus]

USS Edson is going on permanent display in Bay City, MI as a museum piece, which is just north of Saginaw (a real piece of dung town. I'd be willing to bet dollars against donuts that Saginaw, TX is a whole lot better than Saginaw, MI.
I am aware of USN designations from my studies of WW2, but thanks anyway -- I'm sure other readers will appreciate it as well!
Bay City, MI has a huge fireworks show for Independence Day celebration. It's too bad Edson's guns are inoperative -- they would be a GREAT addition!

[Wullie]

I delivered some machinery to Saginaw, MI back in the 90's. I agree with your assessment. Saginaw, TX is OK. It was a railroad town in the old days. Now it's a grain transshipment point mostly. Has some heavy industry but not a lot. Used to be a HELL of a speed trap town until they built the bypasses.

I remember stopping in a truck stop up in that area. There was a clown trucker sitting at the next table with a pair of SPURS on his boots! I asked him if he drove a Freightliner and that went completely over his head. A bit later he pulled out a smoke and tried to light it with his Zippo. He wasn't getting any spark so I asked him if he was out of flint. He replied, "Nah, Da'troit."

I said "oh, never mind, need a light?" I let him use my Zippo to get stoked up and I got my lighter back, stood up, paid out, and GOT THE HELL OUT OF THAT NUT HOUSE as fast as I could.

Here's a little vid of the NEW Navy lighting off a few for fun.


The guys in the red shirts that get told to get off the F-18 are "ordies". That was one of my jobs in the Navy when I was in. Back then we were known the fuggin animals of the squadron. The "ZEROS" always wanted us to take them to Enlisted club to party as the EM club had topless dancers and the OFFICER'S club had OFFICERS.

We KNEW how to have fun and we also only had two ZEROS that we'd allow to go with us.

[mapleleafalumnus]

When I played for Hampton Roads (VA) in the early 80s I say quite a few naval personnel -- sailors and Marines, officers included. I didn't think much of officers, however. They all seemed to be stuffed shirts, and Marine officers were the worst in terms of dealing w/us Canucks. Oddly, Marine enlistees treated us the best in the local saloons. I never would have predicted that! Maybe they saw we were better pugilists and were simply giving due respect

[heelerau]

Historic Fort Wayne renders a gun salute to the decommissioned USS Edson as she's towed north on the Detroit River.

USS Edson Salute from Historic Fort Wayne Detroit - YouTube

She will be moored in Bay City, Michigan on the Saginaw River.