Bravo, Nicotti, both on the new pictures and and emailing the RFT and BuiltSTL (wish I'd thought of them)!
While stating the obvious, the removal of the 3"/50 involved a cutting torch, from the molten metal bits and raw edge of the mount.
Judging from the elevated position of the gun, a crane or similar device HAD to be used and judging from no new deep depressions
in the "sand bar," it had to be done from some workboat on the river side.
It is still owned by someone, so perhaps that person did the deed?
It is just amazing that the City or the Coast Guard cannot get the owner to scrap the boat - much better than seing it in its current
pitiful shape - and will be even more pitiful long after thee and me are gone...
The RFT was certainly the correct media outlet to pursue on this, particularly from its earlier lengthy article.
Yeah I emailed the author of that article, so hopefully he's still there, or if not someone else get's forwarded his mail.
I also thought it had to be from a barge. And it was done before the most recent rains, cause there were no footprints in the sand near the gun either.
More online investigation than onsite exploration these days.
“My dear fellow, who will let you?”
“That’s not the point. The point is, who will stop me?”
-Ayn Rand
This may be a dumb question, but were the guns demilled? If so, does anyone know how they were demilled? If they weren't torch cut through the barrel or chamber, it may be possible to reactivate them.
Next question, did the city own the ship as has been stated or did the Navy still own it? Normally, the Navy maintains ownership of museum ships and performs periodic inspections to ensure they are being maintained. If the ship is not maintained to Navy standards, they will repossess the ship and remove it. They will then give it to another entity, utilize it for other Navy purposes or scrap it. I would hazard a guess that they city did in fact own this ship since the Navy let it stay in situ rather than refloating and scrapping her.
it was decomissioned so the navy did not own it
Im more than 100% sure the guns were filled with what ever it is they fill them with
so to actually get them to fire would require a total rebuild new barrels new EVERYTHING its not like the took them to use its just such a part of history that is now ripped away
i was on that ship when it was a museum everybody went to the guns and shot down invisable planes
sure wish we have another war ship as a musuem
Sleep is a waste of time,you can sleep when you are dead
Decommissioning a ship doesn't mean the Navy gives up ownership. Decommissioning just means it's taken out of service and stored until it is recommissioned, sold or disposed of. The Navy probably gave or sold it to the city.
If the barrels were filled with material, it was probably concrete. Not much chance of those weapons being reactivated sounds like.