BREMERTON HISTORIC SHIPS ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER
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JULY 2015
NUMBER THREE
Now Hear This!
NO MAJOR DISCREPANCIES!
Turner Joy Passes annual NAVSEA Inspection With Flying Colors
In The Works
Sometime in August exact date to be determined
- Richard Johanson and a
team of volunteers from the
Northwest School of
Wooden Boatbuilding in
Port Hadlock will be coming
aboard to make the 26’
Motor Whale Boat a little
more presentable.
The plan right now is to
replace the wooden rub rails
and generally spruce her up.
TJ volunteers are welcome
to pitch in.
The NAVSEA Engineering Inspection Team getting down and dirty in
Turner Joy’s bilges. They gave us a bye for next year.
Every year NAVSEA - or Naval Sea Systems
Command according to the DICNAVAB - inspects all
the retired Navy ships that have found new life as
museums.
A team from Navy Reserve Surge Main, Navy Region
Northwest, led by Lieutenant Alvaro Prieto came aboard
on Sunday June 21st and gave the ship a thorough going
over. They’ve done this before and they know what
they’re looking for.
Daniel Zerbe and four volunteers - Doug Church,
John Kieft, Hector Esparza and Bill Moore - were on
hand to take them around and unlock all the spaces they
wanted to get into.
Board President John Hanson and Maintenance
Committee chairman Walt Shuford represented the
board and Jack James completed BHSA Team on hand.
During the out brief LT Prieto listed only three
discrepancies that needed immediate attention. And the
final report several weeks later exempted us from being
inspected next year. So, we’re in great shape!
Well done to Daniel for exceptional preparation and
the rest of the BHSA team for all their help.
BHSA MISSION STATEMENT
The USS Turner Joy (DD 951) is a museum ship that
pays tribute to the men and women who served,
fought, and died during the Vietnam War and beyond.
The Officers and Enlisted personnel, who served this
ship from 1959 to 1982, left a legacy of honorable
service, which is our humble duty to uphold. The ship
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is a memorial that preserves the US Navy and
maritime heritage in the Pacific Northwest as a place
for education, reflection, and fun. A place for local
area residents and tourists to enjoy the beautiful
downtown Bremerton waterfront.
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BREMERTON HISTORIC SHIPS ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER
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JULY 2015
NUMBER THREE
JAKE THE ASTRONAUT
Turner Joy now has a six-foot, 80 pound statue of an
astronaut on the ship. His name is Jake and his inspiration
was photos and data found in the Seattle Municipal Archives
by the artist Patrick Sexton, a graduate of Northern
Arizona University - at left in the photo.
Jake is one of 25 six foot tall astronaut sculptures being
displayed in various public locations and businesses in the
greater Seattle area as part of Boeing Museum of Flight’s
50th anniversary celebration. Our fearless director, Jack
James, to Jake’s left, says don’t let him scare you, he’s really
just a dummy! Welcome aboard Dude!
ORCAS IN SINCLAIR
INLET
Chrystal Campo
spotted these two
Orcas checking out
Turner Joy last month
on their way to check
out the salmon in
Sinclair Inlet.
Looks like a
Mama and her calf.
Hope they enjoyed
Turner Joy’s full dress
ship flags.
Photograph by Chrystal Campo
OPEN HOUSE ABOARD USS INDEPENDENCE
Okay, so this kind of open house isn’t about shrimp on the barbie,
but it was a party - a working party and we worked our tookuses off.
The week of July 6th, a bunch of us went aboard ex-USS Independence
and salvaged a bunch of parts, some of which are desperately needed
onboard TJ and some of which are just nice to have. Like the gyro
repeater we found in the Metro office, bulkhead mounted first aid
boxes, switches and light fixtures. Heads up - we’re going again next
year, so get your birth certificates ready.
Back row: Keith Corcel, Daniel Zerbe, Bi" Moore, Doug Church, John
Gerten, Greg Baer, Walt Shuford. Kneeling: Jack James and Gunny Hector
Esparza
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BREMERTON HISTORIC SHIPS ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER
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JULY 2015
NUMBER THREE
The Gauge
Armament:
ABOUT THE SHIP
In an after action report,
CAPT Herrick, the officer in
Gulf of
tactical command, who observed
Tonkin both the August 2nd and August 4th
Part II
actions from the combat
At about
information center in USS Maddox
8PM local stated, “Review of action makes
time on
many reported contacts and
August 4th, torpedoes fired appear doubtful.
in rough
Freak weather effects on radar and
weather and heavy seas, both
overeager sonarmen may have
Maddox and TURNER JOY, based
accounted for many reports. No
on radar and sonar contacts,
actual visual sightings by Maddox.
reported a number of what appeared Suggest complete evaluation before
to be small, high-speed surface craft any further action taken." He
approaching, but at extreme range.
further stated, "Entire action leaves
As a precaution, the two destroyers, many doubts except for apparent
once again, called Ticonderoga for
ambush at beginning. Suggest
air support.
thorough reconnaissance in daylight
By nightfall, radar and sonar
by aircraft."
plots suggested that North
When asked for clarification
Vietnamese small craft were
of his reports, he said, "My sources
converging on the
of information
two American
were from radar
warships from
scopes, radio
the west and
circuits and
south. TURNER
displayed and
JOY reported
evaluated
that she sighted
information from
one or two
the CIC of the
torpedo wakes,
USS Maddox. I
then rang up full
had no
speed, manopportunity to
euvered radically
visually sight by
to evade torpedoes, and began firing unaided human eye any of the
her 5” guns at the unidentified - but action. However, it is my opinion
presumed hostile - radar returns.
that certainly a PT boat action did
Over the next three and a half take place."
hours, Maddox, TURNER JOY and
planes from Ticonderoga fired at the
suspected hostile craft and reported
To be continued. Watch this space.
that at least two were sunk by direct
hits and another two severely
damaged, and that the remaining
boats retired rapidly to the north.
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Three 5”54 Mark 42, Mod 7 Dual
Purpose Guns. Later converted to Mod
10 guns
Two 3”50 Mark 33 Twin Mount AA
Guns (Removed in the 60s & 70s)
Two Hedgehog Mark 10/11 ASW
Mortar Mounts with 24 Mortars each
(Removed in the 60s)
One Depth Charge Rack with10
Depth Charges (Probably removed in
the 60s)
Two Mark 32 Triple Torpedo Tube
Mounts. Three Mk 44/46 Torpedoes per
Mount. No Reloads.
Scuttlebutt
OK, so everybody knows we
have a dry docking coming up next
year on Lake Union right? Well,
word is that on the way over,
there’s going to be beer and
barbecue on the fantail.
And gin &
tonic in the
Wardroom.
And wine
and cheese
in the
Chief’s
Mess. Wait,
that can’t be
right. Wine
and cheese
in the
CHIEF’S
MESS?
Nah, probably just a rumor.
More likely, as Bob Meyers
says, it’ll just be a bunch of old guys
- and Ian Stewart - standing around.
But you have to admit, it would be
one heck of a fundraiser!
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BREMERTON HISTORIC SHIPS ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER
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JULY 2015
NUMBER THREE
Coming Up
Wednesday, Aug 5th @1800
Monthly Volunteer Meeting
ABOUT THE
MAN
World War II and
Korea
Near the end of
World War II,
Admiral Joy
commanded
Amphibious Group
2, which was
preparing for the
invasion of Japan.
In September
1945, he proceeded
to China, where he
commanded Task
Force 73 and later
Task Force 74
operating in the
Yangtze River and
out of Hong Kong.
These units cleared
mines, transported
Chinese troops reoccupying Japanese
positions, and
undertook other
postwar operations.
From 1946 to
1949, Joy resumed
his ordnance
specialty as commander of the
Naval Proving
Ground, Dahlgren,
Va., which tested
and assisted in the
development of new
naval ordnance.
In August 1949,
Joy was promoted
to vice admiral and
appointed Commander of the U.S.
Naval Force, Far
East, with headquarters in Tokyo.
Upon the outbreak
of the Korean War
in June 1950, he
became the Allied
naval commander
for that conflict.
His ships landed
Allied troops in the
war zone and
supported them
with supplies,
gunfire, and carrier
air strikes;
blockaded North
Korea; undertook
mine-sweeping; and
patrolled the
Taiwan Straits to
prevent hostile
action between
mainland China and
Taiwan. Joy was a
key leader in the
highly successful
Inchon landing of
September 1950. By
November 1950 he
commanded 400
Allied and American ships.
More on ADM Joy
in the next edition.
AROUND THE SHIP
Friday, Aug 7th @ 1800
If you’ve been aboard recently,
you might have noticed an odd
color on the fo’c’sle. Daniel says it’s
peach and no, we’re not doing a
new version of “Operation
Petticoat”.
It’s primer. Old timers will say
it can’t be primer, because primer is
red, as in red lead. Trust me, it’s
primer. Peach primer. We’ve
stripped the starboard side fo’c’sle
Haunted Ship Committee Meeting
Pack 551 Overnighter
Sunday, Aug 16th - Friday, Aug
28th
Chief Petty Officer Legacy Academy
Wednesday, Aug 26th
USS Henderson DD-785 Reunion Tour
Saturday, Aug 29th
Troop 326 Overnighter
Heads Up Saturday, Sept 5th
Blackberry Festival, will need lots of tour
guides
Contributors
BILL MOORE
Erstwhile Black
Shoe, Tour
guide, newsletter editor and
unofficial historian.
BOB MEYERS
and put down new non-skid.
The project was funded by a
$10,000 dollar grant from the
National Association of Destroyer
Veterans, or Tin Can Sailors. An
important part of their mission is
supporting the historic fleet. Since
1992, Tin Can Sailors has provided
almost $2M in grants to US
destroyer museum ships. To find
out more about Tin Can Sailors
pick up one of their brochures on
board, or visit their website http://www.destroyers.org/
index.html
©2015 Now Hear This! is a publication of the Bremerton Historic Ships Association which is solely responsible for its content.
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Saturday, Aug 15th
Turner Joy
shipmate, IC Man,
Maintenance Volunteer and TJARC
founding member.
JACK JAMES
Retired Navy Seal,
TJ Director,
Budding Tour
Guide, intrepid
Crisis Manager, Jack of all
trades and indefatigable
cheerleader.
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