Three Japanese warships are visiting downtown San Diego’s waterfront.
This afternoon I spotted three ships of the Japanese Self-Defense Force in San Diego. They were docked at the downtown Cruise Ship Terminal on the busy Embarcadero. The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force must be training with the US Navy off our coast, although I find nothing about any joint naval exercises when I do a quick search of Google News.
A year ago I spotted three warships belonging to Japan docked in the same spot. I see the big training ship Kashima, of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, has returned. (Last year an article I researched referred to it as a landing ship.) I suspect the other two are destroyers, like last time.
It’s an interesting sight you don’t often see up close, so I took a few pics!
A sailboat on San Diego Bay checks out an unusual sight on a cloudy day.Bow of big training ship Kashima, of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
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Corroded plaque shows tallship, ironclad, early warship, aircraft carrier and jets.
I have received more information about the origin of the Navy Bicentennial plaque situated on San Diego’s Embarcadero near the USS Midway Museum.
Last September, I published the blog Help solve a Navy mystery in San Diego. This fascinating plaque is passed by thousands walking along our waterfront every day. It’s located on the Greatest Generation Walk among other military memorials and monuments, but even today there is no public information about what the plaque is or where it came from.
After emailing the Port of San Diego, last October I published the blog Unknown Navy plaque: Mystery partially solved! I’d been sent information that included a detailed description of the plaque. I also learned that the plaque had been moved from the Broadway Pier. But the exact origin remained unknown.
Then, out of the blue, two amazing things have happened. Cool San Diego Sights has received comments shedding light on the actual people who created this very important, historical plaque.
My name is William Abell and I was an ML3 aboard the USS Ajax AR6 and I helped create this plaque in the ship’s foundry in 1975. I have a certificate from Admiral J L Holloway III commemorating the plaque’s creation and my part in its creation. The date on the certificate is Oct 13, 1975. The plaque was to be a gift to the City of San Diego. I am now a retired police commander living in Monroe WA.
The second comment I received yesterday morning. It directed my attention to this blog post:
I am Molder Chief Petty Officer Jesse G. Lopez USN Ret. The foundry crew from Navy Repair Ship USS Ajax AR-6, created the pattern which was made by Patternmaker Chief Carlos De Santiago USN RET and molded by myself when I was a MLFN. Petty Officer Abell was our Third Class in charge of the molders.
AMAZING UPDATE!
I’ve received detailed information about the plaque, including photographs of its creation and creators! Click here!
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Jeff, a challenged athlete who benefits from Operation Rebound, at a special marathon Spreckels Organ concert.
Right now I’m sitting at my computer on Cortez Hill, not far from Balboa Park. Sometimes I imagine–for a brief moment–that I can hear music drifting in through the window. Whether my ears are deceiving me or not, I do know that the huge Spreckels Organ is booming across the beloved urban park at this very exact moment.
How do I know this? Because San Diego’s own Civic Organist, Dr. Carol Williams, is playing the king of musical instruments today for twelve and a half hours straight! In addition to setting a new official Guinness World Record for organ playing, she’s raising money for Operation Rebound!
Operation Rebound is a division of the Challenged Athletes Foundation. They help American military personnel, veterans and first responders who face permanent disability, but who have a passion to compete in sports. An active lifestyle can help greatly when it comes to both mental and physical health. Here is their website.
The unique event today at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion helps to raise money, so that wounded warriors can obtain expensive prosthetics, specialized equipment, and funds for travel as they compete in sporting tournaments.
It is a most worthy cause.
You can donate right now! Even a few bucks helps! To do so, click here!
Operation Rebound table had images of wounded warriors who have turned or returned to sport. This organization helps challenged athletes with their expenses.Dr. Carol Williams, San Diego’s Civic Organist, is playing for over 12 hours to help raise money, plus to set a new world record!The beautiful Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park is the scene of an important Memorial Day weekend event.Jeff talks movingly about how Operation Rebound has helped him. Wounded warriors who engage in sports often need funds for prosthetics, travel to tournaments, and special equipment.At a table nearby, people were creating greeting cards that thank our troops for sacrificing for our freedom.One handmade heartfelt card reads: You Rock! Thank you for your bravery, dedication, and amazing strength.
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Visitor to USS Midway Museum on Memorial Day weekend absorbs Portraits of Resilience exhibit, created by students of High Tech High Charter School.
This morning I walked a little around the USS Midway. The historic aircraft carrier is now a popular museum docked on San Diego Bay. I was there because it’s Memorial Day weekend, and I have personal experiences that make me grateful for America and our brave servicepeople. But I won’t blog about that here.
I was surprised to see a thought-provoking exhibit being set up in the hangar deck of the Midway. I learned it was a project of students at High Tech High, which is a charter school in Point Loma. 50 students interviewed 50 veterans, to learn about war, and peace, and human resiliency.
I took some photos in less-than-optimal lighting, and my flash wasn’t entirely helpful, so I had to apply a good deal of contrast.
Portraits of Resilience. 50 students. 50 veterans. 50 powerful portraits.The whole point of the Armed Forces is to protect freedoms so that people can agree or disagree with what’s going on.Greatness isn’t achieved randomly. You need to set goals.It’s people. It was always people. I didn’t want to let anyone down.A veteran reads words of pain, joy, memory and wisdom spoken by others who’ve served in the military.Everything is written in pencil. As soon as you have a plan, thirty minutes later it changes.Don’t waste your time worrying, worrying, worrying! You’re only going to get wrinkles!My best decision was marrying my wife. My number two was being a pilot and getting my wings.No matter how your grades are or what people think about you, do what you want to do and you can accomplish it.We didn’t have names of battles. We had excursions, and we had firefights, but we didn’t have names of them.When you return, things are physically and emotionally different. It’s like moving from one world to another.They had tears of joy, they couldn’t believe that someone had documented what they had done; they were proud, they were happy.You’re watching his back, he’s watching your back.Now when somebody says, “Thank you for your service”, I look them directly in the eye and say, “It was my privilege”.
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Grossmont High School NJROTC Ceremonial Color Guard waits for an important event to begin.
This morning I attended a moving ceremony. Americans who fought in World War II, members of The Greatest Generation, were honored in a special Veterans Wreath Ceremony on the flight deck of the USS Midway Museum. It’s one of several events taking place on the USS Midway this Memorial Day weekend. San Diego’s popular aircraft carrier museum promises to be a very busy hub of activity.
I took a few photographs of the ceremony. It was short, but very meaningful.
People cross flight deck of USS Midway aircraft carrier museum to attend a special Memorial Day weekend event. (Chairs are for a Wynonna Judd concert later this evening.)Looking south over San Diego Bay from upper deck of USS Midway Museum. Unconditional Surrender statue can be seen below.Pomerado Community Band plays music before start of short ceremony that honors World War II veterans.God Bless America sung with a deep, resonant voice. Many in the crowd listen with emotion.Guests are ready for the special Memorial Day weekend Veterans Wreath Ceremony to begin.There are two wreaths. One commemorates those who fought in the World War II Pacific theater. The second wreath is dedicated to those who served in Europe.This honored vet performed his duty in the Pacific during the Second World War. With him are two other generations.Also honored was energetic Stu Hedley, who is a Pearl Harbor survivor.Vintage World War II P-35 fighter aircraft from Air Group One (San Diego Wing of the Commemorative Air Force) flies over during the ceremony.The wreaths are presented to the two representative veterans, who will toss them into the water.In a time-honored ritual and tribute, the first wreath takes flight as many watch and The Remembrance Bell is rung.Flowers and memories float on San Diego Bay on this beautiful Memorial Day weekend.A photo from the flight deck of the USS Midway. The historic aircraft carrier is used for many military ceremonies in San Diego.
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People at the annual Plastic Fantastic check out cars of the North County Corvette Club.
Here are some cool pics!
I was walking along San Diego’s waterfront today, with no destination in mind, when I stumbled upon a huge gathering of car enthusiasts! Members of the North County Corvette Club had come together for a fun day at Embarcadero Marina Park North, right next to Seaport Village. Their annual car show, dubbed the Plastic Fantastic, is said to be the oldest and largest all-Corvette show in the Southwest. There had to be well over a hundred perfectly gorgeous Corvettes gleaming in the San Diego sunshine!
This cool event benefits the club charity, the San Diego USO, an organization that serves active-duty, reserve, guard and military families. If you’d like, you can donate to USO San Diego here!
The San Diego USO benefited from the all-Corvette car show near Seaport Village.The King Lives–but he must be laying off the donuts, because it seems he’s shrunk a bit.Shiny metallic American flag inside the hood of a cool Chevy Corvette.Artwork on this slick sports car includes flames and a checkered flag.A racy paint job and a beautiful downtown San Diego backdrop.Lots of Corvettes were on the grass of Embarcadero Marina Park North, right next to San Diego Bay.Another colorful photo, with the Marriott Marina in the background.Corvette owners wait to hear which cars won show awards.It’s two o’clock and time to head home. Drivers are graciously thanked for attending!
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Photo of old, shuttered windows taken through dark, weathered archway.
During my recent ramble around NTC Liberty Station, I did some nosing around. I took a few interesting photos of a lonely portion of the old Naval Training Center San Diego that has yet to be renovated. A row of old, weathered barracks along the North Promenade are vacant and locked shut. But if you listen closely, and use a little imagination, it might be possible to hear the echoing footsteps of naval recruits from decades ago.
The old Naval Training Center in Point Loma is a fascinating place with a significant place in United States history. The idea of training sailors in San Diego was first explored in 1915 by Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Franklin D. Roosevelt. When the complex was finally built in 1921, it was a modest affair, with several barracks, a mess hall, dispensary, and a few other buildings. It expanded over the years, and during World War II accommodated as many as 25,000 naval recruits. The center remained a vital resource of the United States Navy until 1997, when it was finally closed. Today around 50 original buildings along the beautiful promenade (which also includes the old base’s command center and parade ground) have been restored. Liberty Station has become a popular destination for shopping, recreation and a variety of cultural attractions.
In the following photos, you might note the architecture is mostly based on the Spanish Colonial Revival style, particularly the long arcades. The design of the Naval Training Center was directly influenced by buildings constructed for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition in San Diego’s Balboa Park.
Looking along the length of long-abandoned Barracks 5 at NTC Liberty Station.Some old military base signs still can be seen at the historic Naval Training Center San Diego.Buildings 18 and 25 remain empty. Most structures in the complex are renovated and have commercial or nonprofit tenants.Simple geometry of functional architecture influenced by the Spanish Colonial Revival style.Peeling yellow paint on buildings where new United States Navy recruits used to train.There’s something strangely picturesque in this image of lonely decay.With a bit of imagination, one can picture newly recruited sailors moving and marching through the Naval Training Center years ago.This boldly painted blue door really catches the eye!Walking around NTC Liberty Station is like taking a small voyage back into history.
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The restored Swift Boat, PCF-816 approaches the Maritime Museum of San Diego on downtown’s waterfront.
Last weekend I embarked on a very unique boat adventure on San Diego Bay. Enjoying sunshine and a cool ocean breeze, I sat outside on the Maritime Museum of San Diego’s restored Swift Boat, and took in various interesting sights during an approximately one hour tour.
PCF-816 is a small Mark ll Patrol Craft Fast “Swift Boat” that was originally used in San Diego (1968-1969) to train sailors before they were deployed to fight in the Vietnam War. In 1971 the vessel was donated to the Republic of Malta, where it was used to patrol their coast. In 2012 the beat up boat returned to San Diego. After many hours of work by volunteers, it was carefully restored to it’s present fine condition. You might note in the photos that she still flies the Maltese flag.
If you’re fascinated by tacking sailboats, arching bridges and sprawling shipyards, interested in military history or modern Navy ships, or just want to enjoy a cruise on San Diego Bay, you might enjoy this tour!
Inside the Maritime Museum’s steam ferry Berkeley, visitors check out informative exhibits as they wait to board the old Swift Boat.With the introduction of Swift Boats into the Coastal Surveillance Forces of the Navy in 1965, the Naval Amphibious Base in Coronado became a major training center for Swift Boat crews.Patrol Craft Fast (PCF) was the U.S. Navy’s official name for a Swift Boat. They were small, shallow draft water vessels operated for counterinsurgency operations during the Vietnam War.People board the old Vietnam War-era boat from the Maritime Museum’s docked steam yacht Medea.We cast off and begin a partial tour of the bay, including enormous shipyards and many San Diego Navy ships.A museum volunteer narrates our tour and points out some of the unique sights on San Diego Bay.No matter what boat or ship you choose, a cruise of the big bay is both relaxing and invigorating.We pass under the immense bow of the USS Midway aircraft carrier, which is also a super popular museum.We pass a sailboat and begin under the Coronado Bay Bridge. We are approaching San Diego’s very large, busy shipyards.A huge Navy ship in dry dock at BAE Systems’ San Diego shipyard. NASSCO and Continental Maritime also have enormous yards on the bay.The gigantic gray ship is the USNS Lewis B. Puller. The first of its kind, it’s a forward staging base that will act as a floating base or transfer station.USNS Bob Hope is also huge! She’s a vehicle cargo ship used for Army vehicle prepositioning, She’s the only Navy vessel to be named after legendary entertainer Bob Hope.That unique ship in the middle is a new Independence-class littoral combat ship. USS Coronado is a trimaran, which allows it to operate in shallow coastal water.USS Essex is an enormous United States Navy Wasp-class amphibious assault ship based in San Diego.Naval Base San Diego (also called 32nd Street Naval Station) occupies a long stretch of South Bay. It’s the largest United States Navy base on the west coast.Guy enjoying the tour dons helmet and mans the Swift Boat’s 50 caliber machine gun, which is mounted over a 81mm mortar on the boat’s rear deck.A pith military helmet once worn by Viet Cong soldiers is passed around for the passengers to examine.A watchful seagull and lazy sea lion share a harbor buoy on calm, sunny San Diego Bay.Heading back toward downtown San Diego, we learn more about the history of Swift Boat training in our fascinating city.After docking, I get a quick pic of the Mark ll Swift Boat’s small pilot house.Swift Boat, PCF-816 is one of many interesting, diverse vessels in the Maritime Museum of San Diego’s collection.
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The black sail of submarine USS Dolphin (AGSS-555). The retired research sub is docked next to steam ferry Berkeley of the Maritime Museum of San Diego.
Here come some photographs taken inside the USS Dolphin, the world record deepest diving submarine!
Anyone can tour the Dolphin when visiting the Maritime Museum of San Diego. The museum, located downtown on the waterfront, is home to a world-class collection of unique and historic ships.
I personally know very little about submarines. My descriptions come from various signs and a little searching performed on the internet. If you spot an error or would like to provide some info, please leave a comment at the bottom of this post!
The Maritime Museum of San Diego boasts two submarines in its world-class collection of ships. The USS Dolphin holds the world record for deep diving.Display inside the Berkeley, next to doorway which leads museum visitors outside to the Dolphin.
The above Maritime Museum display includes the following information:
On November 24, 1968, barely two months after commissioning, the USS Dolphin dove to a depth in excess of three thousand feet to become the world’s deepest diving submarine…this record still stands today. The following year, in August 1969, the Dolphin achieved another world record by launching a torpedo from a depth never equaled by another submarine.
Built exclusively for research, Dolphin is responsible for many achievements. Most significant among these is her unique deep diving capability… Employed by both Navy and civilian researchers, she is equipped with an impressive array of instruments that can support multiple missions…. She is currently configured to conduct extensive deep water acoustic research, oceanic survey work, sensor trials, and engineering evaluations.
…With her decommissioning on January 15, 2007, the United States retired its last active diesel-electric submarine.
Second display contains info about the sub’s design and it’s numerous historic achievements.
External mounting pads: 6 port, 6 starboard, forward and aft of sail
Crew compliment: 3 officers, 18 enlisted, 4 scientists (46 crew, all are not deployed)
Operational endurance: Over 15 days (for long deployments, Dolphin can be towed at 9-10 knots)
ACHIEVEMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS
First successful submarine-to-aircraft optical communication
Development of a Laser Imaging system of photographic clarity
Development of an Extreme Low Frequency (ELF) antenna
Evaluation of various non-acoustic Anti-Submarine Warfare techniques
Evaluation of various “low probability of interception” active sonars
First submarine launch of a mobile submarine simulator (MOSS) system
First successful submarine test of BQS-15 sonar system
Development of a highly accurate towed body position monitoring system
Development of a highly accurate target management system
Evaluation of a possible “fifth force of nature”
First successful submarine-to-aircraft two-way laser communication
A museum visitor gets ready to walk outside to a very cool submarine.Walking along the deck to forward end of the submarine. The tower-like sail contains the bridge, periscope and communications masts.This forward hatch (and the rear one) were cut into the hull so museum visitors could easily walk through the sub’s length. Originally there was one hatch, at the sail.An electrician volunteer, Ed, at work just inside the USS Dolphin. He told me several stories from his days serving on submarines.A sign inside the underwater research vessel provides answers to a few common questions.
This sign inside the submarine answers some common questions and includes the following fascinating facts:
Dolphin’s hull material is HY-80 steel…her hull is a ring-stiffened cylinder without pressure bulkheads (if she has a leak the whole boat will flood)…
When she had her torpedo tube installed, Dolphin could carry four torpedoes… After initial tests and the launch of a torpedo in 1969 from the deepest depth ever recorded, Dolphin was refitted for other research purposes, and never carried torpedoes again.
There are no visual viewing ports in this submarine…. Dolphin did carry imaging electronics for observing the bottom.
Dolphin did not have any claws for picking items off the seafloor as she was restricted to a minimum altitude of fifty feet above the bottom. One experiment launched an ROV (remote operated vehicle) with power and communication cable attached to Dolphin while submerged…
Starting along the very narrow main hallway. This unusual sub contains no compartments. To the left one can see a reverse osmosis water filtration system.Red pyro locker used to safely house signal flares.Those crew bunks on the left don’t look terribly spacious or comfortable.There are more pipes, wires, gauges, valves and gizmos than you can shake a stick at.A group of curious visitors is entering the amazing Control Room, near the center of the USS Dolphin.The periscope works and tourists can view San Diego Bay and downtown buildings with perfect clarity.Folks peer down through floor at Pump Room below the Control Room, where a hero defied death to save his crewmates.
On May 21, 2002, the room below was the center of heroic action to save the submarine and crew. On that day, Dolphin was conducting training exercises about 100 miles off the San Diego coastline when a torpedo shield door gasket failed, and water began to flood the submarine…
Chief Machinist’s Mate (SW) John D. Wise Jr., realizing what needed to be done, dove into the 57 degree water of the flooded pump room…with less than a foot of breathable space…he aligned the seawater valves and then remained in the pump room for more than 90 minutes…
For his courageous efforts, Chief Wise was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal.
A panel with many complicated switches. In the Control Room, one can monitor the main storage batteries, generators and propulsion system.The wheel used to pilot the Dolphin. One drove using only instruments, including gauges that display rise/dive, ordered depth, system depth, cavitation, turns, dummy log, depth to keel.Photo of tiny Officers’ Quarters was through glass, which produced some glare.This is the first toilet I’ve photographed for my blog. Hopefully the last!Photos on wall of tiny mess area show what life was like aboard Dolphin.This is where food was prepared.This dining table was constantly in use. Not much to see in the way of decor.Continuing down the main hallway toward the rear of the submarine. Don’t ask me what all this stuff is.Apparently this is some sort of freezer.You get an idea of what it’s like to carefully walk through the narrow submarine.High-Pressure Air Compressor Controllers among a jumble of pipes and valves.Up a ladder and back outside into the bright San Diego sunshine!
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International M-2-4 Rocket Truck used in the Pacific during World War II.
An interesting new exhibit will open this coming Friday, April 3 at the San Diego Automotive Museum. Part of this year’s Centennial Celebration, the new exhibit is called Balboa Park: The War Years. According to one website: “The (auto museum) floor will be transformed into a USO show venue to tell the story of the impact that war had on San Diego and the entire West Coast.” As part of the museum’s general admission, visitors will be able to check out a dozen-or-so 1940s period vehicles used by the American military during the Second World War.
I was lucky to experience a small taste of the exhibit this afternoon. A rocket launching truck and anti-tank gun were waiting to be rolled from the outside parking lot into the museum during my Sunday walk through Balboa Park.
Here are several pics…
This historical military vehicle comes from the Marine Corps Mechanized Museum at Camp Pendleton north of San Diego.One of many interesting vehicles arriving for the upcoming Balboa Park: The War Years exhibit at the San Diego Automotive Museum.US WW2 37mm M3 Anti-Tank Gun backing up to the museum’s big side door!
(After doing some searching on the internet, I’m pretty sure I have the above caption correct. If I don’t, leave a comment!)
Cool guy from San Diego Automotive Museum smiles for the camera!
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Cool San Diego Sights! 