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| 37. The Travelift eases out onto
the finger piers. |
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38. And gently picks CCB-18 out of
the water for the last time. |
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39. Ready to move. |
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| 40. These pros make it look easy. |
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41. After swinging her into
position over rails the rail cars are eased into position and she's
ready to pull into the paint bay. |
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42. In the bay and being inspected
by David Hearne. He and his brother Dutch were instrumental in
previous restoration of the boat while up north in the Sacramento River. |
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| 43. Those barnacles and other sea
growth were removed by Everett Jones, Don Blankenship, Charles Campbell
and Carl Fletcher. What a nasty job! |
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44. Over a couple of months, the
active duty volunteers at SIMA's paint facility removed the bar armor,
sand blasted and primed the exterior portions of the boat. Many thanks
for all your efforts. Everett Jones, Charles Campbell and Don
Blankenship applied the non-skid the old fashioned way to all the
top-side walking areas. |
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45. With several good days of
sunshine this winter, the priming continued. |
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| 46. Thanks to the consistent help
of Charles Campbell and Everett Jones who showed up to every work party
session. |
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47. Hand priming and painting of
the bar armor kept us from wasting paint through the sprayer. We
were always decked out in safety gear to keep clean. BMCS Everett
Jones displays his expert painting technique. |
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48. Work party members Charles Campbell,
John Howell and Tom Mason paint bar armor. John is a former Swift
Boat Officer and Tom was a both a Swift Boat Officer and an Ops Officer
of RivRon13 and 15. Officers working, what a concept!! |
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| 49. As a result of working with us
on the project, SeaBee Pablo Facun, decides to ship over. The
ceremony was aboard PCF-104. Everett Jones, Charles Campbell, Carl
Hanker, Bill Zondorak, Ken McGhee, Neil Geis, John Branca and Don
Blankenship attended the ceremony along with the SeaBee crew. |
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50. LTJG Matthew Grant who led the
SeaBees in their training missions pouring the slabs for the memorial
and the boats presides over the ceremony as Petty Officer Facun's wife
looks on. |
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51. January and February saw us
painting the boat with an expensive poly-urethane paint. Thanks to
Pro-Line paint for their support, although the paint was not free. |
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| 52. Thanks to SIMA paint facility
personnel: civilian Britt Clamp, BMC Robert Hoffman, DC1 Randall
Nichols, DC2 Jeremy Coleman, DC2 Julio Ramos, BM2, Jeffrey Herzbrun and
others who provided volunteer time to get the boat sand blasted, primed
and painted. |
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53. Reattaching the bar armor was
a major project. Note the styrofoam idea of Everett Jones and some
of the over 100 new bolts, washers and nuts installed by Everett,
Charles Campbell, Tom Mason, Norm McCulloch, Carl Fletcher, Neil Geis,
and Don Blankenship. Thanks guys for all the hard work. Hope
I didn't leave anyone out. |
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54. Feb. 16 was moving day. The
trucks with counter weights and the 75 ton crane from Marco Crane &
Rigging arrive and prepare to set up. |
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| 55. The Travelift again goes into
action. Thanks to the crew provided by Chief Collinger. |
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56. The truck from Bill Signs
Trucking arrives with a 9 axle rig to transport the boat down the road a
half mile. |
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57. Volunteers strategically place
12x12 beams and other dunnage in position to hold the boat. |
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| 58. The boat is then loaded onto
the trailer by the Travelift. |
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59. Then comes the expert driving
(backward) of John Theakston. |
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60. Slowly backing down Tulagi
Road. |
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| 61. Flag flying high was Charles
Campbell's flag in country on M-92-2. |
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62. The boat is maneuvered into position
to back onto the slab. Rear wheel drive on the trailer is just
perfect for the job. Keel supports are in position. |
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63. EOC Shuck and his expert crew stand
by to guide the crane operator in picking the boat. |
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| 64. The boat is initially picked,
but the crane position is not correct. |
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65. The boat is lowered back onto
the trailer. |
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66. The barrel obstacle on the
O-course is removed by the crane and the crane is repositioned to pick
the heavier than expected load (146,000+ lbs.) |
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| 67. Keel supports are placed into
position after the trailer departs. |
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68. Volunteers man tag lines and boat is
positioned and lowered onto the keel supports. |
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69. Counter-weights are loaded onto the
truck. |
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| 70. Crane equipment is packed up
and it's on its way after a few hours. Thanks Chris and others
from Marco Crane and thanks Jim Stauffer for keeping the pencil sharp. |
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71. A shot showing all three
boats. PBR in the shade, and the bows of PCF-104 and CCB-18. |
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72. This side of the boat's bar armor is
scheduled to hold plaques with the names of the 9th Infantry dead in
Vietnam. It will be a nice place of honor. |
