Destroyer Escort Historical Museum

[SlaterDoc]

She's a DE! The last one afloat in the US! Restored to WW2 configuration!
She's the USS Slater (DE-766) in Albany, NY on the Hudson River.

ussslater.org

As the ship's corpsman I am in the process of restoring sick bay.
But, the goal is to have her underway with her engines running again.
This past week the 12 cylinder genset engine was brought on line!
Next, the four main 16 cyl will be up and running soon.
I will be looking for opinions and help in the restoration.
I just have to find where in these forums to put the project!

[sherlock]

The best of luck with your more than worthy project. I envy you in your opportunity to save a bit of our history.

[skiplc]

You guys did all that work in 8 years? That's amazing! If I can ask, how much has the association spent so far? How far away are you from getting Slater underway?

I read through the website but haven't gone through the newsletters yet.

BZ

[SlaterDoc]

Actually, the vets have been working on her for 14 years. It is amazing what the WW2 and Korean guys have accomplished and with very little money! I am one of the youngest on board at 56 (ugh)! But, it feels great to be the "kid" again! The engine room guys have been doing everything they could in repair and rebuilding the 4 mains! They confessed to me that if they turned them over they will probably run. The next thing that needs to be done is dry-docking for hull maintenance. Hopefully that will occur next Winter(12/13). Then the seachests can be opened up for cooling and she should be good to go! There is a little work to do on the electric drive motors.
A plan that some of us have is to sail her south during the Winter and tie up in southern ports to take on tours. Then in the Spring bring her back up to Albany!
I couldn't begin to guess how much has been spent over the past 14 years! But, I do know that the in-kind and donated stuff along with the number of hours worked go way beyond any $$$!

[SlaterDoc]

The goal of having her main 16 cyl engines running again is one step closer! On 9/24/11 the guys in the engine room finished their restoration of the ship's 12 cyl main generator engine and started her up! Purrrrrr'd like a lion!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rg3S1...=youtube_gdata

[Matt Jones]

I'd LOVE to cruise on her...there's only one other DE preserved in the world, and I toured her in Galveston. Very interesting vessel...glad to see one's being restored to tip-top shape!

-Matt

[SlaterDoc]

I'd LOVE to cruise on her...there's only one other DE preserved in the world, and I toured her in Galveston. Very interesting vessel...glad to see one's being restored to tip-top shape!

-Matt

Actually Matt, there are a couple others! The former USS McCann(DE-179) is a museum in Rio in Brazil. We gave her to them during WW2. The former USS Atherton (DE-169), believe it or not is still in service in the Philippines as the Rajah-Humabond-11! She will be retired shortly.
The case of the USS Stewart is TX is a sad one. They are trying to restore her in order not to lose her. After the hurricane, the Navy was determining if she could be floated again and removed. Since she had been neglected and vandalized, it wasn't clear they would keep her. Let's hope they pull things together. It looks like they are! When you realize there were so many DE's built (563 during WW2), it is a shame we have so few left to memorialize their contribution!

[strathnaver]

Well thats several DEs preserved in USA. In Canada we have the only surviving Tribal clas DD HMCS HAIDA at Hamilton ON and Flower class corvette HMCS SACKVILLE at the Museum of the Atlantic Halifax NS. In fact to my knowledge these are the only members of their classes to exist anywhere.

[SlaterDoc]

Well thats several DEs preserved in USA. In Canada we have the only surviving Tribal clas DD HMCS HAIDA at Hamilton ON and Flower class corvette HMCS SACKVILLE at the Museum of the Atlantic Halifax NS. In fact to my knowledge these are the only members of their classes to exist anywhere.

I am not so sure you could call the Stewart "preserved"! The Slater is actually more than preserved, she's restored as a living museum. So, I would call that 1 and a half in the US!
For the smaller class of ships like the Haida, the Sackville and the Slater there is a better choice than 'static' displays! I am convinced it would be far better for these ships to be able to move under their own power and bring their history to the populous in different ports instead of waiting for the tourists to come to them. They would be kept more viable and more financially stable. As an example, there is the LST-325 in Indiana. She has been restored and it taken to ports along the river. The lines and the $$ are what we all should strive for! This is what's possible!
lst325.jpg

[Matt Jones]

I remember restoration work was going on when I visited Stewart in Galveston.

And I agree it's sad so many famous ships have gone to the scrapyard instead of getting preserved like they should have been. We should be able to go to Pearl Harbor and see all the BBs that were there that fateful morning anchored in their original positions, and Enterprise should be sitting in San Francisco (or wherever else might be fitting for her). For Enterprise's demise, we have no one to thank but the idiots then in charge of our government who didn't step in and save her. (One would think they'd have listened to a campaign supported by FADM Halsey himself, but nooo...)

-Matt

[SlaterDoc]

For those who can't visit the ship, we bring her to you!

As a part of the online tour of the Slater we have a number of panoramic shots that allow the visitor to scan and zoom as though you were actually on board! Some of these have seen more restoration and will be updated soon.
So sit back, grab your mouse and watch your head!
We'll start in the superstructure:
Flying Bridge
http://www.ussslater.org/tour/decks/...panoramic.html

Bridge
http://www.ussslater.org/tour/decks/...panoramic.html

CIC
http://www.ussslater.org/tour/decks/...panoramic.html

Captain's Cabin
http://www.ussslater.org/tour/decks/...panoramic.html

Radio Shack
http://www.ussslater.org/tour/decks/...panoramic.html

Officer's country
http://www.ussslater.org/tour/decks/...panoramic.html

Ward Room
http://www.ussslater.org/tour/decks/...panoramic.html

Galley
http://www.ussslater.org/tour/decks/...panoramic.html

We'll continue the tour once everyone catches up and climbs down the ladder to the next level. Please watch your footing and your heads!

[Matt Jones]

SAWEET! Thanks for posting!

-Matt

[SlaterDoc]

SAWEET! Thanks for posting!

-Matt

Are you aware of this week's "Sons of Guns" on the Discovery Channel(Wed 9PM)? They have rigged up some of the guns on the USS Kidd with gas and stage an aerial attack!

[Matt Jones]

No I wasn't...will DEFINITELY check that out, thanks!

-Matt

[SlaterDoc]

A long time coming, but finally!

On Monday afternoon, March 5th with the signature of the Secretary of the Interior the USS Slater became a "National Historic Landmark"!