I received a message from Mike over the weekend regarding the USS PYRO. With his permission I have posted for all to see.
From: Mike McCullough
Sent: Saturday, February 11, 2012 3:07 PM
To: Max Hunter
Subject: USS Pyro at the Golden Gate BridgeMax Hunter:
You may be interested in some photos I took from the Golden Gate Bridge.
Friday morning, sometime after 7 AM, I noticed at your web page http://www.drawer.com/images/webcam/camera_3/stitch/current.jpg that USS Pyro was out of the drydock and tied to the pier North of the drydock.
I checked sometime after 8 AM, and noticed that she was gone.
Drove from San Jose to the Golden Gate Bridge, arriving there at 10:20 AM.
I guestimated that USS Pyro would arrive at the Golden Gate Bridge sometime between 10:30 AM and 2 PM.
The weather ranged from drizzle to light rain.
My original plan was to wait in my car at the GGNRA parking lot, and every five minutes or so get outside and check the area.
It is very likely that I would have seen the ammunition ship going past Raccoon Strait or rounding Angel Island and had plenty of time to take a leisurely walk to the midspan of the Golden Gate Bridge.
That would end up being not the case.
The weather was somewhere between drizzle and rain.
Since it was impossible to get a view from the GGNRA parking lot, decided to set up base camp at the South tower of the Golden Gate Bridge and use the tower as protection against most of the weather.
The view from the South tower looked like this.
At the South Tower I talked to some workers who earlier was doing some work inside the tower.
Note the writing on the door.
Noticed a Coast Guard patrol boat head to a position which under normal conditions would result in a good photo, but the photo ended up like this.
Soon a tanker came into San Francisco Bay, and the Coast Guard patrol Boat escorted the tanker.
The Coast Guard patrol boat is USCGC Tern.
http://www.uscg.mil/d11/cgcTern/
http://www.uscg.mil/datasheet/87wpb.asp
The tanker and USCGC Tern soon faded into the mist.
Later, a container ship entered San Francisco Bay.
Very likely after 11:30 AM, threw the clouds I saw USS Pyro, being towed by a tug from Mare Island to New Orleans to be scrapped.
Until recently ships from the West Coast were towed to Brownsville, Texas to be scraped.
As far as I know USS Pyro is the first West Coast ship to be scrapped in New Orleans.
If you go through http://www.navsource.org you will note that many ships were scrapped on the West Coast, ranging from Washington all the way to southern California.
Several of these ships should have become a museum ships.
http://www.navsource.org/archives/01/48d.htm
http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/w6/west_virginia-ii.htm
http://cdrsalamander.blogspot.com/2007/06/fullbore-friday_22.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Saint_Paul_(CA-73)
http://www.ussnicholas.org/fletcherclass.asp?r=44904&pid=44931
I could have listed several others.
I have seen ships scrapped at Oakland, Oyster Point, and at Terminal Island.
But for many years, until recently, ships were not scrapped on the West Coast.
Last year ship scrapping began at Mare Island and at Alameda.
http://www.navsource.org/archives/14/140814802.jpg
http://www.navsource.org/archives/14/08142.htm
USS Nokomis should have become a museum ship.
http://www.maritimelibraryfriends.org/Relative%20Bearings/Issue%2015.pdf
http://secure.thelog.com/printer/article.asp?c=105030
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/specials/pearlharbor60/chapter2.html
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2004/Mar/28/ln/ln03a.html
http://hgworld.blogspot.com/2008/12/december-7-1941.html
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/04/20/BA294377.DTL&ao=all
When I saw USS Pyro, she was much closer than I would have liked. Went at a bit faster than my fast walk of four miles per hour to an area just South of the midspan of the bridge.
Was unable to go to the midspan due to some construction.
USS Pyro went under the Golden Bridge at about 11:45 AM.
Before heading home in San Jose, I visited the Strybing Arboretum.
Sincerely yours,
Mike McCullough
USS Mispillion Departs Mare Island for it’s last voyage.
max on January 30, 2012 in Drydock, Mare Island, Mispillion | Comments OffUSS Mispillion departure from Mare Island
Kevin on January 27, 2012 in Drydock, Mare Island, Mispillion | Comments Off
10:50am USS Mispillion departure from Mare Island, CA
For more information on the last voyage of the USS Mispillion Click Here
USS Mispillion Pulled out of the Drydock on Mare Island
max on January 24, 2012 in Drydock, Mare Island, Mispillion | Comments Off
The SS Mispillion sits in the drydock as the water rushes in and it is prepared to disembark on it’s last journey to Texas for recycling.
The SS Mispillion is tugged out to the the Mare Island Straight, the waterway that connects the Napa River to the San Pablo Bay.
The SS Mispillion.
For the crew of the USS Mispillion
Kevin on January 23, 2012 in Drydock, Mare Island, Mispillion | Comments OffWe recently got an email from a representative of veteran crew of the USS Mispillion, a Navy oiler that was in drydock in front of our building. This morning she was floated out into the Mare Island Straight and tied up waiting for her long journey to Brownsville, TX where she will be dismantled.
This whole thing has been amazing. I couldn’t help but to share all of the amazing dialog and comments from all of the crewmembers who have responded to our webcam and photos of the Mispillion. This experience has inspired me to continue with my documentary project and has made me realize how important it is to capture the fleeting glimpses of these great ships and share them with the world.
Below is the correspondence from various crew members and friends of the USS Mispillion. Please read and enjoy!
Thank you all so much.
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Folks,
I am a representative the veteran crew of the USS Mispillion, a Navy oiler currently in dry-dock at Mare Island. In a few days, at most, she will be refloated and begin her last voyage to Brownsville, TX, where she will be dismantled. I am writing to request that you restore the dry-dock webcam to one minute refreshes, until the ship departs.
Commissioned in 1945, this proud ship has served in the Korean and Viet Nam conflicts, and has an enviable service record. I am the son of Capt. H.G. Munson, who commandeered her in 1952-53. Many of us have enjoyed, and looked longingly from afar, at the ‘Mighty Miss’ as she is cleaned. We have collected and shared artifacts from 2 visits to the ship.
As these are the last days we can see her, your web cam has brought great unity and comfort to Mispillion’s crew. We hoped to capture her departure live from your webcam, so we sincerely request that you restore the one minute refresh, at least for these, Mispillion’s last days with us.
Sincerely,
Chris Munson
USS Mispillion, Ship’s Boy
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Good Morning Chris-
Thank you so much for your note. You and your buddies watching the cleaning of the USS Mispillion have totally made our web cam project worthwhile. I hope it is up and running again soon.
Out of curiosity, how did you find out about our web cam?
Have a great day, and God Bless you and the entire crew of the USS Mispillion for your dedicated service to our Country!
Out of curiosity, how did you find out about our web cam?
Have a great day, and God Bless you and the entire crew of the USS Mispillion for your dedicated service to our Country!
Dana Nunes
Customer Service
Western Dovetail, Inc
Customer Service
Western Dovetail, Inc
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I am on a train right now, can communicate better later. We have a whole website about the Mispillions last voyage google ‘navy oilers’ and look for the Mispillion page. A link to you is there. You have done a huge service to the Mispillion with that webcam! If you can forward this message with yours to Steve Dengler, on my orginal email, hell let folks know. I.d love if you could call me — there is far more to this story.
best regards,
Chris Munson
USS Mispillion, Ship’s Boy
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Chris
The pigeon is leaving today (that’s the sub tender in the next dry-dock) Thanks for the heads-up on the camera, I didn’t even know it wasn’t working until you let us know. We will get the uploads going again, and I’ll try to get my hi-res camera going tonight so you can see the ship in smooth HD time lapse, once I upload it to You-Tube. I’ll also start uploading some more photos of the activity around here lately for your enjoyment. I would love to get more info on the “Story” so I can include it on my blog and as part of the documentary I am putting together.
Max Hunter
President
Western Dovetail
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President
Western Dovetail
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Max,
Wow, you guys are amazing!!!! Already you have brought such joy to members who cannot make the journey to Mare Island for one last look. Copied on this email is Capt. Vern Bouman, who runs the website Navy Oilers, and Steve Dengler, all-around good guy. And the Queen of the Mispillion, Penny Koontz, who is on the last voyage page also. Or google ‘mispillion last voyage’, you’ll get right there, with a page about me, too! You and Vern should communicate, Vern likely will imbed your web feed onto the Last Voyage page, and Steve will take care of alerting the crew when all is running. We don’t know the refloat date, but we THINK the tug Kirsten Grace, from Louisiana, is about to arrive for the tow back to Brownsville. I am on travel, and soon will not have a computer, only mobile email, but will try to stay in touch. We are incredibly grateful for your help _ the ship has a 60 years history, and many members somewhat in greif over these last days. All of this is helping with closure. I would love to talk with you, and personally thank you, Dana and Kevin for jumping on this. Please call me when you can, And again our thanks, from the crew and Queen of the USS Mispillion.
CHRIS MUNSON
Ships Boy
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Hi Max
My link to you webcam is at: http://navy.memorieshop.com/Mispillion/Last-Voyage/First-Aboard.html
The main page is http://navy.memorieshop.com/Mispillion/Last-Voyage/
I hope I get a view of the Pigeon as I will start a page on her also
You have some good goals
Vern Bouwman
Bothell, WA
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Max, Vern;
I am emailing you guys so you can connect and exchange info.
Max, Vern’s website for the Mighty Miss is at:
Vern, Max is collecting photos and video of Mispillion at Mare Island. Maybe you guys can figure a way to get them on Vern’s site, and on Facebook with appropriate credits. Mispillion also has her own website at http://www.ussmispillion.com/ We probably will have our webmaster create a Last Voyage photo album there.
All this has come about because drawer.com set up a webcam at the dry-dock, and I stumbled into it with Mispillion right in the middle of the frame. What a world! Today I spoke with Jessica York of the Vallejo Times Herald, she is going to write a piece about Mispillion, it will be out probably late this week.
We still don’t know the name of the tug. We thought it was Kirsten Grace, but it’s not she is there for the Pigeon. We hope to contact the tug’s skipper and get position reports, etc. during the last voyage to Brownsville, TX. There are a lot of guys watching our old ship in her last days, thanks to the drawer.com cam and Vern’s work. So well done all hands, and keep it up! Mispillion is a happy ship, with many good memories that will long out-last her.
With Sincere Appreciation to you folks at drawer.com and the Times Herald,
CHRIS MUNSON
USS Mispillion
Ship’s Boy
Chris Munson
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Hello Max
In your photos at Mare Island Dry docks, did you happen to take some of the Submarine Tender USS Pigeon ASR-21?
Attached is a photo that includes her on the right, with the Blue and White Tug “Kirsten Grace that is scheduled to pull out this morning.
I talked to the Tug Captain John Joberb yesterday and he will try and take photos of the tow along the trip south.
Capt. Pat Moloney will take a photo after they pass under the Golden Gate.
The next photos will be taken In Panama like these: http://taluga.usnavyoilers.com/Tug-Boats/Miraflores-8-21.html.
I don’t have anyone in Texas to photos but there will be for USS Mispillion AO-105, like these: http://taluga.usnavyoilers.com/Brownsville/
Vern Bouwman
Bothell Washington.
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Good morning Dana and Max,
We have had our eyes glued to your webcam, and to http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/# watching for tugs to arrive for the last voyage, nothing so far. Nor have our local spies come up with anything. Have you folks heard anything? We did see Kirsten Grace haul off with Pigeon, then it’s been pretty quiet.
Regards,
CHRIS
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Hi Max
You didn’t happen to get a photo of the tug that will tow Mispillion away with this morning did you?
She is named Elsbeth II and has a second control house up at the top of her mast.
This has been a wonderful couple of weeks for me.
There a story about the Pyro also. She was pulled out of Suisun Fleet way back in 2006 and moored
across the way in Concord Ammo yards. I don’t what happened there but just last year she was put
by herself down river from the fleet. I won’t be following her though. I have to get some sleep.
Perhaps we will work together again.
Vern Bouwman
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See photo from above bridge http://navy.memorieshop.com/Mispillion/Last-Voyage/index.html#Pat
Click it to see large image. J
Vern
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Hi Guys
I have a game for you. The game is created by son and his two partners, he is the engineer who make the game work.
Because of his company I can create all the web pages I want to. The games are family games and your scores are compared with all players around the world. The company is doing well.
These are scenes you see on the screen.
That’s right, they are tug boats and barges.
Download this game – or other games http://www.hipsoft.com/
This game is at http://www.hipsoft.com/oe.jsp
Have fun – VERN
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Thanks Jessica for the fine write up into today’s addition. http://www.timesheraldonline.com/ci_19841734
I will have more fine photos of the Mispillion passing under the Golden Gate Bridge shortly.
They were taken by Captain Patrick Moloney who served aboard Mispillion back in 1979.
Pat is now master of Jeremiah O’Brien now in dry dock. http://navy.memorieshop.com/Jeremiah-Obrien/
This is my link in the Bay Area. http://navy.memorieshop.com/World-Ports/BayArea/
I will be following more ships through Mare Island Drydocks when my ship comes out of the fleet but for a different reason.
It is planned to have her, USS Kawishiwi AO-146, to reefed off Dana Point. CA
Vern Bouwman
Bothell, WA
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Max
Did you have fun putting that together or what! Thanks so much, our ship never looked better, It’s a last, long, lingering look – I wish my Dad could see it. I put the link on the Mispillion Crew FaceBook, and also on the message board of the ship’s website.
The next time we’ll see her is locking thru the Panama Canal, which has a number of webcams. Then its on to Brownsville, and I really don’t want to see what that looks like.
Thanks on behalf of all of us – Well Done!
CHRIS
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Max, I am at a loss for words. Thank you so much for this wonderful video. I was crew for 2 years 1971-1973. You have created a wonderful tribute to Mispillion and I along with the rest of the crew thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
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Max: On behalf of all of us who served on the Mispillion, Bravo Zulu. (Outstanding Job) I’ve been very fortunate to be able to spend time out at Mare Island the last few weeks. I was one of the crew that was able to go on board. Thank you very much for your efforts. I’m sure you made us all very happy. Thanks again Mike Holmes, RD2 – 1967
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Max, I cannot thank you enough for the video that you shot of the Mispillion. I was on her from 1962 – 1965. The last cruise I made on her was from Long Beach, CA to Toledo, OH. There she was cun in half just ahead of the engine room, and an additional 100 feet was added to her. She watched me grow from an imature boy to a man, and I owe her my life an all that I am. As an aside, I spent 4 or 5 months going to crypto school at Mare Island Navel Ship Yard. in 1963 I think. A bunch of us were put on tugs for the launch of, I think it was, the USS Woodrow Wilson SSBN 624. We were there to stop the hippies from San Francisco from lying in the ways to stop the launch. I will never forget, they gave me Thompson Machinegun with NO ammo. I would have rather had a club. You have no idea how much the video you made means to the sailors that had the privlidge to serve on Mispillion. She is special to all of us.
Gary Jones
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THANX so much for the video work on the USS Mispillion!!! Bruce Hevner DC2 aboard my whole enlistment 1970-1973
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Hi Max
You have really enhanced the Final Voyage of the Mispillion Event. That Video is Fantastic.
I am not into the new technologies. I’m too old to tackle them. I don’t even use a cell phone.
When the ship I served on comes through you might want to do the same thing. I think I mentioned this before.
She is the USS Kawishiwi AO-146 and is scheduled to be the first Oiler ever reefed on purpose.
You have performed a great service for our veterans who miss their ships very much.
They commented that they wished the number 105 had not been removed so on one page I put it back on.
Thank your crew also for their work. When do you have time to make drawers?
Vern Bouwman
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Man, you have us old guys just going nuts……….there are crew in your area who would love to come by and jaw about Mispillion. Including Capt. Pat Mahoney of SS O’Brien, http://navy.memorieshop.com/Kawishiwi/Moloney/index.html he was Mispillion’s 2nd mate at some point. Now he commands a live Liberty ship! He grabbed the shots from the Golden Gate Bridge: http://www.navy.memorieshop.com/Mispillion/Last-Voyage/Golden-Gate.html
One suggestion, looking ahead. Almost every ship has a website and active veteran group. IF you know a ship is coming thru Mare, you could find their website and post a note about your cam. Vern Bouwman is likely to know the groups as well, he is all over the place. You put the word out and they will show up.
More later, taxes have befouled my shore as well.
CHRIS
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Shipmate Max,
you did us all an honor with the video!
The ship’s spirit lives on and we have a video of her last days. Thanks for the terrific video.
Dave Farmer RD3 1967-1969
?
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Max I have to thank you for all the great work you do but especially the job you did on the USS Mispillion. You have touch every heart of her shipmates and made her departure much more bearable. Keep up the great work and welcome aboard as a honorary Shipmate! Dave Farmer RD3 1967-1969 USS Mispillion AO-105
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Hi Max
I placed a link to the Mispillion video on: http://www.usnavyoilers.com/
On the page to follow the tow, I will also note where the Pigeon is with a pink dot.
Vern
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I finally added links on the maps to, Brownsville, Panama, and San Francisco
Notice that end part of link “#Map” takes you directly to the map.
On the Brownville page I added the two ships with guess in what month they will arrive. J
Vern
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