Posted: 4/24/2014 4:48:45 PM EDT
Why was this awesomeness retired ?
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Now that we have direct energy weapons on ships I say "Bring back the battleships!" |
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I have been on several BBs - The Iowa, Massachusetts and North Carolina.
When we upgraded the Iowa and I think the MO in the 70's or 80's - we never touched the fire control system for the 16" guns. It worked so well and was so far ahead of anything else out there - it was left alone. Too much asbestos and miles of wiring that no-one can maintain anymore. Still pretty cool ships. The Iowa is in Long Beach. |
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Great ships, but too expensive to maintain, they were having to pull spare parts off of other museum battleships to try to keep them running. The shift was already underway from massive bombardment to precision strikes. Heck, the Army no longer has 8" howitzers, either... From what some Navy guys on here have said, they COULDN'T install many of the newer upgrades because there was no cost-effective way to provide the required air conditioning or network connections. |
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I remember the Mighty Mo (USS Missouri) pulling into Subic Bay, Philippines while I was stationed there doing jungle patrols. I was a Lance Corporal (E3) Jungle Patrol Leader and for 3 days my call for fire support was the Mighty Mo.........a heady feeling of power! Knowing that if my ass got on the radio, a battlewagon would launch a shit-ton of hurt my way.
Before she left, we got to see her fire a broadside onto one of our training beaches at night. Awesome! |
I say we build a new class of battleships... 12 16"/50caliber guns, in deck missile launchers, and nuclear powered. We'll call it the "Fuck You" class, and it will have 4 ships. The USS Fuck You, the USS Burn in Hell, the USS Suck It, and the USS Die in a Fire. Assign them to carrier battle groups for protection, and send them wherever we need to to scare the shit out of our enemies. History repeats itself after all, so we'll have need of them when the next massive sea battle breaks out. 
Hey, a guy can dream, can't he? 
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One of the most impressive church services I've ever experienced was on board the Iowa while it was docked in the Norfolk Navy Yard.
The Navy had organized a trip for Boy Scouts in the '50s with future recruiting in mind. Services under the forward 16" gun mount were really impressive to this kid. |
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Quoted:
One of the most impressive church services I've ever experienced was on board the Iowa while it was docked in the Norfolk Navy Yard. The Navy had organized a trip for Boy Scouts in the '50s with future recruiting in mind. Services under the forward 16" gun mount were really impressive to this kid. Check out The Simpsons episode titled "Join The NAVY" |
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Quoted:
I remember the Mighty Mo (USS Missouri) pulling into Subic Bay, Philippines while I was stationed there doing jungle patrols. I was a Lance Corporal (E3) Jungle Patrol Leader and for 3 days my call for fire support was the Mighty Mo.........a heady feeling of power! Knowing that if my ass got on the radio, a battlewagon would launch a shit-ton of hurt my way. Before she left, we got to see her fire a broadside onto one of our training beaches at night. Awesome! Oh yeah Big Mo may she rest until we need her mighty guns again ! |
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Quoted: I say we build a new class of battleships... 12 16"/50caliber guns, in deck missile launchers, and nuclear powered. We'll call it the "Fuck You" class, and it will have 4 ships. The USS Fuck You, the USS Burn in Hell, the USS Suck It, and the USS Die in a Fire. Assign them to carrier battle groups for protection, and send them wherever we need to to scare the shit out of our enemies. History repeats itself after all, so we'll have need of them when the next massive sea battle breaks out. Hey, a guy can dream, can't he? Need a fifth, the USS Fuck Off and Die, think of it, a BBNG.
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