Monday, January 8, 2018

The USS Cavalla and the USS Stewart


Most of you know, I'm a fan of history and of the military. The Navy has been a target of my interest first because of the TV show JAG that aired from 1995 to 2005 and second because Sonshine is currently serving.

Because our ship, the Liberty of the Seas, was late returning to port the day we were supposed to leave, DH and I found ourselves with some unexpected free time. Seawolf Park and the above named ships turned up with a quick search of "things to do in Galveston." So off we went.

The USS Cavalla is a Gato-class submarine that served admirably during WWII and beyond. She was decommissioned just a few days before my birth.

The USS Stewart is an Edsall class destroyer escort that served from November '42 to October '72. It's the only one of its class to be preserved.

We toured both ships during our extra few hours in Galveston and wow. The conditions our sailors lived and live under when at sea are cold and cramped and most of us would be crying for our mommas. Even if you don't believe in the mission of the military, blessings and respect are due to every single man or woman who chooses to serve and protect in pretty mean / lean conditions.

Without further ado, here are a few photos I took of both ships.

The USS Cavalla--view from the rear of the boat.

Look at those bunks -- in the forward torpedo room!

Me in the crew's common area.

Looking into a torpedo tube...

To see all the photos I took of the USS Cavalla, click here.

Crew toilets. Yikes!

The ship's store--basically the size of a closet with shelves on three sides and a chair in the center. There's a cash register just on the left.

Those big vats are still used by the military for cooking to this day!

To see all the pictures of the USS Stewart, click here.

Have a great weekend.


No comments: