Got up this morning and it was overcast and cool (which was nice for a change). It stayed that way all day - awesome day for feeling the wind. Rode out of Milford, Connecticut and rode down the road a piece. We stopped for gas and figured that it just wasn't right riding on a growling belly, so we filled both our tanks and our bellys at one time.
Rode on 95 up to Groton, Connecticut. Man, Connecticut was NOTHING like JP and I would have thought! Awesome country up there ya'll!!! Just watch out for the wildlife - I must have seen at LEAST a half dozen deer yesterday at dusk and a fresh roadkill today. Sure is nice country though!!!!
Went to to Submarine Musuem.....
And saw the Nautilus - the first nuclear powered submarine and the first sub to go under the north pole.....
History Lesson: USS Nautilus (SSN-571) was the world's first operational nuclear-powered submarine and the first vessel to complete a submerged transit across the North Pole.
In July 1951 the US Congress authorized the construction of a nuclear-powered submarine for the U.S. Navy, which was planned and personally supervised by Admiral Hyman G. Rickover, known as the "Father of the Nuclear Navy." On 12 December 1951 the U.S. Department of the Navy announced that the submarine would be called Nautilus—the fourth U.S. Navy vessel officially so named - and would carry the hull number SSN-571.
Nautilus's keel was laid at General Dynamics' Electric Boat Division in Groton, Connecticut by Harry S. Truman, President of the United States, on 14 June 1952, and the ship was designed by John Burnham. She was christened on 21 January 1954 and launched into the Thames River, sponsored by Mamie Eisenhower, the wife of Truman's successor Dwight D. Eisenhower. Nautilus was commissioned on 30 September 1954, under the command of Commander Eugene P. Wilkinson, USN.
Nautilus was powered by the S2W naval reactor, a pressurized water reactor produced for the U.S. Navy by Westinghouse Electric Corporation.
At 11:00 hours on 17 January 1955 she put to sea for the first time and signalled her historic message: "Underway on nuclear power."
On 25 April 1958, she was underway again for the West Coast, now commanded by Commander William R. Anderson, USN. Stopping at San Diego, San Francisco, and Seattle, she began her history-making polar transit, operation "Sunshine," as she departed the latter port 9 June. On 19 June she entered the Chukchi Sea, but was turned back by deep draft ice in those shallow waters. On 28 June she arrived at Pearl Harbor to await better ice conditions. By 23 July her wait was over and she set a course northward. She submerged in the Barrow Sea Valley on 1 August and on 3 August, at 2315 (EDST) she became the first watercraft to reach the geographic North Pole. From the North Pole, she continued on and after 96 hours and 2,945 km (1,590 nmi) under the ice, she surfaced northeast of Greenland, having completed the first successful submerged voyage across the North Pole. The technical details of this mission were planned by scientists from the Naval Electronics Laboratory including Dr. Waldo Lyon who accompanied Nautilus as chief scientist and ice pilot.
The trip beneath the ice cap was an important boost to America as the Soviets had recently launched Sputnik but had no nuclear submarine of their own. During the address announcing the journey the president mentioned that one day nuclear cargo submarines might use that route for trade.
On 2 May 1966, Nautilus returned to her home-port to resume operations with the Atlantic Fleet, and at some point that spring, logged her 300,000th mile (555,600 km) underway. For the next year and a quarter she conducted special operations for ComSubLant and then in August 1967, returned to Portsmouth, for another year's stay, following which she conducted exercises off the southeastern seaboard. She returned to New London in December 1968.
In the spring of 1979, Nautilus set out from Groton, Connecticut on her final voyage. She reached Mare Island Naval Shipyard of Vallejo, California on 26 May 1979 — her last day underway. She was decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 3 March 1980.
The musuem and touring the Sub are well worth it and the entire thing is free.
Then we shot through Rhode Island - another state that was NOTHING like what we expected and another beautiful state. We live in flat coastal areas and I guess we thought this is what those states would look like - NOPE! Nice hills and trees - true well kept secrets of riding I reckon.
We crossed over into Massachusetts and continued on I-95 up to Boston. Traffic was bad at times but it was because of broken down cars or bus. Again, another state that was nothing like we expected. Rock cliffs next to the road going into Boston was not what we expected.
We stopped and checked out the USS Constitution. This was awesome. They are doing a lot of work on her getting her ready for 2012 - 200 years since the war of 1812 when she got her name, "Old Ironsides".
Great tour! Since she is still a commissioned naval ship (the oldest still sailing in the world), the tour is given by enlisted naval personnel (dressed in 1812 uniforms). All of it is free (except the parking which is going to cost you $12 - $15). The same is true of Independance Hall in Philly.
History Lesson: USS Constitution is a wooden-hulled, three-masted heavy frigate of the United States Navy. Named after the Constitution of the United States of America by President George Washington, she is the oldest commissioned naval vessel afloat in the world. Constitution, launched in 1797, was one of the six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794. Joshua Humphreys designed these frigates to be the Navy's capital ships, and so Constitution and her sisters were larger and more heavily armed and built than the standard frigates of the period. Built in Boston, Massachusetts at Edmund Hartt's shipyard, her first duty with the newly formed United States Navy was to provide protection for American merchant shipping during the Quasi War with France and to defeat the Barbary pirates in the First Barbary War.
Her most famous era of naval warfare was the War of 1812 against Great Britain, when she captured numerous merchant ships and defeated five British warships: HMS Guerriere, HMS Java, HMS Pictou, HMS Cyane and HMS Levant. The battle with Guerriere earned her the nickname of "Old Ironsides" and public adoration that has repeatedly saved her from scrapping. She continued to actively serve the nation as flagship in the Mediterranean and African squadrons and circled the world in the 1840s. During the American Civil War she served as a training ship for the United States Naval Academy and carried artwork and industrial displays to the Paris Exposition of 1878. Retired from active service in 1881, she served as a receiving ship until designated a museum ship in 1907. In 1931 she started a three year 90-port tour of the nation and in 1997 she finally sailed again under her own power for her 200th birthday.
The Naval Act of 1794 provided for the construction of four ships carrying forty-four guns each, and two ships carrying thirty-six guns each. Constitution was the third of the forty-four gun frigates to be completed, and was given her name by President George Washington. Her keel was laid down on 1 November 1794 at Edmund Hartt's shipyard in Boston, Massachusetts, under the supervision of Captain Samuel Nicholson and naval constructor George Claghorn. Primary materials used in her construction were white pine, longleaf pine, white oak, and, most importantly, southern live oak, which was cut and milled at Gascoigne Bluff in St. Simons, Georgia. Southern live oak, a particularly dense wood, can weigh up to 75 lb (34 kg) per cubic foot (1,201 kg/m3). Constitution's hull was built 21 inches (530 mm) thick in an era when 18 inches (460 mm) was common. Her vertical hull ribbing was placed 2 in (51 mm) apart instead of the standard 24 in (610 mm). Her length between perpendiculars was 175 ft (53 m), with a 204 ft (62 m) length overall and a width of 45 ft 2 in (13.8 m). In total, 60 acres (24.28 ha) of trees were needed for her construction.[8] Paul Revere forged the copper bolts and breasthooks. The copper sheathing installed to prevent shipworm was imported from England.
Though listed as a 44-gun frigate, Constitution's rating was meant only as an approximation, and she would often carry over 50 guns at a time. The guns and cannons were designed to be completely portable and often were exchanged between ships as situations warranted. Each commanding officer outfitted armaments to his liking, taking into consideration factors such as the overall tons of cargo, complements of personnel onboard, and planned routes to be sailed. Consequently, the armaments on Constitution changed many times during her career, and records of the changes were not generally kept.
During the War of 1812, Constitution's battery of guns typically consisted of thirty 24-pounder cannons, divided to 15 on each side of the gun deck. Twenty-two 32-pounder carronades on the spar deck divided to 11 on each side. Four chase guns would also be positioned, two each at the stern and bow. Twelve men and a powder boy were required to operate each gun. Some men were designated to take stations as boarders, to man the bilge pumps, or to fight fire as needed. Guns were normally manned on the engaged side only; if a ship engaged two opponents, gun crews had to be divided. All of the guns were capable of using several different kinds of projectiles: round shot, bar shot, chain shot, grape shot and heated shot. Each gun was mounted on a wooden gun carriage controlled by an arrangement of rope and tackle. The Captain ordered the gun crews to either open fire together in a single broadside, or allowed each crew to fire-at-will as the target came close alongside. The gun captain pulled the lanyard to trip the flintlock which sent a spark into the pan. The ignited powder in the pan sent a flame through the priming tube to set off the powder charge in the gun and hurl its projectile at the enemy. The marine detachment onboard were the naval infantry that manned the fighting tops, armed with rifles to fire down onto the decks of the enemy ship.
This was the crew's quarters.
And the officer's quarters.
Then we got to see the monument at Bunker Hill.
History Lesson: The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on June 17, 1775 on Breed's Hill, during the Siege of Boston early in the American Revolutionary War. Because most of the fighting did not occur on Bunker Hill itself, the conflict is sometimes more accurately (though less frequently) called the Battle of Breed's Hill.
On June 13, the leaders of the besieging colonial forces learned that the British generals in Boston were planning to occupy the unoccupied hills around Boston. In response to this intelligence, 1,200 colonial troops under the command of William Prescott stealthily occupied Bunker Hill and Breed's Hill, constructed an earthen redoubt on Breed's Hill, and built lightly fortified lines across most of the Charlestown Peninsula.
When the British were alerted to the presence of the new position the next day, they mounted an attack against them. After two assaults on the Colonial lines were repulsed with significant British casualties, the British finally captured the positions on the third assault, after the defenders in the redoubt ran out of ammunition. The Colonial forces retreated to Cambridge over Bunker Hill, suffering their most significant losses on Bunker Hill.
While the result was a victory for the British, they suffered their greatest losses of the entire war: over 800 wounded and 226 killed, including a notably large number of officers. Their immediate objective (the capture of Bunker Hill) was achieved, but did not significantly alter the state of siege. It did, however, demonstrate that relatively inexperienced Colonial forces were willing and able to stand up to well-trained troops in a pitched battle.
We were going to check out the graves of Paul Revere, Samual Adams and John Hancock, see the old state house and Paul Revere's house, but the weather came in on top of us and we decided it might be prudent to get a room, so we sailed up to Salem, Massachusetts for the evening. I figured I could visit with some of my ex wife's relatives or something.
I am glad we did because it is raining outside now and JP and I are warm, dry and enjoying a post ride cocktail.
Oh yeah, also berthed with the USS Constitution was the destroyer, USS Casin Young which was hit by two kamikazi's during WWII.
History Lesson: USS Cassin Young (DD-793), a Fletcher-class destroyer, was a ship of the United States Navy named for Captain Cassin Young (1894-1942), who was awarded the Medal of Honor after Pearl Harbor and killed in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. Cassin Young (DD-793) was launched 12 September 1943 by Bethlehem Steel Corp., San Pedro, California; sponsored by Mrs. C. Young; and commissioned 31 December 1943, Commander E. T. Schrieber in command.
Cassin Young arrived at Pearl Harbor 19 March 1944 to complete her training before sailing on to Manus, where she joined the massive Fast Carrier Task Force (then called TF 58, at other times called TF 38, depending on whether the overall organization was called 5th Fleet or 3rd Fleet). On 28 April, this force sortied for air attacks on Japanese strongholds at Truk, Woleai, Satawan, and Ponape, during which Cassin Young operated as picket ship, assigned to warn her group of possible enemy counterattack.
She returned to Majuro, and then Pearl Harbor for further training before reporting to Eniwetok 11 June to join the screen of escort carriers assigned to covering duty in the invasion of Saipan 4 days later. In addition to radar picket and screening duty, she was also called upon for inshore fire support. As the battle for Saipan raged ashore, escort carriers of Cassin Young's group launched attacks on the island, as well as sorties to neutralize enemy air fields on Tinian, Rota, and Guam. Similar operations supporting the subsequent assaults on Tinian and Guam claimed the services of Cassin Young until 13 August, when she returned to Eniwetok to replenish.
Between 29 August and 2 October 1944, Cassin Young guarded the carriers of Task Group 38.3 as strikes were flown from their decks to hit targets on Palau, Mindanao, and Luzon in support of the assault on the Palaus, stepping-stone to the Philippines. Only 4 days after her return from this mission to Ulithi, Cassin Young sailed on 6 October with the same force on duty in the accelerated schedule for the Philippines assault. First on the schedule were air strikes on Okinawa, Luzon, and Formosa; these led to the furious Formosa Air Battle of 10 to 13 October, during which the Japanese tried to destroy the carrier strength of the imposing TF 38. On 14 October, Reno was struck by a kamikaze, which wounded five of Cassin Young's men with machine gun fire. Cassin Young aided in shooting down several aircraft in this attack.
On 18 October 1944, TF 38 took position east of Luzon to launch strikes immobilizing enemy air fields there in preparation for the assault on Leyte 2 days later. After standing by to render support if called upon during the initial landings, Cassin Young's group began to search for the enemy forces known to be moving toward Leyte Gulf on 23 October, and next day moved in toward San Bernardino Strait, ready to launch strikes. In the most vigorous and successful air attack mounted by the Japanese during the Leyte operation, at 0938 on 24 October, an enemy bomb struck Princeton, and Cassin Young rejoined TG 38.3 for the dash northward to attack the Japanese Northern Force. This developed on 25 October into the Battle off Cape Engaño, a series of air strikes in which four Japanese carriers and a destroyer were sunk.
Cassin Young continued operations in support of the Leyte conquest, as her carriers continued to range widely, striking at enemy bases on Okinawa, Formosa, and Luzon. With Ulithi as her base, the destroyer screened carriers through January 1945 as their aircraft pounded away at Formosa, Luzon, Camranh Bay, Hong Kong, Canton, and the Nansei Shoto in their support for the assault on Luzon. A brief overhaul at Ulithi prepared her for the operations supporting the invasion of Iwo Jima with air strikes on Honshū and Okinawa, the bombardment of Parece Vela, and screening off Iwo Jima itself during the initial assault on 19 February.
USS Cassin Young in Boston, MassachusettsAnother brief respite at Ulithi preceded her deployment for the Okinawa operation, for which she sailed from Ulithi 22 March 1945. After screening heavy ships in the massive pre-invasion bombardment, Cassin Young moved inshore to support the activities of underwater demolition teams preparing the beaches. On invasion day itself, 1 April, the destroyer offered fire support in the assault areas, then took up radar picket duty. On 6 April, Cassin Young endured her first kamikaze attacks with which the Japanese gambled on defeating the Okinawa operation. Cassin Young rescued the survivors of two nearby destroyers that were sunk.
On 12 April, it was Cassin Young's turn, when a massive wave of kamikazes came in at midday. Her accurate gunfire had aided in shooting down five aircraft, but a sixth crashed high-up into her foremast, exploding in midair only 50 feet (15 m) from the ship. Casualties were light; only one man was killed and one other wounded. Cassin Young, although damaged, made Kerama Retto under her own power. After repairs there and at Ulithi, she returned to Okinawa 31 May, and resumed radar picket duty.
As the kamikaze attacks continued, Cassin Young had respite only during two brief convoy escort voyages to the Marianas. On 28 July, her group was again a prime target for the Japanese, with one destroyer sunk and another badly damaged by kamikazes. During the engagement, Cassin Young assisted in shooting down two enemy aircraft, and rescued survivors from the sunken ship. The next day, she was struck for the second time, when a low-flying aircraft hit her starboard side, striking her fire control room. A tremendous explosion amidships was followed by fire, but the crew managed to restore power to one engine, get the flames under control, and had the ship underway for the safety of Kerama Retto within 20 minutes. Twenty-two men were killed and 45 wounded. For her determined service and gallantry in the Okinawa radar picket line she was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation.
For dinner, we found this place (YOU GOTTA EAT HERE IF YOU ARE IN THE AREA) - Sylvan Street Resteraunt. AWESOME PLACE! Best meal we have had yet. The entire meal was PERFECT!!!!! Service was great. Awesome, awesome place!
Tomorrow, I reckon we will see the Salem Witch Musuem (to meet up with my ex in laws) and see the Mariner Musuem and House of the 7 Gables or something - weather permitting. Then it is off to find the elusive MONSTER MUDBUG!!!!!
So far, we have rolled about 2300 miles (and stayed in the same place for 3 days) and have enjoyed the sights and sounds of all but New Hampshie, Vermont and Maine. We are still having a ball ya'll !!!!!!
