TO ALL THOSE WISHING TO SAVE AN ADAMS CLASS DDG.
THE ADAMS DDG-2, THE LAWRENCE DDG-4, OR THE BARNEY DDG-6,

I HAVE BEEN THE ONE SENDING MOST OF THE EMAILS SINCE MAY 2002 TO THE ADAMS CLASS DDG CONFEDERATION AND TO ANYONE ELSE WHO SHOWED EVEN A SMALL AMOUNT OF INTEREST IN SAVING ONE OF THE REMAINING ADAMS CLASS DDGs.

<b><font size="2">AT NO TIME DID I KNOWINGLY SEND FALSE OR MISLEADING INFORMATION TO ANYONE.</font id="size2"></b>

IN THE BEGINNING, GETTING ANY INFORMATION ABOUT SAVING AN ADAMS CLASS DDG WAS LIKE FINDING AN ENEMY SUB WITH YOUR SONAR TURNED OFF.

IN THE BEGINNING I KNEW ONLY OF THE SAGINAW VALLEY GROUP. EMAILS TO THEM WENT UNANSWERED. ALONG THE WAY SOMEONE GAVE ME A PHONE NUMBER FOR MIKE KEGLEY AND EVEN A CALL TO HIM SHED LITTLE LIGHT ON HOW THOSE OF US OUTSIDE HIS ORGANIZATION COULD JOIN THE EFFORT. ALL I EVER GOT WAS "SEND US SOME MONEY." SEVERAL OF OUR CONFEDERATION MEMBERS HAVE TOLD MUCH THE SAME STORY.

AFTER LEARNING OF THE EFFORT BY THE BARNEY GROUP, I SENT EMAILS TO BOTH THE BARNEY GROUP AND THE MIAMI-DADE HISTORICAL MARITIME MUSEUM. I DID GET SOME RETURN EMAILS FROM THE BARNEY GROUP BUT NEVER GOT ANY REPLY FROM THE MUSEUM OR ITS FOUNDER AND CHAIR.

WITH THIS LACK OF INFORMATION AS TO HOW I COULD HELP EITHER OF THE GROUPS, I CONTACTED THE WRITER OF AN ARTICLE IN OUR CONFEDERATION NEWSLETTER BACK IN FALL OF 2002. THIS PERSON ANSWERED MANY QUESTIONS AND GAVE ME AN UPDATE, AS HE SAW IT, ON THE STATUS OF THE ADAMS CLASS DDGs IN PHILLY. THIS PERSON IS THE ASSISTANT CURATOR OF A WWII DD WITH MANY YEARS UNDER HIS BELT IN THIS TYPE OF WORK. I DID AND STILL DO BELIEVE THIS MAN GAVE US HIS HONEST EVALUATION OF THE ADAMS CLASS DDGs IN PHILLY.

I ALSO TRADED EMAILS WITH NAVSEA ABOUT RULES, STATUS OF SHIPS, AND HOW MANY GROUPS WERE INVOLVED IN EFFORTS TO SAVE AN ADAMS CLASS DDG. THE PERSON I TRADED EMAILS WITH AND FINALLY HAD A PHONE CONVERSATION WITH APPEARED VERY FRIENDLY AND RECEPTIVE TO MY EMAILS AND PHONE CALL. EACH EMAIL I RECEIVED FROM THIS PERSON ENDED WITH A PHONE NUMBER AND STATED THAT IF I HAD ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS I WAS WELCOME TO CALL THIS PERSON DIRECT.

I STILL HAVE THE EMAIL FROM NAVSEA STATING VERY FIRMLY THAT ONLY THE ADAMS DDG-2 WAS ON DONATION HOLD STATUS AND THAT THE NAVY HAD NO DESIRE TO PLACE ANOTHER ADAMS CLASS SHIP ON DONATION HOLD. I WAS ALSO TOLD BY NAVSEA THAT THE PERSON HEADING THE MIAMI-DADE MUSEUM NO LONGER HAD INTEREST IN THE BARNEY DDG-6.

SO I WILL NOT BE ACCUSED OF GIVING MISLEADING INFORMATION, I WILL SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING. I DO HAVE A COPY OF THE LETTER FROM THE MIAMI-DADE HISTORICAL MUSEUM TO THE BARNEY FOUNDATION DATED MARCH 11, 2003. THIS LETTER STATED THE MUSEUM WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THE BARNEY AS PART OF ITS MUSEUM. THE FACT THAT THE ADAMS DDG-2 WAS THE ADAMS CLASS SHIP ON HOLD AND NOT THE BARNEY WAS NOT ADDRESSED IN THIS LETTER. I WILL ALSO ADD THAT MY EMAIL FROM NAVSEA WAS RECEIVED IN MAY 2003 OR TWO MONTHS AFTER THE LETTER FROM THE MIAMI MUSEUM TO THE BARNEY.

I DO REALIZE JUST AS ALL OF YOU DO THAT THE SAGINAW VALLEY GROUP HAS GIVEN THE ADAMS CLASS CONFEDERATION A VERY SLIPPERY DECK ON WHICH TO STAND. OVER THE MANY MONTHS I HAVE BEEN PART OF THIS EFFORT, I HAVE HAD MORE THAN ONE PERSON EMAIL ME STATING THAT THEY THOUGHT THE NAVY WAS GROWING IMPATIENT WITH THE SLOWNESS OF THE SAGINAW VALLEY EFFORT. I BELIEVE AS DO MANY OTHERS THAT THE SAGINAW VALLEY GROUP AS A WHOLE HAD GOOD INTENTIONS BUT THEY MAY HAVE HAD POOR LEADERSHIP. I STILL WISH THEM THE BEST OF LUCK IN ACQUIRING THE USS EDSON IF THAT IS INDEED THEIR CURRENT GOAL. I WISH EVEN MORE LUCK TO THE FORMER CREW OF THE USS EDSON IN PUTTING TOGETHER THEIR ORGANIZATION AND SAVING THEIR SHIP.

I WILL STAND BY THE INFORMATION I HAVE COLLECTED IN THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS AS BEING WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE THE HONEST TRUTH. IF I HAVE BEEN LIED TO BY ANYONE THEN I REGRET PASSING ON THOSE LIES.

MY ATTEMPT ALL ALONG HAS BEEN TO STIR UP THE POT AND SEE WHAT CAME TO THE SURFACE. TIME IS NOT ON OUT SIDE AND I FELT THAT SOME OF US WERE JUST STANDING AROUND WAITING FOR THE OTHER GUY TO MAKE A MOVE.

FROM ALL THE INFORMATION I HAVE RECEIVED, FROM MANY DIFFERENT SOURCES, I STILL FEEL THE FORMER USS ADAMS DDG-2 IS THE BEST OVER ALL SHIP AND IS THE ONE THE ADAMS CLASS CONFEDERATION SHOULD PUT IT'S SUPPORT BEHIND. JUST BEING IN MAINTENANCE CATEGORY "X" SINCE SHE WAS PUT ON DONATION HOLD HAS GIVEN THE ADAMS AN EDGE OVER HER OTHER TWO SISTERS THE LAWRENCE DDG-4 AND THE BARNEY DDG-6.

WITHIN THE LAST 24 HOURS I WAS PASSED AN EMAIL FROM A GROUP WORKING ON A SUB THE USS TORSK. THIS IS WHAT THEY SAW JUST THREE MONTHS AGO IN PHILLY.
<font color="red">
Hi NAME REMOVED (and others.)
>
> Our last visit to Philly was in October of 2003. We
> didn't spend much time aboard the CF ADAMS class
> ships. We were on board Barney for a few minutes to
> look for a radio room safe and a couple other small
> items. She hasn't changed much since the previous
> visit (April 2003) and looks pretty much the same as
> the photos I sent you a while back.
>
> Lawrence is in similar condition as Barney. Both
> show some signs of interior leakage, primarily back
> aft near the Emergency Diesel room. The deck plates
> outside the Emergeny Diesel compartment, as well as
> in the shops around it, are rusted fairly badly.
> Equipment throughout both ships has been smashed up
> pretty badly, such as sonar gear, bridge equipment
> (what is left after decomissioning) and radio.
> Engineering wasn't in very bad condition.
>
> We didn't get to go aboard ADAMS herself, due to the
> fact she is on donation hold and off limits.
> Externally, she looks worse than the rest of them,
> for some reason. I may have a photo of ADAMS from
> October, as well as Luce and another ADAMS Class. If
> you're interested, let me know and I will check to
> see if I have them.
>
> Hope this helps </font id="red">

THIS LATEST INFORMATION FROM AN OUTSIDE SOURCE SEEMS TO ADD TO EARLIER STATEMENTS THAT THE ADAMS IS THE BEST OF THE LOT.

<font color="blue">I HAD THIS FINISHED AND READY TO SEND ON TUESDAY NIGHT AND HAD A PROBLEM SENDING IT AND NOW I'M GLAD I CAN ADD SOME MORE.

A LOT OF YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT TELLING MIKE KEGLEY WHAT WE AS A CONFEDERATION THINK OF HIS HANDLING OF THE SWITCH TO ANOTHER SHIP AFTER RAISING MONEY IN THE NAME OF THE USS ADAMS DDG-2.

SEVERAL OF YOU WANT MONEY GIVEN TO THE SVNSM BY INDIVIDUALS OR SHIP ASSOCIATIONS TO BE RETURNED OR FORWARDED TO THE ADAMS CLASS DDG CONFEDERATION.

I AGREE ON BOTH COUNTS!! HOWEVER THERE IS NO CONFEDERATION AND THERE NEVER WILL BE AND WE WILL NEVER SAVE AN ADAMS CLASS DDG IF WE DO NOT QUIT TALKING AND PUT SOME ACTION BEHIND OUR WORDS.

I HAVE BEEN ASKED BY A SHIPMATE IF I WOULD BE THE SHIP REP FROM THE USS BUCHANAN AND IF MY SHIP WILL HAVE ME I WILL BE GLAD TO FILL THAT ROLE.

NOW, ASSUMING MY SHIP GIVES THE OK, HERE I AM. WHERE AND WHO ARE THE OTHER 22 REPS FROM DDG-2 THRU DDG-13 AND DDG-15 THRU DDG-24?

WHO IS GOING TO STEP FORWARD AND ACCEPT THE JOB OF CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIRMAN?

WHO OUT THERE WILL STEP FORWARD AND BE OUR LEGAL CONSULTANT?

DOES ANYONE REALLY CARE ABOUT SAVING THE USS ADAMS DDG-2 OR ARE YOU JUST HAVING FUN TYPING ON YOUR COMPUTER.

PUT YOUR ACTIONS WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS, PUT UP OR SHUT UP, RAISE OF FOLD, SH-- OR GET OFF THE POT.

I REALLY WANT TO SEE THIS HAPPEN, I WANT TO WALK AN ADAMS DECK ONCE AGAIN, I WANT TO CHIP PAINT,
REPLACE LIGHT BULBS, AND GIVE A TOUR TO A NJROTC GROUP.

MAKE IT HAPPEN.</font id="blue">

AS ALWAYS, PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO ALL OF THE CREWS ON ALL 23 ADAMS CLASS SHIPS.

TOM CROSSER
USS BUCHANAN DDG-14
ADAMS CLASS DDG CONFEDERATION

<font color="red">From Tom Crosser</font id="red">

TO ALL,
PLEASE PASS THIS TO EVERYONE. AT LEAST ONE PERSON FROM EACH ADAMS CLASS SHIP MUST JOIN IN THIS CHAT. THE VERY IDEA OF SAVING THE ADAMS DDG-2 OR ANY ADAMS CLASS SHIP IS AT STAKE.

DATE: THURSDAY JANUARY 22 AND SATURDAY JANUARY 24

TIME: 1700-1900 PACIFIC TIME

WHERE: AOL INSTANT MESSAGE SITE

WHO: AT LEAST ONE REP FROM ALL 23 ADAMS CLASS DDGs

CONTACT ON AIM: nightartist288

TO ALL,

Late last night or maybe it was early this morning, I sent some final questions of my own to Joe Lombardi. You will need to move back and forth between question and answer.


Tom,

It was a very interesting conversation.

Anyway, I'll try to answer those questions as you posted them:

1.) I believe and I have heard from NAVSEA PMS-333 Ship Donation Office that if someone credible steps forward and proposes a firm scenario with documentation that they would take a serious look at any proposal.

2.) The only piece that would not change from the initial Application would be the vessel's history. All of the other requested data would change due to a changed location. A complete financial analysis, marketing plan, tow plan with coefficients, berthing plan with coefficients, etc. would all change. Those are the meat & potates of the Application. I have all of that data.
I have all of the vessel's plans, Damage Control Book, etc. that Saginaw does not have in their posession.
3.) No.
4.) No, but it is an ongoing event due to the fact that these ships are not maintained and will be shortly scrapped if nobody credible steps up to the plate.
5.) Tom, the answer is yes as you and I have discussed.

Best regards,

Joe Lombardi


>
> JOE,
> SORRY I HAD TO LEAVE THE CHAT EARLY. SOME QUESTION OF MY OWN.
>
> #1-YOU SAID NAVSEA WOULD MOST LIKELY NOT CHANGE FROM ADAMS TO BARNEY, DO YOU
> STILL FEEL THAT WAY?
>
> #2-DO YOU HAVE COPIES OF THE PAPERWORK SUBMITTED BY SAGINAW VALLEY TO NAVSEA
> AND WOULD SOME OF IT JUST NEED MINOR CHANGES IF THE ADAMS CONFEDERATION TOOK
> OVER ON SAVING THE ADAMS?
>
> #3-DID YOU GET TO TELL THE GROUP ABOUT SAVANNA, GEORGIA LOOKING FOR A SHIP?
>
> #4-DOES THE EMAIL FROM THE SUB TORSK GROUP ABOUT THE LEAKS AND THE RUST ON
> BARNEY AND LAWRENCE WORRY YOU AND IS IT POSSIBLE THAT ADAMS IS THE SAME?
>
> #5-IF NAVSEA DECIDES TO KEEP ADAMS ON DONATION HOLD AND IF SAVANNA WOULD
> AGREE TO GIVING THE ADAMS A HOME, CAN MOST IF NOT ALL THE PAPERWORK SUBMITTED TO
> NAVSEA BE REWORKED TO SHOW SAVANNA AS THE NEW HOME FOR ADAMS AT A CHEAPER PRICE
> THAN DOING IT FOR THE BARNEY AND A NEW HOME PORT?
>
> TOM CROSSER
> ADAMS CLASS CONFEDERATION

TO ALL,

AND THEN THERE WERE NONE.

I just got an email from Rich Angelini of the Battleship Cove Museum in Fall River, Mass. The message is very very bad. Here is his message timed and dated today. It contains my email to him yesterday.


Tom,

The email went through fine.

Things are looking bleaker as I just found out that USS Lawrence now has
been transferred to the Metro Machine scrap company.

That means you only have Adams and Barney left. Barney is one of the worst
ships I have seen. Lawrence wasnt too bad but now you HAVE too choose ADAMS
DDG-2.

If you act quickly , you may be able to get parts off Sellers and Lawrence
from the scrapper to put/store on Adams. You also should try and get as
much stuff off Barney as you can and put it on Adams.

You guys really need to make a walk through of DDG-2, note what is missing,
and then try to acquire it from BARNEY, and possibly from Lawrence before
she is cut up.

Rich


>Subject: ADAMS CLASS CONFEDERATION
>Date: Thu, 22 Jan 2004 13:12:43 EST
>
>RICH,
>THIS IS JUST A TEST MESSAGE TO CHECK THE EMAIL ADDRESS I HAVE FOR YOU.
>OUR GROUP IS TRYING TO PICK UP THE PIECES FROM THE SAGINAW VALLEY GROUP OF
>BAY CITY. THEY THREW IN THE TOWEL LAST OCTOBER AND ARE GOING FOR THE EDSON
>DD-946 THAT WAS IN NEW YORK CITY AT THE INTREPID MUSEUM. WE ARE HAVING
>ONLINE CHATS
>IN OUR CONFEDERATION AND HAVE BEEN TALKING WITH JOE LOMBARDI WHO DID THE
>SURVEYS OF THE ADAMS CLASS SHIPS AND HELPED THE BAY CITY PEOPLE PUT
>TOGETHER THEIR
>PAPERWORK FOR NAVSEA.
>
>WE RECENTLY GOT AN EMAIL FROM THE SUB TORSK GROUP WHO WAS ABOARD THE
>LAWRENCE
>AND BARNEY JUST THIS LAST OCTOBER AND THEY TOLD US THAT THOSE TWO SHIP
>SHOWED
>SIGNS OF LEAKING BACK AFT NEAR THE AFTER DIESEL AND THE SURROUNDING WORK
>SHOPS. THEY PAINTED A BLACK PICTURE OF TWO SHIPS IN VERY SAD SHAPE. LOTS OF
>DAMAGE
>TO EVERYTHING OUTSIDE OF THE ENGINE AND FIRE ROOMS. THEY WERE NOT ABOARD
>THE
>ADAMS.
>
>JUST WANTED TO KEEP YOU UP TO DATE ON WHERE WE ARE HEADED. THANKS AGAIN FOR
>THE INFORMATION YOU HAVE GIVEN OUR CONFEDERATION IN THE PAST.
>
>TOM CROSSER
>ADAMS CLASS DDG CONFEDERATION

THIS IS THE SECOND RICH ANGELINI EMAIL TODAY.

Tom,

KENNEDY has been a museum for 30 years now. Initially, she was a gutted
mess with not much equipment left.

Little by little we have/are restoring her but we have been stripping ships
for over 20 years and really really stripping for the past 3.

Some of our spaces are currently closed to the public as we are restoring
them, some spaces that are restored can be seen by the public with a escort,
and but most spaces are available to be seen but not entered to protect the
artifacts and equipment within the display. In that regards, I would say
that well over 70% of the ship is on display right now. Our visitors can go
all the way from the AFt Engine room to the 03 Signal Deck level.

Our visitors say we are the most open ship they have been on. We are in the
works to open two new spaces later this year.

The average Joe tourist will not realize what is missing but it is our
(DD850) duty to show them how and what a 1960s destroyer looked like and
operated. The vets like this very much and the tourists get a better
understanding of the ship.

We have two memorials on our destroyer that are in a berthing space and
officers quarters. Though I am a preservationalist, I realize that these
museums help keep the ship here as she is the official state memorial to
Vietnam. I would not gut any spaces if you dont have to to put a museum
aboard but if you have a empty space that cant be restored, a museum might
be helpful way to display the area.

Our longterm goal is to have 100% restoration of the ship from keel to
mast..nothing less with the exception of the two museums.

Let's be honest here... You guys are trying to save what would be the ONLY
CFA class destroyer on exhibit anywhere in the world. Thats a important
task and one that will be shown to future generations. You guys are trying
to save a historic ship; not a floating building; so the more gear and
original layout you put together, the better for histories sake. I have
talked to our visitors and people talk about how empty this ship is or a bad
resto job, etc.. some people do care about that stuff. It is also much
easier to get volunteers to work when you have a ultimate goal of
restoration.

My personal opinion is that you guys need to visit the CFA ASAP. Then, you
guys should start stripping the Barney and loading that material on ADAMS
for the future. You will need to strip Barney during the April 2004 open
house cause I assume she will be gone shortly thereafter. The Saratoga group
is doing this and they have no berth or guarantee they will get her.

Getting your group together, I would have half the gang try to find ADAMS a
home and the other half finding out whats missing and begin to obtain it
from Barney. Whatever you guys decide, keep ADAMS out of the Northeast,
just too many ships to compete with. Bringing ADAMS to Florida would be a
awesome idea..not much competition and a large market for the old navy
retirees to visit. Barney will never be saved.. thats the unfortunate
reality.

Rich

TO ALL,
SOMEONE COUNTED THE SHIPS WHO WERE REPRESENTED IN THE THURSDAY NIGHT CHAT AND WE APPEAR TO HAVE HAD ONLY 4 OUT OF 23. WE HAD 5 LAST SATURDAY.

I COUNTED THE EMAIL ADDRESSES I HAVE FOR SHIPS AND PEOPLE IN MY BULK MAIL AND HERE IS HOW IT GOES. SOME OF THE EMAILS GO TO INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE AND SOME GO TO SHIP WEB SITES.

DDG-2....4, DDG-3....2, DDG-4....2, DDG-5....1, DDG-6....4, DDG-7....0, DDG-8....1,
DDG-9....6, DDG-10....2, DDG-11....3, DDG-12....2, DDG-13....1, DDG-14....7, DDG-15....2, DDG-16....4, DDG-17....2, DDG-18....1, DDG-19....3, DDG-20....2, DDG-21....3, DDG-22....2, DDG-23....2, DDG-24....3.

I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO HAVE AT LEAST 2 IF NOT 3 OR 4 FROM EACH SHIP TO ENSURE THAT INFORMATION GETS OUT TO ALL THE SHIPS EVEN WHILE SOMEONE I SEND TO MAY BE ON VACATION OR HAVE COMPUTER PROBLEMS.

IF THERE ARE SHIPS OUT THERE WHO NEED HELP IN SETTING UP A YAHOO SITE I KNOW WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO WILL BE GLAD TO HELP. I AM ALSO SURE WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO CAN HELP YOU SET UP A STAND ALONE SHIP WEB SITE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE SHIPS WITH SITES NOT TIED TO SOME MEGA SITE. I MYSELF cannot AS YET TELL YOU HOW TO DO THESE THINGS BUT AS THE TV COMMERCIAL SAYS, "I HAVE PEOPLE WHO CAN DO ANYTHING."