It's About Liberty: A Conservative Forum
Topics => History => Topic started by: rustybayonet on October 18, 2014, 05:43:55 AM
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(http://i681.photobucket.com/albums/vv176/rustybayonet_2009/military/h300_zps7d81289f.jpg) (http://s681.photobucket.com/user/rustybayonet_2009/media/military/h300_zps7d81289f.jpg.html)
BOSTON (AP) — Old Ironsides took one last trip around Boston Harbor on Friday ahead of a major, multi-year restoration project, firing its cannons while the Dropkick Murphys punk band and a Boston Pops quintet entertained hundreds of special guests and dignitaries on board.
The USS Constitution, the world's oldest commissioned warship still afloat, was pushed along by a tugboat, its sails already taken down as it prepares to enter dry-dock for the repairs, which the Navy says could take about three years.
The three-mast frigate, which earned its nickname after winning battles during the War of 1812 against Great Britain, gave a traditional 21-gun salute to Fort Independence on Castle Island, one of the oldest fortified sites in the country. It also gave a 17-gun salute at the Coast Guard's Boston base and it's all active-duty Navy crew laid a wreath in the harbor to honor the armed forces branch, which turned 239 years old this week.
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Now if we could just get the actual Constitution into dry dock for a refit and rehab....
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The Constitution is a beautiful ship. The young sailor who was stationed there to organize the tour groups admitted to me she had no idea where she was being posted. Of course, I guess whatever officer poster her there knew that 1) she probably couldn't cause any harm and 2) might get an education she obviously sorely needed.
Otherwise you live in the barracks right next to the ship in Boston and ,your office is actually in the lower levels not open to the public -- too bad such commissions aren't given to more deserving recruits. Our tour guide was excellent however and knew nearly everything about the ship.
Wish I could have seen her give the salute however. She is an amazing old vessel.
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I got to tour it about thirty years ago. It was very interesting and enjoyable.
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Never got to see the old girl, another for the Bucket List. l did get to see the Mayflower replica, sailing was brutal in the age of sail but there is something romantic and nostalgic about certain vessels that's for sure. Thanks for posting this Rusty!
::thumbsup::
PS - I agree with Glock, we sure could use Madison and the rest of the Founders right now!
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The Constitution is a beautiful ship. The young sailor who was stationed there to organize the tour groups admitted to me she had no idea where she was being posted. Of course, I guess whatever officer poster her there knew that 1) she probably couldn't cause any harm and 2) might get an education she obviously sorely needed.
Otherwise you live in the barracks right next to the ship in Boston and ,your office is actually in the lower levels not open to the public -- too bad such commissions aren't given to more deserving recruits. Our tour guide was excellent however and knew nearly everything about the ship.
Wish I could have seen her give the salute however. She is an amazing old vessel.
I was under the impression that a posting on the Constitution was a highly sought out, hard to get and a honor to get.........
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I was under the impression that a posting on the Constitution was a highly sought out, hard to get and a honor to get.........
So was I. This woman has been posted there maybe a week, and had no clue the honor being afforded her. It scared me a little.
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I was under the impression that a posting on the Constitution was a highly sought out, hard to get and a honor to get.........
So was I. This woman has been posted there maybe a week, and had no clue the honor being afforded her. It scared me a little.
Now, as back in my day, not the best and the brightest get orders to a duty station that makes sense, but I hope now (as it was then) if her attitude is sub-par she be relegated to trash removal until such time as she can be transferred to a more suitable posting...like maybe (I was gong to say Adak, but it closed in 1997) Gitmo! She can clean the Jihadi heads!