Re: Places of Interest
Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2023 6:32 pm
OK, not precisely IN New Orleans, but very close.
If you can make your way up to Baton Rouge, the USS Kidd is afloat on the east bank of the Mississippi.
Scary cool.
I had the good fortune of going there early one cool, foggy December Sunday morning about 30 years ago.
Driving towards the river this vessel arises out of the mists, her starboard side towards you.
The radar was rotating, the flags were flying, all guns have canvas muzzel covers & bracing belts, there are ammo cans in all of the ready-ammo cabinets, 5" ammo in the 5 turrets appears to have just come up from below, ropes are coiled & in place, the CIC is ready, with each member's marked helmets sitting at their stations, there's 'food' on the tables in the mess & Betty Grable pictures in crew spaces . . . it appears that the crew JUST walked off, leaving her ready to sail.
She's sitting in a specially built cradle, facing up river, so that in all but the lowest water she's afloat, but allowing one to view her hull when the river is at it's lowest.
And an excellent WWII museum is on shore . . . WELL worth the time . . .
Wild Geese
If you can make your way up to Baton Rouge, the USS Kidd is afloat on the east bank of the Mississippi.
Scary cool.
I had the good fortune of going there early one cool, foggy December Sunday morning about 30 years ago.
Driving towards the river this vessel arises out of the mists, her starboard side towards you.
The radar was rotating, the flags were flying, all guns have canvas muzzel covers & bracing belts, there are ammo cans in all of the ready-ammo cabinets, 5" ammo in the 5 turrets appears to have just come up from below, ropes are coiled & in place, the CIC is ready, with each member's marked helmets sitting at their stations, there's 'food' on the tables in the mess & Betty Grable pictures in crew spaces . . . it appears that the crew JUST walked off, leaving her ready to sail.
She's sitting in a specially built cradle, facing up river, so that in all but the lowest water she's afloat, but allowing one to view her hull when the river is at it's lowest.
And an excellent WWII museum is on shore . . . WELL worth the time . . .
Wild Geese