August 1st Work Progress Photos Page 1 of 3

I was onboard again on August 1st doing what I like to do most, work on getting Big J ready for her grand opening.  On this day I applied to be an honorary gunners mate, and worked all day on Big J's gun turrets.  I spent most of the morning chipping paint on the hatches of Mount 56 in preparation for painting (I learned the numbering of the 5" mounts, studying hard to become a permanent member of the gun crew).  Then I moved up to Turret 1 where we spent the rest of the day removing the nice stainless steel ladders off the turret, after they had been painted by the contractor.  They will be cleaned and put back up in the near future.  It's only been a week since my last visit but the progress that's been made in that time is phenomenal.  The painting of the above deck areas is pretty much complete, they are now doing touch up and cleanup work and painting the areas of the deck where teak is missing.  In a word she looks AWESOME sporting her new Battleship Gray paint job!  Many items that had been residing on the aft deck have been put into place such as antennas and radar dishes.  The mast is being wired with aircraft warning lights and soon it will be put back in place.  We're inside of a month now and you can feel the pace of things quickening onboard.  As usual, the spirit of the volunteers is contagious, the end is in sight though and August 28th will be a proud day for us all.  That is the day the ship is scheduled to move to her new pier in the Delaware River.  I'll let you know more details of the schedule for that day and the opening day when I get more concrete details.

 

Work Photos Page 1 Work Photos Page 2 Work Photos Page 3  

 

August 1st Photo #1

Water Cooler in the Wardroom, a place every volunteer knows well!

August 1st Photo #2

On the Quarter Deck, permission to come aboard Sir!

August 1st Photo #3

The Brass Man, putting the finishing
touches on yet another piece of brass.

August 1st Photo #4

Volunteers shining brass rails along deck.

August 1st Photo #5

Volunteers removing damaged plugs from the deck.
August 1st Photo #6
Volunteer power washing deck areas.
August 1st Photo #7
That's me, helping remove the ladders from Turret #1.
August 1st Photo #8

Here's the other anchor, soon it will be returned where it belongs.

August 1st Photo #9
Area of steel deck repainted and looking good!
August 1st Photo #10
Another area of steel deck that has been repainted.
August 1st Photo #11
Area of steel deck waiting to be painted, quite a difference!
August 1st Photo #12
Contractors working on painting the hull.

 

Go to Next Progress Photos Page
 
 

Line Drawing of Big J

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Last updated on August 06, 2003.