Comments on: Other People’s Fotos 17

By: Carl Stroud, Capt. Lee T Moran

Carl Stroud, Capt. Lee T Moran — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 16:02:24 +0000

Birk, that would be very nice of you to send photos of the Lee T. Send me an email to ztug1249@gmail.com and I’ll send along an address for you. Thanks again, Carl Stroud

By: tugster

tugster — Sun, 17 Jun 2012 21:01:21 +0000

thanks, chris. here’s a foto/article about Sunbird ASR-15. Last year Chris did a guest post about ASR-16 Tringa. Read it here: http://tugster.wordpress.com/2011/08/26/relief-crew-14/

By: Chris Williams

Chris Williams — Sun, 17 Jun 2012 16:26:03 +0000

Hi Will

The short story is that the Underwater Sound Lab, located in New London at the time, wanted to place an array of sonar transducers in a precise location and orientation near Block. Their approach was to fix a tower to a barge, arrange the transducers on the tower, and then “precision sink” the barge in a place where they could run a power and signal cable to the shore. Sunbird got the call to assist with the sinking. The tower is long gone, but the barge is still there. Two years ago we went out with the guys on a run over to Block on our way to another wreck, and they put me “on top” of the barge for a few minutes in the dive boat. Brought back many fond memories of that job. I’ve seen some pictures they’ve taken as well – the barge end of the signal and power cable still trails off towards the shore, and the remnants of a manila line we used in conjunction with a YTB to adjust the final orientation is also still there. The sinking job was a nice break from our normal routine and something very out of the ordinary for us.

By: tugster

tugster — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 20:41:35 +0000

chris– i’m eager to hear the block island story. tugboathunter– thanks . . . i’d missed the MM Newfoundland barge name.

By: tugboathunter

tugboathunter — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 20:37:41 +0000

Also the barge being towed by Ocean Delta is “MM Newfoundland”

By: Chris Williams

Chris Williams — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 20:10:44 +0000

Birk – I was homeported out of the sub base on ASRs back in 68 – 71. I know the Hess pier well – I think the quarternasters called it Pfizer’s Pier, since it was close to the Pfizer facility, just South of EB, but I recall Hess tankers discharging there when we went up or down the river. It was one of the bearings we took during a river traverse to confirm our position in the channel. I have very fond memories of the area, and try to re-visit on a fairly regular basis. I have a friend who’s a wreck diver in the area, and has been diving on a Navy barge I helped put on the bottom off Block Island back in late ’70. That, however, is a story for another time. Congratulations on living in a great area.

By: Birk

Birk — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 16:42:25 +0000

Chris,
I live in the New London area. That particular day, I was on the ATB Lucy Reinauer on which I work. We had just discharged at Hess Groton and were en route back to NYC when the Allison was in Long Island Sound for a US customs inspection on a return trip from Halifax. They allowed us to get close for the shots.

Carl,
I have many, many shots of the Gramma Lee over the years. If you want I can send them to you on a disc.

By: tugster

tugster — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 14:06:41 +0000

capt stroud– thanks much for the info. i’ll stay a fan for the next 17,000 assists.

By: Chris Williams

Chris Williams — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 12:07:27 +0000

Question for Birk: what took him to New London? (My old home port, and we’ve been back to visit a couple of times, so I’m simply curious)

By: Carl Stroud, Capt. Lee T Moran

Carl Stroud, Capt. Lee T Moran — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 12:00:18 +0000

As of the end of May, 2012. The Gramma Lee T. Moran has posted over 17,000 assists since we came out in 2002. We’re still running strong!