From over four years ago, here was the first post about this reserve fleet. I’m excited about the discussion that has gone on in the comments. I’m also hoping that this post generates more of you to search through your old family photos and post card collections . . . and share more photos of this ghost fleet. Using the search term “Hudson River National Defense Fleet,” I got this collection of photos.
Many thanks to Allen Baker for sharing the photo below. Bob McLaren took the photo from the passenger steamer Alexander Hamilton going past the reserve fleet at Jones Point, circa 1962.
Here’s a photo of the fleet from a NYTimes its called “lively morgue.”
And Alexander Hamilton (scroll through here) . . . whose charred bones–I understand–still lie in Raritan Bay . . . and all the other now gone passenger steamers on the Hudson, that’s a whole other topic I’d love to share photos about. Click here for more photos of both the ghost fleet AND the Hamilton.
Again, thanks to Allen Baker for this photo; here is one of many other photos Allen has shared.
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January 21, 2015 at 8:26 am
cheyennehurley
Reblogged this on cheyennehurleyjournalism.
January 21, 2015 at 9:17 am
bowsprite
Love the lines of those old beautiful ships.
Ghost ship on the other side of planet, the Sierra Madre: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/2014/newsspec_8701/index.html
January 21, 2015 at 10:11 am
Bob Anderson
The three ships painted haze gray were Radar Picket ships -AGR’s. They made up an early warning line in both the Atlantic and Pacific in the 1950’s. AGR-12 was the USS Vigil.
January 21, 2015 at 10:17 am
Bob Anderson
I forgot to mention that all the AGR’s were ex Liberty ships. There were a total of 16 ships of this type known as the Guardian class.
January 21, 2015 at 10:19 am
tugster
Bob– thanks much for these comments.
January 21, 2015 at 6:51 pm
Charles Danko
As a kid my dad & cousin would take me up to Tompkins Cove in the winter to do some tommy cod fishing. I don’t recall catching any fish and it was darn cold but seeing the “Mothball Fleet” year after year was very cool. Never thought it would ever disappear.