Monday, April 21, 2008

New Photograph Added to Collection


This photograph, recently added to our collection, shows the battleship USS Arkansas (BB-33), veteran of both World War I and World War II, passing the the Panama Canal.

For more photographs of this famous vessel, please visit the Naval Historical Center

Saturday, April 19, 2008

USS Razorback - 1958/1959


Jim Barnes, former Maintenance Chief and museum supporter, recently donated this picture.

It shows USS Razorback, sometime in 1958 or 1959, at the Broadway Street pier in San Diego, CA.

You can clearly see the "step-sail" that she had during that time in her career, as well as the sonar domes on the forward deck.

During this time, Razorback was very active in ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) training with U.S. Navy ships and aircraft, as well as assisting with various tests with different U.S. Navy laboratories on the West Coast.

Monday, April 14, 2008

New Booklet Added to Collection


The water is slowly receding and we expect to resume normal operations by Friday, April 18th.

In the meantime, we'll feature some new artifacts in our collection.

Today's newest addition is a welcome aboard booklet from USS Albany (SSN-753), courtesy of Jim Irwin.

USS Albany, an improved-Los Angeles class nuclear powered attack submarine was commissioned in 1990 and remains in service today with SUBRON SIX in Norfolk, VA.

In addition to torpedoes and Harpoon anti-ship missiles, Albany is also armed with Tomahawk missiles for precision land attack missions.

Ship's logo courtesy of Submarine Squadron Six.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

High Water Returns AGAIN


The severe weather that has affected the entire state is also affecting operations here at the museum.

We were able to remain open last weekend, as the water levels did not rise as high as the Corps of Engineers expected.

However, they are now predicted a water level in excess of 20 feet - 12 feet above normal.

The picture above was taken during the weekend of the NCAA tournament, when the water reached 22 feet.

Obviously, this is a situation beyond our control.

Friday, April 04, 2008

Plastic Model Contest and Show Saturday


CASM, the Central Arkansas Scale Modelers club, is having a show and contest on Saturday, April 5th.

The show and contest will be at:
Pulaski Tech Grand Hall
(1st floor clock tower building)
3000 West Scenic Drive
North Little Rock, AR

There will be "Make and Take" models for the first 100 kids to come to the show.

The entry fee for the contest is $5 for the first model and $2 per additional model .

Public admission is free.

For more information visit the CASM website or call Dave Branson 985-0808 or 772-1483 or e-mail him at:
dbransonjr@aol.com

Thursday, April 03, 2008

Happy Birthday USS Razorback



On this day in 1944, USS Razorback (SS 394) was commissioned at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, ME.

The deck log reads, "At 1130 USS Razorback was placed in commission and the colors hoisted. LCDR A.M. Bontier, Commanding Officer accepted the ship from the Commandant, Navy Yard, Portsmouth, NH and the watch was set."

In 1967, while at sea in the Pacific, Razorback celebrated her 23rd birthday and the cooks baked a cake:



We celebrated Razorback's birthday today by working - cleaning, sweeping and swabbing decks.