Thursday, October 29, 2009

Saipan to be scrapped in November

I hope this isn't an omen.

The (former) USS Saipan is headed for the scrapyard, according to the Navy Times. World War II is becoming ancient history, and I wonder if the name will ever be used again.

I also wonder whether it would be possible to get a piece of the ship for display on Saipan. Is anyone even interested in that? Some items will be returned to the Navy, according to the article.

Two cents worth

That's what the Navy is paying; International Shipbreaking will make its money off of the materials. Sad, the Peleliu and Nassau are the last Tarawa class amphibious assault ships still in service.

It seems I told this story before, but I won't let that stop me: I once attended the annual Marianas Visitors Bureau dinner. An astronaut-- name withheld-- was the guest of honor. He announced to the attendees, mostly Japanese, that he'd always wanted to come to Saipan because he was a fighter pilot. You guessed it, he was sorry he missed the Marianas Turkey Shoot which accompanied the Battle of Saipan. I was in the cheap seats muffling snorts as I tried not to laugh out loud.

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