The Old Gal In Mothballs Up At Suisun Bay California
The next 25 photos of the "J" in mothballs are courtesy of Ron Bennett ML3. Ron was aboard the old gal from 1987 to 1990 and was a molder in the R-2 Division foundry. These photos made me sad because I can remember when the "J" was full of life and activity, which she was for 51 years. If she could talk, the stories she could tell! My sincere thanks to Ron for sharing these great photos with me and all other Jason sailors.
A view of the fantail..This crane ain't going to do any more work!
A view looking forward.I wonder how many 1000's of sailors have walked these decks in 51 years.
A view of the bridge.So this is what a "ghost" ship looks like!
A closer view of the bridge.Nothing sadder than a ship put to rest.
Where is everybody?A shot in the machine shop.
In the machine shop.The foundry where Ron worked.
Another view of the foundry.Looking sad here.
Anybody here?Interesting view.
The "J" in bad need of some TLC.A lonely view.
I still don't see anybody!Nobody home here.
A shot that's confusing to the eye.A lonely view of a sleeping ship.
51 years of history here.A shot of our once hard working ship.
A shot as dark as the Jason's future.
The next 12 photos are courtesy of Larry Drees, ET1. Larry was on the Jason in 1958 working in the R-4 Division. The first 11 photos were taken on May 31, 1999 in Richmond, California where the Jason had been moored since 1997. It was a couple of days before the "J" was towed to the mothball fleet up at Suisun Bay where she is still in eternal slumber. My grateful thanks go to Larry for sharing his great photos of a great ship.
A sad view of a once vibrant ship.What stories she could tell if she could talk!
A shot of the once hard working cranes.A sure sign that our ship is no longer part of the Navy.
That's sad, isn't it, to see her hull number stripped away?It's sad not to see anybody topside.
Anybody home?They even took away her name!
Page 1 of a very interesting article about our ship.Page 2 of the article.
Page 3 of the article.Can you see the "J" hidden among some other ghost ships in Suisun Bay? If you can't, read the clue below.
Line up the lamp on the lamp post at the bottom of the photo with the furthest mast on the right in the nest directly above. She's the 3rd one in. Look hard and you'll see her.
Satellite view of part of the mothball fleet and the nest the "J" is in. I think the "J" is the 5th ship in from the right. What do you think? E-mail me and give me your opinion.
 

The following photos are courtesy of Don Herr MR3. Don was a proud crewmember of the "Jolly J" in the late 1960s from 1968 to 1969. These terrific photos were taken by a good friend of Don's, Richard Landgraff. Don and Richard were co-workers at the old Long Beach Naval Shipyard in California. Richard is currently involved in the Navy's Battleship program. He was recently invited to go up to Suisan Bay and determine the condition of the USS Iowa BB 61 to see if it was feasible to convert her into a floating museum at the West Coast's first Naval Installation, Mare Island, Vallejo, California. Don asked Richard to take some photos of our ship while he was there. These great photos are a result of that visit. It sure is great to see her still afloat even though she is sleeping the eternal sleep. But it's also sad to see her this way because we Jason sailors can all remember back to a time when she was a hard working and robust ship, so full of life and activity. But she richly deserved the rest when she was finally decommissioned in 1995 after 51 years of faithful service to the fleet.

My sincere and grateful thanks go to Don and Richard for taking and sharing these fine photos with me and all of our fellow Jason sailors. Well done, guys!

 
    
E-mail Nick at sailorboy@pacbell.net