…all aboard

Life aboard the USS Wisconsin was an unique expereince. My grandfather Frank Chapman served on the Wisconsin during WW2 and Korea. The crew worked in shifts seven days a week in their off time they would sleep in a small bunk or hammock that had just been used by the man who was off shift. Despite the hardships of living at sea in such proximity to other people along with the constant worry about being killed, the sailors were generally proud to serve. Grandpa Frank along with the  other sailors were proud of America, proud of the Wisconsin, and were proud to be in the Navy. Boredom was the dominant emotion, followed by brief intense fear when in combat. Despite the hardships, cramped quarters, bad food, risk of death, seperation from home and family, boredom and others most men were proud of their time on board and were proud of the United States of America. This sentiment seems to be common over the four decades the Wisconsin served. Whether it was shelling Japanese positions in 1943 or firing tomahawk cruise missiles at Iraqi positions in 1991 pride was the common factor linking its crew.

s Phillip Roth in The Plot Against America uses his stamp collection as a shared experience with his country and fellow Americans but it also plays an important figure with the idea of network. The mail system is one of the oldest networks in our country. This symbol of connectivity and shared expierence is similiar to the USS Wisconsin patch. Whether it was my Grandfather wearing it in 1952 off the coast of Korea or a sailor wearing it off the coast of Kuwait in 1991 they use the patch to share an experience and connect thier experiences despite the great distance of time.

Patch worn by sailors on USS Wisconsin

Crew on board USS Wisconsin

USS Wisconsin firing her guns during the 1991 gulf war

USS Wisconsin

The USS Wisconsin is a Iowa Class battleship built during the Second World War. It served in the pacific theater fighting the Japanese. Following the second world war it also served in teh Korea conflict. Providing artillery support for American and United Nations forces fighting on the peninsula or shelling the opposing North Korean forces. Decommissioned following the Korean war it was recommissioned during Reagans build up in 1986. The battleship had reached its peak of power right before the second world war. With the advent of the aircraft as the dominant force in naval warfare, the battleship was relegated to a secondary role. The days of big surface fleets shooting it out were over. Land based and naval based aircraft could sink a battleship before the battleship could get in range to even fire off a shot.

The USS Wisconsin and her sister ships were the most powerful battleships built by the United States of America. Their sixteen inch guns could launch a shell weighing 2,400 pounds over 23 miles away very very accurately especially with the advent of computers. When firing a full broadside the radio and other such equipment would be temporarily disabled by the shock and power of the guns firing.

USS Wisconsin firing a full broadside

Sailor standing next to 16'' shell

600 Ship Navy

The United States Navy was a major winner as a result of the incease in Reagan’s military budget. Multiple new ships, submarines, and weapons were reasearched and built because of the extra money. New nimitz class super carriers were built and the old ones refitted to serve longer. Overall the navy was the biggest winner of the American armed services in this way. As part of the plan the Iowa class battleships which were built during world war two were refitted, modernized and sent to serve once again in the active Navy. My mother’s father was a serviceman on the USS Wisconsin which was one of the battleships refitted for service during the 1980s. Before its first decommsioning the Wisconsin served in the pacific during World War two and also in the Korean War.

USS Abraham Lincoln- Nimitz Class Supercarrier- ordered under 600 ship navy

Los Angeles class attack submarine