What was the first warship you ever seen?

InnerBrat · Post by **InnerBrat** » 2003-05-04 06:19pm

Our annual Ball was on HMS Belfast

Oberleutnant · Post by **Oberleutnant** » 2003-05-04 06:40pm

First warship I remember having seen (and visited) in real life was the Finnish WWII era submarine Vesikko, the prototype vessel of the German Type II boats.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-05-04 07:11pm

Howedar wrote:They still do that, but I dont' think you can tour them anymore.

I saw a Ticonderoga at the Rose Festival, I think that was the first. After that, Constellation, North Carolina, Missouri, Blueback. an Arleigh Burke, a Spruance, and a few others. Oh, and a Russian sub in Vancouver, BC. I didn't see the Replicators on it, though

Course not, they didn't get so far by being bad hiders.

Andrew J. · Post by **Andrew J.** » 2003-05-04 07:27pm

USS Missouri, in Pearl Harbor, during my vacation there this April.

Post by **weemadando** » 2003-05-04 07:44pm

First one I saw was the HMAS Launceston, a Freemantle class patrol boat. Then I saw a French Frigate (can't remember the name), one of the Oberon class subs. Then random other Frigates and Destroyers. Highlight though was getting a guided tour of the Abe Lincoln as part of the Navy Officer Recruitment program.

Kelly Antilles · Post by **Kelly Antilles** » 2003-05-04 07:48pm

USS North Carolina, moored in Wilmington, NC.

Lurker · Post by **Lurker** » 2003-05-04 07:57pm

As far as I can recall my first was the previous HMS Ark Royal in about 79, moored up awaiting scrapping. We took a boat trip out to her, sad sight seeing her stripped down. Spain is a good place to see American ships, on two seperate occasions in different locations I saw USS Saipan and a Nimitz class.

RedImperator · Post by **RedImperator** » 2003-05-04 10:05pm

My first was the same as Sea Skimmer: mothballed ships in the Philadelphia Navy Yard as seen from I-95 (on a good day, you can also see them with binoculars from Red Bank Battlefield, across the river). I've seen the Olympia from several vantage points, but never toured her. Spotted a submarine cruising on the surface in San Francisco Bay between Alcatraz and the Golden Gate--that was cool. Spotted the Constitution from a distance while in Boston. Saw a shitload of ships while in Norfolk, including the U.S.S. Whidbey Island, an LSD, up close while at the amphibious base there. Toured the U.S.S. North Carolina in Wilmington, the U.S.S. Yorktown in Charleston as well as a WWII sub and destroyer moored next to her, and of course the U.S.S. New Jersey in Camden, NJ.

Post by **Beowulf** » 2003-05-04 10:14pm

U.S.S. Texas. in Galvaston, Texas.

TrailerParkJawa · Post by **TrailerParkJawa** » 2003-05-05 12:40am

I dont recall my first warship. When I was a kid, the bay area had many active naval bases. You could see active duty ships at Alameda from the Bay Bridge. Visting ships docked in San Francisco, then there are the high endurance cutters of the Coast Guard at Alameda. There is the Benicia mothball fleet as well. So it was one of those.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-05-05 10:50am

Captain Lennox wrote:The USS Alabama and the nuclear(not sure) submarine USS Drum.

The USS Drum isn't a nuclear boat. She's a WW2 deseil boat.

The first warship I ever saw was the WW2 USS Silversides. After that:

USS Oliver Hazard Perry (twice, actually crossed the Great Lakes on her and the again on the Morrison)
USS Estocin
USS Samuel Elliot Morrison

USS Alabama
USS Drum
USS Consitution
USS Saratoga

Ted · Post by **Ted** » 2003-05-05 11:03am

jmac wrote:HMCS Haida which until a few months ago was a tourist attraction on Toronto's waterfront.

My great-uncle was her CO after the Korean War, so I've had several guided tours of her, and have had meals in her wardroom.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2003-05-05 11:38am

The USS Massachusetts (BB-59), along with the USS Joseph P. Kennedy (DD-850) and he WWII sub USS Lionfish at Battleship cove in Fall River Mass. I also took a tour of the USS Nautilus, the first nuclear powered sub ever built at the US sub base in Groton CT. And now, there are two old Forrestal class carriers at the Navy base in Newport....The Forrestal and the Saratoga. The USS Iowa was there for a while too, but they towed it off to Norfolk i think. But anyway, the Saratoga is being turned into a museum..they are going to tow her to the Quonsett Point Naval Air Station in North Kingstown RI and repair some old F-4's and A-4's and A-6's for the flight deck.

Zoink · Post by **Zoink** » 2003-05-05 11:40am

I've never seen a warship, although I did see a guy with a gun in a rowboat... the HMCS Duckhunter....

I'd have to go to Nova Scotia to see one, and I'm not there very often.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2003-05-05 11:42am

Zoink wrote:I've never seen a warship, although I did see a guy with a gun in a rowboat... the HMCS Duckhunter.... I'd have to go to Nova Scotia to see one, and I'm not there very often.

Dude! thats the flagship of the Canadian Navy! show some respect!

Death from the Sea · Post by **Death from the Sea** » 2003-05-05 11:43am

Beowulf wrote:U.S.S. Texas. in Galvaston, Texas.

Same here the Battleship Texas. but it is anchored on the Buffalo Bayou, at the San Jacinto Monument.

PeZook · Post by **PeZook** » 2003-05-05 02:40pm

First one was the ORP "Blyskawica" (translates into "Lighting"), a WW II era destroyer, now moored permanently in the civilian part of Gdynia harbor as a floating museum. I also visited the HMS "Invincible" during it's brief visit to Poland. Impressive thing, even for a small carrier...

Ingersoll · Post by **Ingersoll** » 2003-05-05 06:18pm

USS Yorktown, CV-10

and the others mentioned here: http://www.state.sc.us/patpt/

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-05-05 06:43pm

Col. Crackpot wrote:
Zoink wrote:I've never seen a warship, although I did see a guy with a gun in a rowboat... the HMCS Duckhunter.... I'd have to go to Nova Scotia to see one, and I'm not there very often.
Dude! thats the flagship of the Canadian Navy! show some respect!

Quick, someone post the picture of coast guard digginy with the M2 and tiny outboard.