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NavSource Naval History Photographic History of the United States Navy

DESTROYER ARCHIVE

One of the most interesting parts of this project is that every once and a while, some very special images or in this case a whole collection of special images are found and shared with us for the visitors of NavSource. This is the case of this very special collection of images from the album of Robert L. Dean Sr. sent to us by his son Robert L. Dean Jr. He relates; "I am sorry the quality is so poor, but 1918 was a LONG time ago. My father died in 1981. He kept these pictures in a little brown cardboard box in his dresser drawer all those years. It seems to me there may have been other photos but these are all that is left. Dad ran away from the farm at age 17. He tried to join the navy but the enlistment officer told him he did not weigh enough to make the minimum weight requirement. Dad went down to the produce market and ate down several pounds of bananas, then rushed back to the recruiters and passed the weight limit. He served on several sub-chasers and destroyers including the USS McCook (DD-252). The largest ship he served on was the heavy cruiser USS Charleston (C-22/CA-19), as Mail Clerk in 1918. He told me of times when the weather was so rough out in the North Atlantic that the whole ship would go under water with nothing but the masts and smoke stacks sticking up. For a young farm boy, high in the crows nest standing watch, this must have been some experience."

This is collection of images from the album of BM2 Albert Wahler USN who served aboard the USS Ludlow (DD-112/DM-10) from 1921 to 1922. This is his personal photo collection gathered during his career. I wish to thank his son Mr. Francis Wahler, who is a himself a veteran of the US Navy serving aboard the LST-983. These images capture a rare glimpse of the Navy and Navy Life during the early 1920's along with some interesting scenes from the Territory of Hawaii.

This is the collection of images from the album of TM3 Ralph Fugh USN who served aboard the USS Lawrence (DD-250) from 1935 to 1936. This is his personal photo collection gathered during his career. I wish to thank his son Mr. Larry K. Fugh, who is a himself a veteran of the US Navy Minesweeper force serving as an EM2. These images capture a rare glimpse of the Navy and Navy Life during the middle 1930's along with some interesting locations as they then appeared.

Amazingly a shipmate of Ralph Fugh, Stepehen Urbani, also kept a very special collection of images from his time aboard the Lawrence and afterward. His collection begins at Boot Camp in Norfolk and continues through Gyro Compass School in San Diego in 1942, from S3c to EM1c. I wish to thank his nephew, Paul Urbani, who took the time to send the collection on to us. These images, again, capture a rare glimpse of the Navy and Navy Life during the 1930's along with some interesting locations as they then appeared.

During July 1983 Ed took a series of images of the USS Harold J. Ellison (DD-864) as she prepared for decommissioning and transfer to the Pakistani Navy. Then in October he recorded the ceremonies as the turnover was accomplished. I think those Snipes out there will really enjoy this feature.

Ed crossed paths with Admiral Arleigh Burke both during his service with Tin Can Sailors and during the Christening and Commissioning ceremonies of the USS Arleigh Burke (DDG-51). This Tribute to the Admiral includes Ed's memories of those occasions and images from the Admiral's storied career as a Tin Can sailor.

FRAM was the Fleet Rehabilitation And Modernization project designed to extend the sea service life of the Destroyer Force. This page is a tribute to that project and includes images from the many ships and Shipyards that took part from the late 1950's into the early 1960's. Many thanks to Ed Zajkowski who came up with the idea and contributed over 50 images from his private collection.