Chief,

Thanks for sharing the link. We just completed our annual Tin Can Sailor's work weekend on USS The Sullivans (DD-537) at the Buffalo Naval Park, and some of this information would have been gold!

Visitors are always drawn to the guns and, with a few of the manuals from your website, we may be able to really enhance some of the displays on the museum ship. Armed with this info, the ex-OTA (me) may be able to talk his way out of another chipping and painting detail next year!

I hope you are well!

Paul Lester
(OTSN on your team in Adak, 1984)

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Paul,
Thanks for the nice reply! The Sullivans has been on my bucket list for some time now. MANY years ago, my desire in life was to be a sonarman on a Fletcher DD. To me they represented the "real" Navy. Funny how things work out. Wish I'd gotten the data out to you sooner.

I can personally relate to your dilemma of being an OTA on a tin can. After retirement, I taught NJROTC for 16 years. Basic stuff like Naval history, ASW, uniforms, was no problem. But when I got into DC/firefighting/navigation, I really had to hit the books beforehand. Except for Mo boards - I just taught our standard "fixed sensor" stuff, and no one was the wiser (not a good thing for a teacher to say, I know!).

When I first read your name, it didn't ring a bell. But you know how it is - the more you think about something , the more you can convince yourself you DO remember? Confabulation. I DO recall your name now. Was that when Ens. Flaggs was with us? Maybe the PO teams of the Hogges or the Reules? Whoever it was, I was fortunate to have a good watch section to keep me squared away.

I'm in good shape (for the shape I'm in), and hope you and family are the same. Maybe I'll get to shake your hand on board 537 sometime soon.

Best wishes
LOrren "Jack" Jackson

Thanks, Lorren. This information might help me with interpreting the 16"/50 Cal gun turrets on board Battleship WISCONSIN (BB-64) where I'm a tour guide. Good stuff.

- Jim