Groupon had a great deal for customers to pay half price for tickets to tour the USS Salem (CA-139) located in Quincy, Massachusetts. My father is a retired Chief Petty Officer after serving 23 years. I knew he’d enjoy visiting the ship. He never served on a cruiser, instead serving on two troops ships, an ammo ship, and the USS Independence (CV-62). But, he is intimately familiar with ship layout and the mechanical operation.
We headed down today and spent an enjoyable afternoon experiencing the world’s last all gun heavy cruiser. One of the highlights was meeting a volunteer who served onboard the Salem as part of its marine detachment. He brought us behind the scenes to show us artifacts and areas that visitors don’t get to see. We got to see a WWII Japanese mine training kit still in its original wooden box. We walked through the last crew berth in its original condition, uniforms from WWI onward (American, Italian, German including Gestapo and SS). We got to see WWII French hand grenades, Japanese live ammo found in the Pacific, and numerous artifacts left behind by the Salem’s crew when it was decommissioned in 1959.
The Salem provided assistance as the first American responder to the 1953 Ionian earthquake and also during the Suez Canal crisis. We spent several hours aboard and still didn’t see everything. This cruiser has been a museum ship since 1994 and has a lot to offer. If you’re in the area you should give the Salem a visit.
Please check out the pictures below. Be warned there are over 200 images to look through.
Nice bro! I am glad you and your dad had a good time. I haven’t been on any of the Naval touring ships since, I’d have to say, the late 90’s. Damn, now I feel old. Way to go, jackass.
It’s all pic’s I see very nice.Good help n’ protect to kept merchant ship trade sailing at piracy area as world police control.