It's a crime, USS Olympia (Camden, Burlington: home, unemployment, price)

[Oerdin]

I can't believe they're going to scrap the USS Olympia because that ship is a bit of genuine American history which people can still see and touch.

USS Olympia (C-6) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A genuine 19th century American steel warship, US flagship of the Pacific fleet during the battle of Manila Bay, the last surviving ship of the Great White Fleet, the ship which carried the unknown soldier home from France after WW1 to be put in the tomb of the unknown soldier... And the government is going to let her be scrapped? This is a crime.

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by Oerdin

I can't believe they're going to scrap the USS Olympia because that ship is a bit of genuine American history which people can still see and touch.

USS Olympia (C-6) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A genuine 19th century American steel warship, US flagship of the Pacific fleet during the battle of Manila Bay, the last surviving ship of the Great White Fleet, the ship which carried the unknown soldier home from France after WW1 to be put in the tomb of the unknown soldier... And the government is going to let her be scrapped? This is a crime.

Did you mean to post this on the Philadelphia board? This is New Jersey Suburbs of Philadelphia Burlington County, Camden County, Gloucester County, Salem County in South Jersey

[frankgn87]

It was (is??) in a Philadelphia port.. shame.. I was on it many times

[NJGOAT]

I remember going over to see the Olympia as a kid, as well as the USS Becuna, a WW2 submarine that is also part of the Independence Seaport Museum. I've also recently taken my son there a couple times to see the ships.

The Olympia is a historic and important vessel in many ways. Unfortunately it seems to be on the verge of being forgotten, just like the war she was famous for fighting in. I would certainly like to see her preserved and retained as a museum ship. Unfortunately a lot has to change as the ship seems to have been mishandled and underutilized for years. Whereas the USS New Jersey museum in Camden is a vibrant and well run place, the Olympia always seemed to be forgotten.

I don't know what the ultimate fate will be as nothing is certain. The ship needs between $10 and $15 million of restoration work at a minimum, but even taking it to Cape May to be scuttled will be a pricey endeavour as the channel needs to be dredged and widened to move the ship out of Penns Landing and then it requires some extensive reinforcement to survive the trip to Cape May to be scuttled.

These are tough times and it simply seems that no one has the stomach to say we are going to spend $10 million to preserve an old ship while we are slashing budgets and unemployment is so high. Glad I've seen it and taken my son to see it while it was still there.

[jtaeffner]

this is a national tragedy. the oldest modern naval vessel afloat in the world, site and participant in three important events in american history, and we, as a nation, are going to let her meet such an ignominious. end. it's absolutely disgusting.