Photo By Max Lonzanida | LT.j.g. Mckensey Cobb, Public Affairs Officer for the Ticonderoga-Class Guided Missile...... read more read more
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The piers aboard Naval Station Norfolk were bustling with activity on the overcast morning of Wednesday, February 27, 2019. Servicemembers in uniform hurriedly made their way aboard warships tied up pier side; and civilian contractors shuffled past with tools and equipment for the day. Standing beside parking spaces generally reserved for officers were a handful of volunteers and staff members from the Hampton Roads Naval Museum excitedly waiting to board the Ticonderoga-Class Guided Missile Cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG 64) for a special guided tour.
The tour was set up by the museum’s volunteer coordinator, Darcy Sink. According to Sink, the experience provided “a more nuanced understanding of our Navy, which in turn better equips us to honor, preserve, and share it with others.”
This morning’s tour started with a brief reception inside the stately wardroom aboard the Gettysburg. There, volunteers received a warm welcome, and had the opportunity to meet some of the younger sailors. The group followed CPT. Corey Keniston, Gettysburg’s Commanding Officer, past busy contractors on the ship to observe morning colors at 0800. Thereafter, he led the group on a deck tour; and stopped at the ship’s underway replenishment station to talk about the logistics of taking on fuel and supplies on a pitching and rolling deck. A brief group photo opportunity presented itself in-front of the cruiser’s 5 inch deck gun; thereafter, the group tagged along for tours of the ship’s bridge and other spaces.
The tour continued a partnership that the museum has with the cruiser her crew. Last year, the museum’s special collections and archives aboard Naval Station Norfolk received some artifacts to store from the ship as she was prepared for an extensive refit. The artifacts included a nameboard, original artwork, and other pieces that connect the ship to its namesake of the Battle of Gettysburg during the Civil War in 1863; and are slated to be incorporated into a historical display once the refit is completed.
Crew members from the ship have also toured the Naval Museum and the decommissioned Iowa-Class Battleship, USS Wisconsin (BB 64) to gain some insights to the Battle of Midway and naval history last year; and celebrated a milestone thousand days without an alcohol related incident at the Nauticus Campus. The ship’s crew has also visited Gettysburg National Historical Park, which falls under the National Park Service; and most recently have volunteered at the Naval Museum’s 8th Annual Lego Shipbuilding Event and aboard the Wisconsin.
LT.j.g Mckensey Cobb, the cruiser’s Public Affairs Officer, led the group on a tour of interior spaces; including damage control stations, the ship’s laundry, berthing areas, and mess deck. A stop at the mess deck included some insights into some of the menu items that were reviewed during a recent menu review board; and included some recipe insights into the cruiser’s signature Gettys-burger that was proudly prepared for the board by their Culinary Specialists. The tour concluded in the wardroom, where volunteers had the opportunity to ask questions and enjoy casual conversation with younger sailors over light refreshments and exchange service experiences which allowed the opportunity to foster the sharing of shared naval history and heritage.
More information about the USS Gettysburg (CG 64) can be found here: https://www.public.navy.mil/surflant/cg64/Pages/default.aspx
More information about the Hampton Roads Naval Museum can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/HRNavalMuseum/
| Date Taken: | 03.07.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 03.07.2019 12:02 |
| Story ID: | 313346 |
| Location: | NORFOLK, VA, US |
| Hometown: | NORFOLK, VA, US |
| Web Views: | 423 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Museum volunteers visit USS Gettysburg (CG 64), by Max Lonzanida, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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