SS John W Brown

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast

Member Benefits:

  • No ad networks!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • Doco Overboard

    Ultimate Member
    Had the opportunity to tour the Liberty ship while it was tied up at long wharf next to Sailwinds.
    While on board apart from the many interesting items to see I was also able to spy these.
    IMG_0033.jpg

    IMG_0032.jpg

    Parade/drill style of course but quite a nice surprise. One of the carbines had a recoil plate that appeared to machined from brass that was very well done and quite peculiar. (5th from right)
    One of the guides in the engine room informed that the prop shaft was still sealed with the original iron wood seal that had been in place since it was launched. The bilge only had very little water that was mostly from condensation from the steam and boiler arrangements.

    If you ever have a chance to get onboard and you like the history, you will not regret it.
     

    magwell

    Active Member
    Mar 19, 2015
    183
    Great pictures. Had a chance to tour the ship a few years ago but don't remember the guns. I believe there are only two liberty ships left. The other one is the Jerimiah O'Brian out in San Francisco.
     

    welder516

    Deplorable Welder
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 8, 2013
    27,312
    Underground Bunker
    Our company does lots of work on the vessel , they have a wonderful crew . The dedication and love they have for that ship is amazing , on regular work days (2 days a week) they can get 30 men and women working on that ship for no money . It truly is a labor of love .
     

    Bertfish

    Throw bread on me
    Mar 13, 2013
    17,608
    White Marsh, MD
    Our company does lots of work on the vessel , they have a wonderful crew . The dedication and love they have for that ship is amazing , on regular work days (2 days a week) they can get 30 men and women working on that ship for no money . It truly is a labor of love .

    Who do you work for to get such a cool office place??
     

    welder516

    Deplorable Welder
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 8, 2013
    27,312
    Underground Bunker
    Who do you work for to get such a cool office place??

    Our work features lots of welding repairs on deck plates and bulkheads , also we have rebuilt a few of the gun tubs .

    I have hats and shirts from the ship and when wearing them I have met some great people .
    I met a guy out west that worked on the ship as an navel architect , we talked for 20 minutes about the ship . :thumbsup:
     

    welder516

    Deplorable Welder
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 8, 2013
    27,312
    Underground Bunker
    Paternal grandfather was an electrician on it when it was under construction

    There is a young man on the ship that does Paracord , and knows his knots . The young man is a breath of fresh air in this day and age .

    His Grandfather was on that vessel as well , his GF has passed and he volunteers on the vessel to be with the memories . His GF took him with him on the ship as well when he was alive .
     

    Blacksmith101

    Grumpy Old Man
    Jun 22, 2012
    22,164
    Had the opportunity to tour the Liberty ship while it was tied up at long wharf next to Sailwinds.
    While on board apart from the many interesting items to see I was also able to spy these.
    View attachment 239567

    View attachment 239568

    Parade/drill style of course but quite a nice surprise. One of the carbines had a recoil plate that appeared to machined from brass that was very well done and quite peculiar. (5th from right)
    One of the guides in the engine room informed that the prop shaft was still sealed with the original iron wood seal that had been in place since it was launched. The bilge only had very little water that was mostly from condensation from the steam and boiler arrangements.

    If you ever have a chance to get onboard and you like the history, you will not regret it.

    The wood used for shaft bearings and seals is actually Lignum Vitae, sometimes called iron wood however many different wood species are called ironwood. It was even used in nuclear submarines.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lignum_vitae
    Also, the bearings in the original 1920s turbines of the Conowingo hydroelectric plant on the lower Susquehanna River were made from lignum vitae.
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,738
    Socialist State of Maryland
    When my wife could walk, we used to do yearly cruises on the John Brown. I always thought I would be a volunteer someday but my wife's illness and my back issues put that to bed. I met a lot of guys and gals who served in WWII during cruises on the John Brown.

    I have lost touch with her, do they still do several cruises a year?
     

    Don H

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 17, 2013
    1,845
    Hazzard County
    They have a cruise on Sept. 1. Tickets still available.
    http://www.ssjohnwbrown.org

    I took the wife and kids once but the cruise got rained out. They still did the shows and tour but no ride.
    My parents and Aunt and Uncle went. Uncle was a WWII Navy vet serving on troop transports, was on the first wave on D-Day. He said the tour brought back many memories.
     

    TheOriginalMexicanBob

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 2, 2017
    32,181
    Sun City West, AZ
    A close friend was in charge of Virginia's artificial reef project. He sank a number of Liberty ships along with surplus military armor and NYC subway cars off the coast of Virginia. He hated sinking the Liberty ships but they were in poor condition and unlikely to be used other than turned into Toyotas. As part of an artificial reef they become part of the ecosystem and create homes for aquatic life which benefits the fishing industry...both commercial and sport as well as sport diving...and brings in revenues to businesses in Virginia.
     

    eddiek2000

    Sweet Lemonade!!
    Feb 11, 2008
    5,773
    Southern Maryland - Chuck Co.
    A great ship! My son is a sea cadet and spent the weekend aboard it last weekend (Aug 3,4,5). They helped the crew during the on way cruise. He took a bunch of pics and really enjoyed the play time with the Bi-wing. They re-enacted a battle and trained a gun on the plane.
     

    Mike H

    Active Member
    Jan 9, 2013
    327
    I was driving over the Bay Bridge coming home from work yesterday and thought I saw what seemed to be an old freighter near the mouth of the Patapsco River - I was too busy trying to not run over the car in fron tof me to get a real good look. Their website confirms that it was the John Brown traveling from Cambridge back to Baltimore -- would have loved to see it going under the bridge.
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,738
    Socialist State of Maryland
    I was driving over the Bay Bridge coming home from work yesterday and thought I saw what seemed to be an old freighter near the mouth of the Patapsco River - I was too busy trying to not run over the car in fron tof me to get a real good look. Their website confirms that it was the John Brown traveling from Cambridge back to Baltimore -- would have loved to see it going under the bridge.

    Buy a cruise down the bay and experience it for yourself. ;)
     

    KJackson

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Apr 3, 2017
    8,614
    Carroll County
    If you ever get a chance to go on one of their cruises, take it. I went a couple years ago and loved it. Except for the sunburn, of course.

    JWB_01.jpg
     

    KJackson

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Apr 3, 2017
    8,614
    Carroll County
    I found a video that I took of the engine running. The engine room was HOT. Our cruise was in June and I had to go outside to cool off.

    [YT]QhOU69njXcI[/YT]
     

    Users who are viewing this thread

    Latest posts

    Forum statistics

    Threads
    274,943
    Messages
    7,259,746
    Members
    33,350
    Latest member
    Rotorboater

    Latest threads

    Top Bottom