My Beaumont Reserve Fleet Trip of January 4, 2001

(all pictures are thumbnailed, click on pictures for full size)

View approaching the ships from the workboat.

Airboats passing the workboat.

The airboats driving off into the sunrise.

Morning sun reflecting off of the bridge of the Ohio.  The Ohio is the fleet utility ship, housing workshops, a break area and is also used as a warehouse for spare parts for the fleet.

Rows of ships as seen from the Ohio.

Taken from the bow of the Maine.  Showing the stern of the Ohio and looking across at the Dutton.

View of two of the volunteers attempting to remove the Maine's bell.  The bell would not come off, even using the 3+ foot yellow bar lying on the deck as a cheater bar!  We eventually gave up and later got the Murphy's bell.

View looking at the bridge of Maine.  The bridge of the Murphy is at the right.  The Maine was built as the USS Tomahawk (AO-88).  Later sold in the late 60's and converted to a "Seatrain" and renamed Seatrain Maine.  In 1979 the ship was reacquired by the government and the name was shortened to Maine.  Activated for Desert Shield/Storm from 1990 to 1991 she was returned to the reserve fleet for the last time.

The bridge of the Private Frederick C Murphy.  This ship was a tough one to find the history of, but I finally found it.  This ship was delivered on June 18, 1945 as the SS Maritime Victory.  Transferred to the War Department as an army transport.  Renamed Murphy in early 1950.  Later in 1950, the ship was laid up in the reserve fleet in Beaumont.  Never to reemerge from the reserve fleet.  She was used from 1983 to sometime around 1990 as the fleet utility ship.  She has been there for 51 years.  She's in really rough shape and is one of 39 ships that Marad plans on scrapping in the near future.

A view of the Murphy looking down from the bridge of the Maine.

The upper deck and cranes of the Maine as seen from the bridge.

Bridge area of the Ohio as seen from the workboat
Bow of the Ohio with the bridge of the Maine beyond.
Composite view of three pictures of the Ohio
Looking up at the bridge of the Ohio as seen from the barge alongside.
Looking over at the Dutton (AGS-22) as seen from the Ohio.  The Dutton was
The Oriskany (CV-34) as seen on the way over to the Texas Clipper.
Another shot of the Oriskany.
These ships are from the left the Texas Clipper, the Furman (AK-280) and the Dutton.  There is an application in progress from the state of Texas to sink all three of these ships as artificial reefs off of Texas.  Dutton was originally the Tuskegee Victory.  Furman was originally the Furman Victory.
Another view of the Texas Clipper.  Built in World War 2 as the attack transport Queens (APA-103), she was later used in commercial service before being transferred to Texas A&M for use as a schoolship.  Replaced in 1994 by the former Chauvenet (AGS-29).
The Dutton (facing the camera) and the Furman (facing away from the camera) with the Texas Clipper to the right.
A string of barges in a row with several pelicans visiting.
Final view of a Ready Reserve Fleet ship (on the left), the Maine, the Murphy and the Ohio.