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USS Ranger Foundation Announces...
Portland,
OR - The US Navy
announced that the USS Ranger Foundation's Phase I application for donation of
the super-carrier ex-USS Ranger has been approved and moved the group into
Phase two of  the four-phase process.
The
USS Ranger Foundation is a registered, non-profit corporation established March
5, 2001, organized for the purpose of securing, maintaining and operating the
decommissioned super-carrier USS RANGER CV-61 as an educational center, museum
and military memorial. The Foundation's board of directors has been actively
working towards this goal and is celebrating the completion and acceptance of
Phase I.
The
USS Ranger Museum is a privately funded project, with individual and corporate
support, and therefore will not be utilizing City of Portland/Metro funding as
a revenue base.
Phase
two of the process has a 12 month timeline, during which the exact location of
the museum complex will be finalized, environmental, marketing, business,
neighborhood support and other studies will be completed and updated.
Fundraising will increase, and national and international friends will be
called upon to support the project.
The
timing of this approval could not be better. At the completion of Phase four,
the ship will be towed from its current home in Bremerton, Washington to
Portland waters. When she arrives, she will bring much-needed jobs to the area,
as there will be extensive work to prepare for opening as a museum including
but not limited to: new HVAC, electrical, paint, retrofitting for ADA
requirements, mooring support at pier or dock facilities, parking areas,
onboard cafes and restaurants, a ship's store, the design and implementation of
the educational components, the design of the military memorial and much more.
Local workers can do all this. A long-term project, this will continue to
provide good jobs to the area for years. During Phase two of the process, local
design firms, environmental consultants, maritime consultants and many others
will be employed.
Once
open in her new role, the ship will have one of the largest event/conference
areas in the area and will attract not only tourists traveling to visit the
largest floating museum in the world, but corporate groups looking to hosting
their next conference in a unique location. Local veteran organizations will
have a permanent home and can make use of the ship for their meetings and
events. A destination like this is a must for reunion associations of all sizes
and interests. Local youth groups can have an "on-board" experience by staying
overnight in the ship's quarters; schools can utilize the ship's educational
components with classes held aboard in classrooms and shops.
During
the aftermath of 9-11, the carrier museum Intrepid
was activated as a command center in New York Harbor allowing communication,
coordination and even helicopter operations.
Ranger could be used in the same manner for emergency situations,
natural as well as man-made. Movie companies have used the Ranger many times
including "Top Gun", and could bring more film opportunities to the Metro area.
Captain Peter Ogle, USN (Ret), Foundation
President, has said "The USS Ranger Foundation is looking forward to partnering
with other local tourist attractions to attract larger groups adding much
needed tourists' dollars to the economy. There are five existing carrier
museums spread out around the country. None of them rely on tax dollars to
operate. The Pacific Northwest would be well served by Ranger and will be a
great addition to the community."
Now is the time to support the USS Ranger
Foundation and help bring Ranger to Portland.
Please do your part to ensure this magnificent ship and the history she
represents will be preserved on behalf of her super-carrier sisters, some of
which are or will be sunk or scrapped. For more information or to support
Ranger please visit www.ussranger.org.
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Introduction to Sea Shadow (IX-529)
and the Hughes Mining Barge (HMB-1)
As part of our research for Ranger, the Foundation  discovered that a pair of vessels was being made available for donation under a new listing in the Federal Register. These vessels are IX-529, an experimental ship known as Sea Shadow, and the submersible dry dock she is carried in, HMB1, known as the Hughes Mining Barge. IX-529. Sea Shadow, an experimental vessel, was built as part of ongoing research into many different technologies under study by the Navy. Chief among these is reduced radar profiles using similar techniques adopted for stealth aircraft. Secondary research involved computerized engine and navigation systems thus increasing efficiency and accuracy while reducing manpower requirements to operate the ship. Never fully commissioned as a ship of the line, Sea Shadow contributed to the design and implementation of the latest generation of Navy ships.
The Hughes Mining Barge is a submersible dry dock designed for underwater work in a number
of efforts. It was used to conceal the presence (and existence) of Sea Shadow using its retractable roof. The barge would be towed out to sea, allowed to settle in the water so that Sea Shadow could float out for test exercises, then return to the barge, which would then be closed and raised to allow a tow back to port or to another area. The Navy has advertised the pair as available for donation since they have been stricken from the Navy list and are considered surplus. They are located at the Navy facility in Suisun Bay in California. The original concept was to display Sea Shadow inside HMB-1. The new entry in the Federal Register permits a requesting organization, such as the USS Ranger Museum Foundation, to apply for donation and split the pair. Though Sea Shadow is subject to the normal restrictions concerning activation of navigational or propulsion systems, the barge may be reactivated for commercial purposes. The Foundation realized early on that the dry dock might be a useful addition to the facilities existing in Portland shipyards. Some overtures were made concerning the desire for this vessel, and the response was positive. To acquire the barge, federal regulations require it to be donated to a qualified organization or government entity. It will also require Navy cooperation in dealing with California environmental rules concerning hull growth and moving between waterways; I.E. getting out of Suisun Bay. The USS Ranger Museum Foundation submitted a set of documents required for the Navy phase one application process. This was approved for advancement to Phase 2 in August 2009. The Foundation's documents specified that Sea Shadow/ HMB-1 would be part of the overall complex envisioned for Ranger. We were informed that there are five other qualified organizations approved for phase two application. Their identities are not public knowledge at this time. This portion of the Ranger complex is planned to include self-guided tours focusing on the scientific aspects of ship. Though space aboard is limited, a similar process used to tour museum submarines will be employed. Off ship exhibits will explain those unclassified aspects of her construction and contributions to the current and future generations of Navy ships. These include engineering, stealth, navigation, operations and other interest areas. With an emphasis on education, history and patriotism, the Foundation will partner with the Oregon educational system, youth groups and active duty personnel, as well as reserves and veterans groups. The Foundation plans to negotiate the commercial reactivation and use of the HMB-1 in conjunction with berthing Ranger.
For illu.strat ion, the photo shows Sea Shadow entering HMB-1, in Alameda CA. USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70), opposite on the pier indicates the relative sizes of the vessels.
The cruiser USS Arkansas is behind the barge.
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USS Ranger Foundation
Peter Ogle, Captain USN ret.
Foundation President
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Holiday Shopping
Be sure to check the ship's store for new and exciting holiday items.
Be one of the first to own the 1st in an annual holiday ornament collection. This special ornament is hand-made and high-quality and was sold to us by a Ranger sailor.
We are working hard to stock items from Ranger sailor's companies and support our own. If you have something that you would like to see on the store site to help raise monies for Ranger, please let us know at RangerStore@USSRanger.org
Click on "What's New" on the left-hand side of the store page to see the new stock.
Everyone will need a
Sailor Bear for the holidays!
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