From: "Submissions for ARC" To: References: <2007019109.168906.1292957411471.JavaMail.root@sz0123a.westchester.pa.mail.comcast.net> Subject: Re: Book report, pls acknowlege receipt Date: Fri, 31 Dec 2010 14:53:13 -0800 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0108_01CBA8FA.770F1A80" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Unsent: 1 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3664 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0108_01CBA8FA.770F1A80 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi, I just wanted to let you know your article went on ARC today. Thanks = again for sending it in. Steve Bamford ARC Air - Aircraft Resource Center http://www.arcair.com Live like there is no tomorrow; Love like you've never been hurt. Work like you don't need the money. Dance like nobody's watching. Sing like nobody's listening. Live like it's Heaven on Earth. ----- Original Message -----=20 From: p-47fan@comcast.net=20 To: submissions@arcair.com=20 Sent: Tuesday, December 21, 2010 10:50 AM Subject: Fwd: Book report, pls acknowlege receipt =20 Lake Michigan's Aircraft Carriers by Paul M. Somers, from the Images = of America Series = Hal Marshman Sr For years I've been intrigued by the stories of side wheel = aircraft carriers on Lake Michigan during World War II. At last, a = picture book has been published about these little known vessels that = did so much to help the US and its allies win the Second World War. The book begins with a capsulated history of aircraft carriers in = the US Navy, with pictures depicting the USS Pittsburgh, and Eugene = Ely's first airplane take off from a ship in his Curtiss pusher. This is = followed by a couple of pictures of the USS Langley, and the chapter = closes with a photo of the USS Lexington. Once you've been grounded in = the brief history of carriers, the book delves into first, the SS = Seeandbee, and then the SS Greater Buffalo. These were large lake = excursion steamers, coal driven, and side wheel propelled, multi decked = and in excess of 500 feet in length. There are a good many photos of = these ships, and the elegant appointments that attracted so many folks = to their cruises on Lake Michigan. There are also diagrams of these two = ships, so you can see the manner in which they were set up. In 1941, US Navy Commander Richard F Whitehead originated the idea = of training carrier pilots on the Great Lakes. This would allow pilots = to be trained in carrier operations, without the risk of enemy = intrusion, and would ensure that the Navy's seagoing carriers would be = available for the combat operations for which they were built. The Navy = started searching for suitable vessels to convert to Lake Carriers, = rather than building them from the keel up, a much more economical move. = Eventually, they settled on the Seeandbee and the Greater Chicago as = suitable for conversion, The ships were stripped of their prewar = opulence, and flight decks were built upon the hulls, with a small = island built so that prospective carrier pilots would get used to that = type of obstruction. As things worked out, the flight decks ended up = being wider than those of our fleet carriers, a definite bonus. Once the = conversion work was done, the two vessels were renamed. the USS = Wolverine and the USS Sable respectably. The book now goes into the actual operations. Pilots flew out to = the carriers, performed their training tasks, and returned to the land = base from which they originated, none overnighting onboard. There is a = good selection of photos of the different airplanes that participated in = training ops, from SNJ Texans to TBF Avengers. There are pictures of the = crew members berthing area, the mess facilities, and the poor seamen = selected to hand shovel coal into the boilers. Interesting to see the = great clouds of black smoke belching from the stacks, due to the use of = coal. There were over 17,000 pilots initiated into the vageries of = carrier landings before war's end, including pilots of the Royal Air = Force Fleet Air Arm. There's even a close up of a certain Ensign George = H. W. Bush, who was carrier qualified through this program. Sadly, like all things, the book comes to an end with the = decommissiomning of the Wolverine and Sable, and their subsequent break = up and scrapping, all of which is photographically depicted. I might take a little more of your time with a description of the = "Images of America" series of picture books. I have now four of these = books in my library, including the title which I've just reported on. = The others are the town in which I grew up, Middleborough, Ma, the town = in which I now live, Weymouth, Ma., and lastly, the South Weymouth Naval = Air Station, a blimp base during World War II. These books are all = profusely illustrated with photos of different aspects of the = communities which they portray down through the years. The Naval Air = Station book is probably typical of the Military base Series they = publish, showing stages in the original construction, operational use, = and closing histories of those bases no longer in use. I heartily = recomment any of these books in which you might find interest. At a cost = of roughly $25.00, they prove an economical glimpse into history. = Perhaps they do one on your home town, might be worth checking to see. = Check your local library or town/city historical organisations.=20 enjoy, Hal Sr=20 ------=_NextPart_000_0108_01CBA8FA.770F1A80 Content-Type: text/html; charset="utf-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable =EF=BB=BF
 
Hi,
I just wanted to let you know = your article=20 went on ARC today.  Thanks again for sending it in.
 
Steve Bamford
ARC Air - Aircraft = Resource=20 Center
http://www.arcair.com
 
Live like there is no tomorrow;
Love = like you've=20 never been hurt.
Work like you don't need the money.
Dance like = nobody's=20 watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like it's Heaven on=20 Earth.
----- Original Message -----
From:=20 p-47fan@comcast.net
To: submissions@arcair.com =
Sent: Tuesday, December 21, = 2010 10:50=20 AM
Subject: Fwd: Book report, pls = acknowlege=20 receipt


 

 


Lake Michigan's Aircraft Carriers by Paul M. Somers, from the = Images of=20 America=20 = Series           &= nbsp;           &n= bsp;           &nb= sp;           &nbs= p;            = ;  =20 Hal Marshman Sr

 

    For years I've been intrigued by the stories of = side=20 wheel aircraft carriers on Lake Michigan during World War II. At last, = a=20 picture book has been published about these little known vessels that = did so=20 much to help the US and its allies win the Second World War.

 

    The book begins with a capsulated history of = aircraft=20 carriers in the US Navy, with pictures depicting the USS Pittsburgh, = and=20 Eugene Ely's first airplane take off from a ship in his Curtiss = pusher. This=20 is followed by a couple of pictures of the USS Langley, and the = chapter closes=20 with a photo of the USS Lexington. Once you've been grounded in the = brief=20 history of carriers, the book delves into first, the SS Seeandbee, and = then=20 the SS Greater Buffalo. These were large lake excursion steamers, coal = driven,=20 and side wheel propelled, multi decked and in excess of 500 feet in = length.=20 There are a good many photos of these ships, and the elegant = appointments that=20 attracted so many folks to their cruises on Lake Michigan. There are = also=20 diagrams of these two ships, so you can see the manner in which they = were set=20 up.

 

    In 1941, US Navy Commander Richard F Whitehead=20 originated the idea of training carrier pilots on the Great Lakes. = This would=20 allow pilots to be trained in carrier operations, without the risk of = enemy=20 intrusion, and would ensure that the Navy's seagoing carriers would be = available for the combat operations for which they were built. The = Navy=20 started searching for suitable vessels to convert to Lake Carriers, = rather=20 than building them from the keel up, a much more economical move. = Eventually,=20 they settled on the Seeandbee and the Greater Chicago as suitable for=20 conversion, The ships were stripped of their prewar opulence, and = flight decks=20 were built upon the hulls, with a small island built so that = prospective=20 carrier pilots would get used to that type of obstruction. As things = worked=20 out, the flight decks ended up being wider than those of our fleet = carriers, a=20 definite bonus. Once the conversion work was done, the two vessels = were=20 renamed. the USS Wolverine and the USS Sable respectably.

 

    The book now goes into the actual operations. = Pilots=20 flew out to the carriers, performed their training tasks, and returned = to the=20 land base from which they originated, none overnighting onboard. There = is a=20 good selection of photos of the different airplanes that participated = in=20 training ops, from SNJ Texans to TBF Avengers. There are pictures of = the crew=20 members berthing area, the mess facilities, and the poor seamen = selected to=20 hand shovel coal into the boilers. Interesting to see the great clouds = of=20 black smoke belching from the stacks, due to the use of coal. There = were over=20 17,000 pilots initiated into the vageries of carrier landings before = war's=20 end, including pilots of the Royal Air Force Fleet Air Arm. There's = even a=20 close up of a certain Ensign George H. W. Bush, who was carrier = qualified=20 through this program.

 

    Sadly, like all things, the book comes to an end = with=20 the decommissiomning of the Wolverine and Sable, and their subsequent = break up=20 and scrapping, all of which is photographically depicted.

 

    I might take a little more of your time with a=20 description of the "Images of America" series of picture books. I have = now=20 four of these books in my library, including the title which I've just = reported on. The others are the town in which I grew up, = Middleborough, Ma,=20 the town in which I now live, Weymouth, Ma., and lastly, the South = Weymouth=20 Naval Air Station, a blimp base during World War II. These books = are all=20 profusely illustrated with photos of different aspects of the = communities=20 which they portray down through the years. The Naval Air Station book = is=20 probably typical of the Military base Series they publish, showing = stages in=20 the original construction, operational use, and closing histories of = those=20 bases no longer in use. I heartily recomment any of these books in = which you=20 might find interest. At a cost of roughly $25.00, they prove an = economical=20 glimpse into history. Perhaps they do one on your home town, might be = worth=20 checking to see. Check your local library or town/city historical=20 organisations. 

 

enjoy, Hal Sr 

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