An Archaeological Tour of USS Little Rock's Superstructure, Part I

[@ronalduller5719]

Amazing how much of the superstructure was modified from the original plans. Very interesting, to bad we can’t have before and after interior pictures, exterior pictures yes. I’ll keep following this series. Thanks

[@BuffaloNavalPark]

ronalduller5719, I appreciate the support, and tomorrow's night video will continue this story. Glad you're enjoying it. We have very few interior photos, and those in the collection were from "Cramp Ways", the magazine of the Cramp Shipbuilding Company when the ship was commissioned. Thanks!

[@allamericantravels]

Hello Shane and everyone at the museum. I found your channel through USS Kidd. Really enjoyed the video and I’m looking to forward to exploring more of the content on your channel!

[@BuffaloNavalPark]

allamericantravels, thanks! I watched your conversation with Tim...we done! Thanks for checking in...and we have 495 videos for you to explore...and likewise with your channel. Always looking for collaborations, so let's stay connected in the future. Tim from Kidd has my email. Thanks for helping spread the word about USS Kidd!

[@allamericantravels]

Wonderful, I’m glad you enjoyed the stream! I would definitely be interested in collaborating with you as well! Tim also has my contact info.

[@zacknowles9711]

Great video! It's cool to see traces of this cruiser's past.

[@BuffaloNavalPark]

Thanks for watching, zacknowles9711. It's a pretty interesting story for sure!

[@sirboomsalot4902]

This is the video I was waiting for! I had never quite believed that the entire original superstructure had been bulldozed off and a new one built on top; the gun directors being the originals in the same locations proved that. And it makes a lot more sense practically; why spend the time and money taking all the old spaces down when you can just build up around it? I knew something of the original superstructure had to be in there somewhere, and tbh I’ve spent more time than I would like to admit comparing photos of the exterior of Little Rock’s superstructure from the 1940s and after her conversion to see if anything except the gun directors was still there. I had been particularly interested in knowing if anything existed of the bridge was still there, and if so were there traces of the open bridge on the deck above it (which I think is still outside). So needless to say I’m stoked for this and happy to see that quite a lot of the original superstructure survived, if not a little jealous that I didn’t get to snoop around this myself 😂. It would be nice if more photos of the conversion existed so we could see more to exactly what they did. On mystery I’d be interested in learning is if the funnels that are currently on Little Rock are *the* original funnels she was built with. They are very distinctly Cleveland-class (perhaps the most distinctly Cleveland thing on the exterior), and they seem to be in the same places and the same size, but the question is whether or not they were replaced at some point or not. The reason I ask is because I know many of the Fletchers got new funnels after the war. To give my two cents about the questions you asked; I do not believe those bunks by the radio room were for African-American members of the crew for two reasons. 1. They were typically a lot lower in the ship near the galleys since that’s where they typically worked, and 2. they wouldn’t have been in an area where the rest of the crew would have to regularly pass through. That would kinda defeat the whole “segregated” part lol. I think those bunks were more likely for the radio guys to rest in or some other crew that would work in the superstructure. I also agree that those steps likely weren’t moved or changed at all; it likely was just that tight around the steps in that part. As long as you could fit a man through, it was good enough for the comfort of the navy lol.

[@BuffaloNavalPark]

Sirboomsalot - Thank you very much for your passion about this video. So glad it "made your day". Don't forget tonight is Part Two! As mentioned, the story we told that they ripped everything off, and we even have a short graphic that shows that everything was except for the Turret 61. But, your comments definitely make more sense. The funnels are the originals to the 1945 ship, so whether they just kept them on, or they removed and reattached during the refit is a good question. I haven't come across any images of Little Rock during her 1957 - 1960 refit. Though there are one or two for another CLG. For the Fletchers you are correct, they rebuilt the top of the funnels at a sharper "aft" angle to push the exhaust out an away. Let me know if you're in Buffalo and we'll get you on board to snoop around! Thanks again for your support!

[@sirboomsalot4902]

@ Yeah, I remember seeing that graphic when I was there was a kid lol. Like I said, I’m glad this archeological work is being done; after all, Little Rock is not just the last representative of the Galvestons but the Cleveland-class as a whole, so whatever she can still teach us about the Clevelands is invaluable. Good to know the funnels are the originals. I’d be surprised if they were removed or reattached; generally funnels don’t survive the process of being detached from the ship and lived somewhere else due to being so lightly built, which was the fate of Queen Mary’s original funnels (hoping SS United States proves us wrong on that so one of hers can be preserved as planned). In addition, I just don’t see why they would go through the trouble of doing it unless they had to reroute the uptakes for some reason. But if that was the case, I’d imagine they would have trunked the funnels together as was typical on the cruisers that succeeded the Cleveland’s and the Baltimore’s (the Fargo and Des Moines-class respectively). Without giving too much personal detail on here, I’m actually coming up to help you guys next weekend. We’ve been talking over email, but I don’t think I ever mentioned I was Sirboomsalot on here.

[@daviddickerson2288]

this is one point where CLG5 differed from CLG4, our MK 34 director was removed during conversion. the MK37 served both batterys for us.

[@BuffaloNavalPark]

David, last year Okie boat had their reunion here, and that was a fascinating story the guys told. I started asking around to the Little Rock guys, and they said they could cross-connect the directors so one computer could fire both. It is pretty fascinating! Thanks for your comment!

[@HM2SGT]

7:36 I'm a ham operator, and thinking about the radios of the day in that metal box puts me in mind of an oven. Any evidence of any ventilation? Those old vacuum tube sets generated enormous amounts of heat- you never had to worry about your coffee getting cold, just set the cup on the perforated steel case. I'm sure in Arctic environments it would have been most agreeable, but in the pacific?! Must have been miserable.

[@BuffaloNavalPark]

Thanks for watching, and that would be a great video to expand on. For Little Rock, she was attached to the 2nd (Atlantic) and 6th (Mediterranean) fleets...so, it was probably quite toasty in there in the Med! Appreciate you watching, and your support. We do have a ham radio club on board USS Little Rock (W2PE) that reaches out across the country and to other museum ships. Maybe you can connect next time they're broadcasting!

[@jeffgrier8488]

Thanks Shane, i find the history fascinating and the remnants from past modifications is really cool. I love a good mystery!

[@BuffaloNavalPark]

There are definitely some mysteries here, Jeff! Thanks!

[@HM2SGT]

13:13 perhaps the ladder was at a more acute angle?

[@BuffaloNavalPark]

Thanks...that's what I thought, but looking at the ladder closely, it doesn't appear as though there are any weld marks or obvious changes! Thank you for watching!

[@jmcc5877]

Admiral's stewarts quarters, makes sense to have them right outside the Admiral's quarters.

[@BuffaloNavalPark]

Ah...that's a real good thought! Thanks for sharing! The plans don't list what rate had berthing there so Lucas and I conjectured. Others have said it could be for radiomen as Radio Central is right there too.