Why The US Navy Really Needs This One Forest in Indiana

Get a free bag of fresh coffee with any Trade subscription at drinktrade.com/hai
Get a Half as Interesting t-shirt: standard.tv/collections/half-...
Suggest a video: halfasinteresting.com/suggest
Follow Sam from Half as Interesting on Instagram: / sam.from.wendover
Follow Half as Interesting on Twitter: / halfinteresting
Discuss this video on Reddit: / halfasinteresting
Video written by Amy Muller
Check out our other channels: / wendoverproductions
/ jetlagthegame

[@exvaran]

Surprised you didn't mention the Swedish oak forest they planted in the 1830s so they can have enough wood for their navy... in 2009

[@thePronto]

Or 'The New Forest' in the UK.

[@rickinielsen1]

In 2003 in Denmark, the people minding the forest called the Warministry and told them the oaks they had planted after the bombardment of Copenhagen were ready for them :P

[@csweezey18]

@@rickinielsen1 That's incredible and we need more of this in the world.

[@stevejohnson1685]

Or the Mastbos, literally "Ship Mast Forest", between Breda, Netherlands and the Belgian border. Owned by the Dutch royal family, it's now a very popular hiking and biking area.

[@thiccityd9773]

@@csweezey18I heard a story about a retired French general who planted a forest on his property in hopes that the wood would be used for their ships, and is now a nature preserve. It seems that there are a lot of stories like this, it’s interesting how far these nations had to think ahead.

[@vlogbrothers]

Delighted to be mentioned as a good thing about Indiana. -John

[@hamasathecold7842]

You’re here!

[@seanmcnew18]

​because

[@JoelRipke]

As somebody from Indiana, I regularly think of John as a good thing about Indiana.

[@phinehasjacob9122]

As a Hoosier I like your books but for some reason I feel compelled to challenge you to a duel

[@Shutupalready47]

+

[@gindrinkersline3285]

5:20 In 1831, The Royal Swedish Navy planted an oak forest (white oak) to secure future shipbuilding. In 1975, the oaks were ready to be cut down & presented to the Navy. The Chief of the Navy declined the oaks since long gone were the days of oak warships. The oak forest still stands on Visingsö and is a beautiful destination with grave fields from the times of the Vikings.

[@tlldrkhndy]

Now that Sweden is part of NATO, it should come as a fortuitous circumstance that white oaks can be obtained from this forest too. Huzzah!

[@gindrinkersline3285]

@@tlldrkhndy Not a member yet but soon. Happening this autumn according to the Turks & Hungarians.

[@RobotWithHumanHair.]

@@gindrinkersline3285 damn t*rks

[@wilsonli5642]

They should build a 18th or 19th century vintage sailing ship to go sailing around the world with the Constitution, maybe do some mock gunnery duels :)

[@writerconsidered]

They could be used for the tall ship fleet that regularly sail around on display.

[@donaldasayers]

In the UK we have the Trafalgar Oaks planted at the behest of Nelson so that the British Navy would have enough Oaks to build ships when the oak trees matured in 200 years. Which is about now. In Denmark early this century Queen Margrethe II got a call from the Royal Forestry Commissioner of Denmark informing her that finally her ship had come in and her oaks were ripe for the picking.

[@joanhoffman3702]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@PRH123]

So what did she do...?

[@vincentsutter1071]

Where within the UK are these Oaks located? There was a noticeable lack of trees when I visited central England in the 2001-2004 timeframe.

[@donaldasayers]

@@vincentsutter1071 They were planted in parts of New Forest.

[@vincentsutter1071]

@@donaldasayers I have no idea where the New Forest is located....

[@lightyagami77777]

No joking, as someone from Indiana it's been mentioned to me several times in casual conversation that we're pretty safe from attacks because no one would care to bother with us. It's such a bittersweet reputation to have.

[@jimskywaker4345]

I can't believe the navy figured out the "nothing ever happens in indiana" meta

[@michaelbread5906]

I always confuse you guys with Illinois.

[@auliamate]

"So boring no one would even nuke you" is quite the thing to be known for. but also, you're not as boring as iowa... or the dakotas, so honestly its not too bad

[@readingking1421]

@@auliamate S. Dakota has Mt. Rushmore, so it should at least be elevated beyond Iowa and North Dakota.

[@Gamer3427]

We have a bit more going on here in Mississippi, but I share your pain. About the only time we get remembered is when people talk about the Mississippi River, and even then there's about a 70% chance people will be talking more about one of the other states it's connected to. And as someone who lives on the opposite side of the state, I'm pretty sure any bombs aimed at it wouldn't be a threat to anywhere I've regularly been.

[@jamesthemaniac3293]

As a person born and raised down the road from Crane, who now lives in Boston….I feel targeted by this content.

[@themodernfrontiersmen]

It was made just for you. Sam is in your walls. He hears you breathe. He knows.

[@gemhunter498]

You’re a white oak now

[@agentofashcroft]

@@gemhunter498 You're a wizard, Harry

[@glass1258]

Boston here too !!!

[@patrickjarvis631]

Lived in Jasper briefly. Stg stranger things was about that area lol

[@frankmenchaca9993]

Back in the early 1960s, there was a recruiting poster that featured the USS Constitution and a gunner's mate 1st class that impressed me so much I joined the Navy in 1961. It wasn't planned, but I became a gunner's mate, and retired 28 years later. On a visit to Boston, I had the opportunity to see her, and remembered the poster.

[@leighcochran7303]

Wonderful story! I was a Boston tour guide and took many bus loads of tourists to see her! ❤❤

[@carportchronicles1943]

Back in the early 2000s I recall reading a story in the Navy's All Hands magazine which described the sustainable forestry practices used for the white oaks. One of the things they were doing at the time (I don't know if they are still doing it or not) was using draft horses to haul the logs out of the forest to the nearest road. That reduced soil compaction and the need to take down other trees in order to access the trees they wanted to harvest.

[@absolutemattlad2701]

That's dope

[@danielcobbins8861]

Some loggers still use teams of draft horses to pull out oak logs. Down South, mules are used for pine.

[@carlkidd9571]

Yes they still use draft horses to remove the trees . I help give tours of Constitution Grove to visiting Admirals/Generals and elected officials and sometimes school children regularly

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

Preserving Old Ironsides, and the use of horses!

[@jamescox9427]

That actually makes sense. There are quite a few Amish in that area, so draft horses would be plentiful.

[@koboldparty4708]

Its worth mentioning that Constitution’s success came partially from her size-in short, she was a frigate built up to the size of a veeeeery small ship of the line. As it happens, the British had previously had ships in that size category, but had gotten rid of them for being too small (which they were, being too small to properly fight in the line of battle, but too unwieldy to be used as a frigate). They later constructed a class of ships quite similar to Constitution.

[@cleverusername9369]

Would that be the Leda class frigates? HMS Trincomalee and HMS Unicorn, for example?

[@282XVL]

The original battlecruisers or pocket battleships.

[@kaitlyn__L]

And I thought the City-class was pretty small. But the Constitution's a third the length!

[@kaeamillin8379]

@@282XVL Not really, more like a large destroyer like the Le Fantasque-class

[@panachevitz]

I believe that Brandon F. did a video about the British response to the American heavy frigates and one of the results was to cut down (or to razee) a 72 or 84 gun 3rd Rate by removing the topmost gundeck and send them out. That left the heaviest guns on the lower decks intact while reducing the weight of the ship. Or I could be misremembering and just be plain wrong. ;)

[@thralldumehammer]

My grandfather was a naval Carpenter back during world war 2. He was a part of the crew that would redeck the aircraft carriers when they still had wooden decks. I'm 45 now unfortunately he passed away whenever I was barely a year old, really wish I could have got to talk to him. He was only 65, also we are proud Hoosiers

[@jamessimms415]

It was easier & faster to repair than the armored decks of the British carriers. The Brit carriers might have shrugged off damage more readily than US carriers, they couldn’t carry near as many aircraft or aviation fuel as US carriers. Suited more for North Atlantic & Mediterranean waters where German or Italian aircraft were close by, the Brit carriers didn’t have air conditioning for their vessels. AC was sorely needed in the hot climates of the Pacific.

[@NewCastleIndiana]

My dad s ship cv-7 was wooden deck

[@jeffbenton6183]

​@@NewCastleIndianathe USS Wasp, right?

[@thralldumehammer]

@jeffbenton6183 I'm not sure my dad never told me what ship he was on

[@Blockio1999]

One small correction: USS Constitution is the oldest still floating ship in the world, but not the oldest one still in commission: That title goes to HMS Victory, who was built a bit over 30 years earlier, but has been in drydock for the past 100 years

[@AnonyMous-pi9zm]

Ahh, the US Navy, beating the Brits in 1790 and in 2020.

[@piedpiper1172]

A warship that can’t float isn’t a warship, no matter how much you claim it’s commissioned. It’s a museum with a funny shape.

[@athompso99]

​@@piedpiper1172conversely, there's an active, commissioned ship of the Royal Canadian Navy that can't float, and isn't even on a body of water. It's also mostly rectangular and made of steel-reinforced concrete... it's the training center in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It's deemed to be a ship in every way except for the whole... er... water thing, and the fact it can't be dispatched or moved.

[@marvindebot3264]

Listen again, he said the "world's oldest warship still afloat AND in commission" which is correct.

[@LavitosExodius]

If it's not floating it doesn't count say it's commissioned all you want but it's not floating where Constitution not only floats but does sail sometimes.

[@toddsheridan1733]

As someone from Chicago, the sight gag about Indiana repelling us with ketchup made me giggle.

[@AndrewDederer]

I thought that was hilarious, but obscure as heck.

[@NewCastleIndiana]

What does it mean?

[@AndrewDederer]

@@NewCastleIndiana A Chicago-Style "Fully Dressed" Hot Dog is topped by a massive assortment of toppings (dill slice, onions, mustard, poppy-seed bun etc) BUT NEVER ketchup (a wedge of tomato is optional if you must).

[@Rextraordinaire]

​@@AndrewDedererand it would totally work!

[@anthonykaiser974]

And Indiana has a Ketchup brand: Red Gold

[@huddl3buh50]

Very disappointed Sam didn't have time to mention Theseus or his boat when talking about indefinite repairs to this boat.

[@joermnyc]

I totally loved both visiting Old Ironsides and the museum next to it, really well done overall experience, plus the yard is still active and they were fixing a ship in the dry dock, not every day you see a big Navy ship completely out of the water.

[@robster7787]

That was probably USS Cassin Young. I visited the place shortly after it completed maintenance in the dry dock. You can also step onboard to the USS Cassin Young.

[@ronsamborski6230]

I’ve been below a ship in dry dock. I was stationed on the U.S.S. Preble DDG-46, in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. She was in dry dock for major overhaul and rebuild when the U.S. Embassy in Tehran was attacked and seized in November 1979. 🇺🇸⚓️

[@AndrewAMartin]

I did an engineering internship with the Navy at Philadelphia Naval Base when I was in college, and one of the projects I worked on was on USS Wisconsin, which was in drydock at the time for repainting. Amazing seeing the entire hull... There was also an aircraft carrier next to her going through SLEP (Service Life Extension Program) that we did some work with, but IIRC it was still afloat. Can't remember which carrier, though -- memories fade after over 30 years...

[@billcornelius1383]

Oxford university did that for their library roof. Some janitor discovered it was full of beetles so he informed the Dean who mentioned it at a regents meeting where the Head Gardener was attending. The Head Gardener said no problem, we planted a special grove for that 400 yrs ago. So they cut it, made a new roof, and planted another one for next time.

[@test-zn3ir]

As someone who lives close enough to Crane to hear and sometimes feel the explosions. I can gaurantee you there is much more to it than just harvesting trees.

[@mikedaniels4638]

It m may be different now but I flew privately alot when I was younger and it was a no fly zone over the place. There's more there than just trees.

[@nolongerblocked6210]

Between Crane & Atterbury there's always some form of live fire exercise going on. I live in Columbus & can hear machine guns & other munitions going off almost daily during the summer at Atterbury. It slows down in the fall/winter but never completely stops, seems like there's some kind of military jet or helicopter over the city weekly year round

[@nerd26373]

Forests are keen on protection. It's practically hidden in plain sight. By all means, we must conserve them.

[@Paulftate]

not conserve,,manage

[@greeceuranusputin]

@@Paulftate NO, conserve. Not everything exists solely to be exploited.

[@Paulftate]

@@greeceuranusputin facts of life...like China & India are the biggest omissions.......yet Biden can't even bring up slave labor or covid...democrat supports China with their politics

[@internet_userr]

The number of people who asked:

[@internet_userr]

@internet_userr Mate I hate comments like yours It is totally irrelevant to the OP conservation is actually a serious topic like if you agree

[@DescendingVelocity]

As much as I want to focus on a really really old ship, you just brought back memories of when my mom destroyed me in scrabble when she made a word that had X in it and hit a triple space. Thanks for that, half as interesting

[@Jason-7212]

The other important wood used on the Constitution is the Live Oak. It is a tree that is native to the southern US and is known for it's strength and resiliency. It is used to make up the framing and bracing of the ship. Shortly after the construction of the first ships of the US Navy it was determined that there was a shortage of Live Oaks and that to insure a future supply action was needed. In 1828 the first national tree farm was established, called Naval Live Oak Reservation, was established on a peninsula between Pensacola Bay and Santa Rosa Sound. There were several more of these established over the following years along the Gulf Coast, but by the time of the Civil War with the transition from wooden hulled ships to iron they were no longer needed and were slowly transfer to local ownership. Only one remains, the Naval Live Oak Nature Preserve in Gulf Breeze Florida.

[@DJHobby]

I've lived close to the Crane Nava Base my whole life. I have lots of friends and family that work there, or have worked there, and this is the first time I've heard about the white oak forest and the USS Constitution! I've always known it for the ordinance depot. They also have some really deep lakes/pits where they test SONAR etc... Thanks for the history lesson.

[@arcticchod5370]

I hope you're getting your cancer screenings

[@kinjunranger140]

Just don't tell anyone how beautiful and peaceful it is around here, or we'll be overrun by tourists. 😁

[@Johanneskoal]

@@kinjunranger140too late, we’re on our way 😈

[@DevoutSkeptic]

It's also home to the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division, which provides development and support operations in the areas of expeditionary warfare systems, fleet maintenance, and modernization, radar, power systems, strategic systems, small arms, surface and airborne electronic warfare, night vision systems, and undersea warfare systems.

[@MichaelJohnson-hq5rz]

And Crane Army Ammunition Activity, which produces and distributes munitions and stores up to 25% of the US military’s conventional munitions stockpile

[@adamv6917]

I worked there!

[@DevoutSkeptic]

​@@adamv6917 Nice. I work at NAVSEA HQ at the WNY.

[@philbert006]

Unfortunately, this is only a quarter as interesting. Maybe next time, guys 😂

[@ronsamborski6230]

@@philbert006 I agree. The video seems to be loaded with snarky juvenile comments, as if they’re not trying to actually inform or educate anyone, just create goofball cartoon videos. I know they don’t care, but I won’t be watching any more of their content.

[@artistwithouttalent]

I'm from Indiana, and I was honestly pretty surprised there was more than just the sustainable Navy forest on that list. The Dunes are pretty tight, though, as is John Green. Also apparently Joey Chestnut lives here?

[@nothda2211]

the list doesn't even have the 500, though!

[@cmdr1911]

Johnny Appleseed is buried in Fort Wayne as well.

[@catherinekracey5036]

Hoosier here, as well. We were done absolutely dirty by the list's lack of Gen Con and the Indy 500. Some other interesting things... Largest Children's Museum, Jim Davis (Author of Garfield) was born here.... Yeah, we don't have much of anything.

[@jcnash02]

Also, a LOT of military equipment suppliers

[@warmech11]

@@catherinekracey5036 Don't forget the hundreds of covered bridges/natural historical sites, former and current mines, and Abraham Lincoln Childhood Home.

[@Tinil0]

Also, damn, I usually don't comment on the little references and stuff, but this video is a pretty dang well produced one and the scaring away the Chicagoans with ketchup was perfect. They really are terrified of it.

[@johnlicht9151]

NWS Crane is starting to become a high-tech complex. All the Navy's sonar bouys are manufactured, stored, upgraded, tested, and retired there. It has a growing West Gate Industrial Park for contractors. A new computer chip manufacturing production facility is being constructed at the park. There is plenty of weapons production and maintenance operations there. Most of its WWII facilities are being modernized. Also, the base has a very strong 3 D research and development program.

[@Kevbot6000]

I actually visited this ship when I visited Boston in October, it was a pretty cool experience that I’d recommend to anyone in the area.

[@Steamrick]

Reminds me of the Visingsö Oak Forest where the Swedish Navy planted a bunch of trees for a navy that didn't use wooden ships anymore by the time the trees were ready.

[@fss1704]

Heck it was a good investment though.

[@kylermcreynolds3146]

Indiana is also called the cross roads of the country. While population center keeps moving west, it has been essentially the center pointe of the population for decades. With it also being in the center of country’s geography, it gave it a unique position during WW2. After the war, Crane became a major facility for the ship of naval ICBMs (not the warheads). Today it dismantles old munitions, and it is the a major small arms development center for the USN.

[@AmyC37217]

On December 5th, 2022 the NOAA declared Hartville Missouri the "Center of US Population"......so even tho Illinois had the title for over 50 years - it's still not too terribly far from Indiana

[@silverstar4289]

@@AmyC37217there are markers on the lawn of Monroe County Courthouse - Bloomington- lawn denoting population center of US. I recall maybe 1901 and the next year a census was taken. One reason there are world class surgery and cancer treatment centers in Indiana is according to one tour guide- Over 80 percent of the population is within 350 miles of the central are of Indiana.

[@ProfBoggs]

The geographic center (using a weighted population mean) of the US has moved west of Indiana some time ago, but I know the maps you are thinking about for this. Thanks for providing more info on CRANE. I grew up near there, and I never heard of this use for CRANE. This video makes it sound like the only thing that happens there is forestry.

[@kurtsell8376]

As an American taxpayer I completely support this use of taxpayer money.

[@writerconsidered]

Well at least this money is accounted for. As a tax payer you should know the Pentagon has been deem un-auditable for the last 5 yrs. And the fail upwards since they get a budget increase every year. And you'll never hear any of that in the media.

[@GrumpyBombayite]

Ron Swanson’s dream job would be to be in charge of this forest.

[@Dimapur]

Also some of the young trees were bent and shaped in such a way that it can be used in specific parts of the ship.

[@aidenm9510]

The Forrest on crane only a small part of what actually goes on, because the base is used for research and development of technology and weapons and also stores ammunition

[@HighSpeedNoDrag]

Crane Naval Depot is the largest Land-Locked Naval Installation in the World. Crane has several ammunition production facilities as well. Been there a few times back in the 90s with my Guard Unit.

[@BearBunnz.]

As a historian, I can tell you just ad mentioned in some comments that the Navy has more than one single forest that it harvests wood from. The Naval Live Oaks Reservation in Pensacola, Florida near me is one of them.

[@loquat44-40]

You beat me to it. But the navy no longer controls the Naval Live Oaks or harvests wood from it. It is part of the federal park system I believe. But it was meant to provide live oak which is a most resistant and tuff wood It located a little outside pensacola just adjacent to Gulf Breeze, FL.

[@daletaylor406]

This one is for the ribs of the Constitution. Live oaks grow with a natural curvature so the ribs don't have to be pieced, and are thus stronger.

[@loquat44-40]

@@daletaylor406 The curvatures do vary from tree to tree. I know that when live oak cures it is an extremely difficult wood to work and I wonder how it was done. One can swing a normal weight ax at a saw off end and it normally bounces off. If one can with a sledge hammer manage to drive an ax head into the sawed off end of a log the live oak will force/squeeze it right back out.

[@niesenjohn]

And the Live Oak Wood is actually the reason she's so cannonball-proof...the white oak is why she's more waterproof.

[@xiaoshengdadan1219]

Live Oak trees are also critical for Old Iron Side, and they take forever to grow. Donations from GA FL SC and TX keeps this ship strong

[@tebelshaw9486]

I feel honored, living as I do in Live Oak, FL. Anchors Aweigh!

[@cxzact9204]

The original timber used in most of these historical ships were even older, as much of it came from old growth forests. These oaks take 150 years to mature but around where I live they used 800 year old yellow woods, which is wild to imagine.

[@Cragified]

Live Oak which was used for the framing is actually not in high demand commercially unlike White Oak. Practically all saw mills will reject Live Oak orders because of how difficult it is to process. Where White Oak grows nice and straight. Also Decking and Planking has to be replaced far more often then framing members.

[@SCscoutguy]

When they were rebuilding her in 1995 the city of Charleston SC donated live oak trees that were destroyed by hurricane Hugo. International Paper donated white oak trees from their property in SC located in Kingstree SC. It was named Kings Tree in colonial times because of its large white oak forests which supplied wood to build Royal Navy ships thus the name "Kings Tree".

[@tebelshaw9486]

@@SCscoutguy I was working at East Cooper Hospital the night Hugo hit in 1989 and remember the devastation that greeted us the next morning. Glad they were able to salvage some trees for such a noble cause.

[@notstewie5103]

It's pretty crazy that there is still an old ship from the 1700s and of that size, still afloat

[@CaptRR]

Isn't the HMS Victory still floating? Though I don't think they actually take her and sail her anywhere like they do the Constitution.

[@owenstockwood5040]

@@CaptRR No, she is permenantly drydocked.

[@jfs0000]

@@CaptRRit isn’t, there’s a huge hole in the side and it’s been “in drydock” for like 100 years.

[@mardiffv.8775]

It is a matter of pride and prestige. For the same reason the Norwegian Army has a penguin in its ranks with the rank of Brigadier General. No kidding.

[@stevk5181]

Soon to be the real Ship of Theseus.

[@elricmoorcock]

Crane is also home to a large naval ammunition storage. They also test the large caliber guns, such as the 16" battleship guns. With a range of 23 miles, they need a lot of land, to test fire on.

[@UYNiko]

1:50 lol, that made me chuckle

[@logank]

They really ignored the Indy 500 on notable things in Indiana 😭

[@jasonfischer8946]

😴

[@colehanna4040]

Indiana man discovers no one outside of Indiana cares about the Indy 500

[@EPMTUNES]

There are cars that go to fast in literally every other state in the United States. Indiana isn't special!

[@jaycieworkman1837]

@@EPMTUNES but our cars are slightly faster and weirder looking so it makes it better... some how

[@imveryangryitsnotbutter]

@@kalebisalwaysright I was going to write "If Indiana cared about the children so much, how come it took so long to pass those laws", but then I remembered that most laws written "to protect the children" are usually anti-LGBT bullshit, and that most people who use the word "based" unironically are into anti-LGBT bullshit.

[@josephpadula2283]

When I was in elementary school we still learned things like “ Naval Stores” as a resource the old world needed from the new world . Naval stores were tall strong trees to make masts for warship sailing vessels And the pitch that came out of pines used to waterproof hulls. I vaguely remember the King automatically owned certain tall trees no matter whose property they were on….

[@josephpadula2283]

Yes Can’t remember breakfast but 1967 geography from 5th grade comes through ! Thanks Kindle school Pitman NJ…. On May 10, 1708, the General Court passed an act to preserve all “Mast Trees” or white pine trees within the province of New Hampshire for the Crown’s Royal Navy. This action rubber-stamped an earlier 1691 English law that declared all pines with a diameter of 24 inches or more the property of the Crown and imposed a fine of £50 for each tree illegally cut.

[@brucetucker4847]

For my money Old Ironsides is one of the most beautiful ships ever to sail the ocean. Such clean, lean lines! She looks like a thoroughbred racehorse. She was also the basis for the French frigate _Acheron_ in the movie _Master and Commander: the Far Side of the World_ . In the book the opposing ship was an American Humphreys frigate, in the movie they didn't want the Americans to be the bad guys so they changed it to a frigate built by the same yard but sold to the French - a rather unlikely occurrence since US-French relations were nearly as bad as US-British relations at that time.

[@reed13k73]

I lived about 15 minutes from Crane growing up in the 70s. At the time one of their activities was diposing of old munitions...especially old Battleship gunpowder. You could hear the charges setoff as dull thumps 20 miles away at my house when they were in the process. They've since taken on a lot of other activities including electronic warfare, smaller arms development, etc. I camped in those woods on base and got to fish on the lakes for a few weeks when I was in the high school NJROTC....beautiful country.

[@ProfBoggs]

I grew up near there, too, and recall the intermittent thumps in the 1970s and 1980s.

[@JamesGilbert_]

That "heartwood = Florida" joke is a work of art.

[@FantasKanal]

1:45 could have made a pun here in german, since tree nurseries in German are called "Baumschule" or literally - Tree-schools

[@akagrutnam2631]

As someone who grew in Crane. I can remember when the base was pretty much open to the public. Used to take school trips there in the late 60 early 70s. Remember specifically them showing us designs for computer chips. the size the schematic was the full wall of a lab. Was mind blowing to a child. Their K9 program was awesome. Have lots of family members who worked there. Lots more then growing trees going on there lol

[@grimmsalem]

The base is also an engineering hub and they do a lot of radio research due to the landscape making a fun challenge.

[@nicholasong6701]

If Old Ironsides keeps getting replacements parts so frequently, is it really still Old Ironsides

[@DissociatedWomenIncorporated]

Assuming you’re older than 11, none of the matter that makes up your body is the same matter that made it up 11 years ago. Every single molecule has been replaced. Are you still you?

[@carltonleboss]

Ship of Theseus moment

[@brianholmes1812]

Old Theseus-sides

[@coreytaylor5386]

yes. its not a very difficult question. it only becomes the ship of Theseus when if all the original parts where assembled and magically restored and the question poses which of the two is the real one, which the answer would be the newer one, because the identity of an object is just a human concept that can be applied to anything humans agree is that thing.

[@buttersquids]

@@DissociatedWomenIncorporated your brain cells aren't being replaced

[@zacharyandrew4300]

It's worth noting, also located at NSA Crane is the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane. NWSC Crane was responsible for developing systems used in the Zumwalt-class destroyers and LCS program.

[@lightwalker222]

Fun fact Constitution is not the first ship to be nicknamed Old Ironsides, that honor goes to HMS Brittania - who got the name from Oliver Cromwell.

[@robster7787]

I was just there last week. You can ride a ferry from the long warf to get to the USS constitution. If you get a Charlie card (it’s $11 for a day pass), you can ride any of the MBTA transport available. You can actually walk onto the ship and take a look around it. The ship is free and open to the public, so feel free to visit. While you’re there be sure to visit the other historic sites. Boston is insanely busy.

[@thePronto]

The 'still floating' phrase was an important qualifier, since HMS Victory is older, is still in commission and arguably has much more history.

[@joekennedy4093]

I feel like floating is pretty important for a boat though.

[@jeffreychen5130]

ya know iw as wondering about the not floating part, after googling i find its on land, i thought it was sunk and was confused about the still in commission part

[@thePronto]

@joekennedy4093 true, but I would argue that they are both historical artifacts: contact with seawater and marine life isn't doing anything to preserve wooden ships.

[@100c0c]

Ships on land don't count

[@greeceuranusputin]

I think this calls for a fight to the death! I think Constitution will wipe the "Victory" off that boat!

[@53gaDr34mc4st]

USS Constitution is also the only US Navy ship in service that has actually sunk an enemy ship.

[@greeceuranusputin]

For now... China has lots of targets and is itching for some to be sunk.

[@arcticchod5370]

That might be because the last time we had to sink ships was in WW2, they've all been decommissioned and turned into museums. Or sunk to the bottom of the ocean, lol. We traded them for modern ships

[@tlldrkhndy]

Huzzah to that!

[@53gaDr34mc4st]

@@arcticchod5370 I do believe there have been ships that sunk enemies more recently, but I think it was effectively just small patrol boats taking out terrorist speedboats or something like that.

[@SCscoutguy]

@@arcticchod5370 The frigate USS Simpson sank an Iranian heavy missile boat in 1988. It was retired along with all of the OHP class frigates several years ago.

[@imowgrass]

I live on Crane as a kid for three years during my father's last duty station before he retired after his 20. It was an absolutely amazing place to grow up! 18mi² lake for all the fishing we could handle, and 100mi² of forest and other small ponds and reservoirs to fish. 20 deer in the yard every night. Pool, bowling, climbing wall, gym, etc... Amazing place to be a boy! I sure do miss it.

[@tommacfarlane5623]

Back in the 1990's, the Navy was harvesting oak from what was called "Navy Oaks" in Gulf Breeze, Florida. It is now part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore. There was an article in the local paper talking about it being used for decking for the Constitution. The woodworking shop in Boston where they prepare the oak for use is pretty neat.

[@alexvetlov2486]

Those are Live Oaks this wood is very strong and used for the structure where as white oak is used for planking

[@arrvidcarlson8107]

Old Iron Sides is a ship. Ships carry boats, also there is a distinction based on how a ship handles in a turn.

[@Wrkncacnter777]

Also whether they're on the ocean or the Great Lakes.

[@indyscubadiver]

3:46 So, Indiana absolutely would’ve and likely still would be a target for traditional and nuclear weapons. We have had a considerable military industrial presence for quite a while with nuclear measurements corporation, naval air warfare center (later named Naval Avionics and also known for the development of the Norden bombsight). We are also home to divisions of Raytheon and Rolls Royce. In fact the new engines for the B-52 are being made by rolls Royce here in Indy .. this is all not to mention Crane Navy surface warfare center itself being a target at the time.

[@Bobis32]

Not To mention GD and L3harris up in fort wayne

[@ryanbcatatarea51]

Don't forget Crane is also a huge ammunition and supply facility. An hour south of Indy is Camp Atterbury where Navy Seals complete sniper school. 2 hours north of Indy is the 122nd Fighter Wing in Fort Wayne. Necessary precautions when you are bordered with Chicago, Ohio, and Kentucky.

[@vincentsutter1071]

The 122nd patrolled Chicago during 9-11 when the F-16s were the only craft in the skies.

[@TgWags69]

USS Constitution also used Live Oak (Quercus Virginia) for the inner layer of the hull and grown knees and frames, that was covered inside and out by White oak planking. The Navy also had plantation and reserves for the important supply of southern live oak as well. The white oak is better for water ingress. The Live Oak is unmatched for density and strength.

[@jaysnively2472]

Correction: Live oak is Quercus Virginiana

[@sambond2473]

The forest land on the Crane facility was overcut and unmanaged prior to State and then Feds acquired The timber is harvested to keep it sustainable The rest of the base does very high tech the things as well as manufacture munitions

[@QueueWithACapitalQ]

Reminds me of a forrest in Denmark where after several generations of caretaking recently notified the Danish navy that their trees are ready for harvesting.

[@59patrickw]

oldest commissioned wooden ship is H.M.S Victory She was ordered in 1758, laid down in 1759, and launched in 1765. With 245 years of service as of 2023, she is the world's oldest naval vessel still in commission.

[@silverstar4289]

My father was the forester who was hired in the 1950’s to get the land and forest improvements. As a family we are still in the Indiana forest industry, and his father received the first forestry degree from Purdue. Attending an I Diana Department of Natural Resources woodland management class, the example they gave for good timber management was at Crane. I still live a few miles from the base, but only time I visited it was doing some work with an EOD unit. I was a small kid when this was going on, but I remember his work crew coming to the farm to head out to work. Dad had a huge chainsaw. A panel truck loaded with equipment and lord knows what kind of chemicals in sprayers. One day the crew showed up with a five and a half foot rattlesnake one of them whacked with an ax. Dad skinned it and laid it on a board. He gave it to a local VFW he spent too much time in. It was displayed behind the bar. For all I know it may still be at a tavern or someone’s home. Always great to know the legacy of giving the forest a good foundation from which to thrive.

[@andrewdiaz3529]

Yo, one of the TTRPG settings I've been building is basically "post-post apocalyptic Great Lakes region incorporating all the local folklore, weird geographic features and the lakes themselves" and now I think I got a great plot to include where the complicated factions at play are trying to cut off the strongest shipping power from their white oak supply.

[@MiishaKorvian]

Midwest Federation against the world!

[@ProfBoggs]

So long as they want radiated wood. I grew up near CRANE. There were many technical labs there providing technical support for and R&D for the surface and submarine fleets, plus naval avionics. I recall in the early 1980s playing _Gamma World_ and _Aftermath!_, realizing that if WWIII started we would likely be vaporized quickly even if we considered ourselves to be relatively isolated. If you have mutated sentient animals, consider adding a tribe of deeroids that hunt human(oids). In the late 1970s and early 1980s at least, portions of CRANE were opened up during the Fall deer-hunting season. It would be cool to have mutant deer who thought they were delivered from the annual fall hunters by an atomic war, and now have turned the tables.

[@davelack553]

0:41 HMS Victory is the oldest still commissioned naval warship. She was launched in 1765 and commissioned in 1778.

[@tolvaer]

The Redcoats raided the Georgia and South Carolina coasts for the live oaks. I might be wrong but I believe that the mythos of the movie, "Master and Commander" indirectly references the construction of American ships of the line.

[@noahbawdy3395]

I love this story. I learned this growing up in Indiana. :) The movie "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World" even mentions this.

[@joeym5243]

Actually I'm pretty sure it's a magical forest where the government is hiding unicorns and the queen of England

[@gemhunter498]

Basically, yea

[@qwertyTRiG]

The last Queen of England reigned in 1707.

[@Maadhawk]

Actually, there are other options for white oak as well. Purple heart, for example, does the job just as well. It is more expensive though. Leo Sampson talks about the choices in wood at length during some of his early videos on rebuilding the 112 year old Tally Ho.

[@Diddley-js6lf]

Indiana is a Beautiful, Great State. Our Construction Company Built Dollar Generals all over from Northern to Southern to East To West.

[@run4ever102]

I had driven by this several times recently, it’s massive. You start to notice that the fence on your left - with concrete and barbwire Hasn’t changed patterns or broke up in an hour. It’s a actually insane amount of land

[@billsargent3407]

It is a ship, not a "boat" It fought many battles and deserves the energy that it received..

[@mattc7820]

"Boat" is a term commonly used in the Navy to refer to any marine vessel. Even aircraft carriers are referred to as "boats" in casual conversations.

[@theguy9208]

ships are also boats.

[@jimvorndran9438]

Not true. It is a ship not a boat. 30 year Navy vet.

[@old-men2803]

NSWC Crane provides comprehensive support for complex military systems spanning design, development, deployment and sustainment in three focus areas: Electronic Warfare, Strategic Missions and Expeditionary Warfare. They do more at Crane then what you talked about dog.

[@old-men2803]

Also Indiana=bests state😘

[@williebeamish5879]

Oh they most certainly do! In spades.

[@ulhpilot7757]

I headed a team that installed and commissioned a new telecommunications system at Crane in the mid 80’s. It was in the winter and as there were no local accommodations we had to stay in Bloomington. Most of what I remember other than the long hours was that the place was a bitch to get to (crappy winter roads) and the compound had so many deer you had to drive 5MPH to avoid hitting them.

[@vincentsutter1071]

Well you were staying in a college party town, so you should have enjoyed the weekends. If you think Crane is remote, then be sure never to accept work at White Sands Missile Range or Little Mountain Test Facility.

[@ulhpilot7757]

@@vincentsutter1071 The schedule we were on didn't allow for much partying, which wasn't something I did on the road as a general rule. The lead tech and all that. We did get to go to a Hoosiers BB game though. One of our techs was an IU alum and got us tickets.

[@vincentsutter1071]

@@ulhpilot7757 all the same I advise not signing up for any trips to WSMR or LMTF unless you really want the definition of a remote job site. Let's add the plant at Atomic City, Idaho as well.

[@nolongerblocked6210]

4:06 Totally agree with #2 on this list! As a born & raised Hoosier, who was born & raised in Seymour but has lived in Columbus for the last 20 something years, I can say without a doubt our architecture & summer art installations around the city are definitely worth coming for a visit to see for yourself edit: spelling

[@waynetuuk7599]

Crane is much more than a forest for white pine. It is an ammunition plant (run by the Army) a warehouse distributor center for drone parts, etc. it een has a PX store with a Subway when I was there last. There are many old empty ammo bunkers also.

[@HighSpeedNoDrag]

Crane has around 500 miles of railroad tracks within it's infrastructure.

[@Calebs_Aviation]

Wow! This is so cool to have this video. Come out now when I just got home from Boston and saw the USS Constitution ship!! They also mentioned that there’s an entire forest used to keep the ship repaired and up-to-date so I kind of knew that and I assumed that’s what this video was about because I just guessed the most obscure topic I could, and guess what! I was right! 😂😂😂 Anyways, it was a great video. I love your videos as always Sam and the whole HAI/WENDOVER/Jet Lag Team!

[@williamhalejr.4289]

My mother was the secretary to the Army commander in charge at the Crane joint base back in the 1970's, the Navy were never happy they had to put up an Army flagpole next to the Navy flag when it became a JOINT base with an Army presence as well, but the Army was put in charge of joint munitions production, storage and demolition at the time and to this day, I believe. "Crane Army Ammunition Activity (CAAA)... manufacturing product lines grew to include countermeasure decoy flares, mortar and artillery illumination, signals and markers, loading assembly and packing of medium caliber munitions, Navy gun ammunition, Air Force and Navy bomb maintenance, explosive melt/pour and press load operations. CAAA also remained focused on its logistical mission set, storing and distributing approximately 25% of the DoD’s conventional munitions " So, Crane is not just around to provide planks for the USS Constitution it is a very important base for production for the entire DoD.

[@last_raven]

Crane is more than just a wood farm. You also have the Naval Surface Warfare Center, aside from that more trees than people

[@user-ek5kb8cd1b]

Thank you for confirming that Indiana, my home state, has a purpose

[@FirstNameLastName-gh9iw]

1:34 Ahh the ship of Theseus

[@robertgerrity878]

Just the keel plus one other bottom part are 1797. Dendoc says keel wood very pre-1492.

[@wallskog333]

we do a lot lot more at crane base then grow some tress. this is a full scale active naval base . with lot of different building, repaing , testing items for the navy. also other branches of the military use the aera for all kinds of stuff related to the military

[@DustyTheDog]

as a Hoosier, I love seeing stuff about my home. Indiana can be neat if you really look deep.

[@joshagosh]

I've had the honor of seeing Old Iron Sides in person, she's breath taking if you like ships.

[@thisherehandleIdospout]

You missed Zaharakos, also in Columbus, which is notable for it's architecture, yes, but also just generally the fact that walking inside is like walking into an ice cream parlor from the 1900s. Because... you are =) Otherwise your list is pretty solid. Though you *are* missing the speedway, and its awesome museum. But that's a whole other can of worms 😂

[@user-yf1pv4bd2w]

Great video. Appreciate the knowledge. I didn't realize the ship was still an active u.s. navy vessel. And even it's own white oak farm in Indiana.

[@anthonykaiser974]

I went to an outdoor museum in the Black Forest where much of my ancestry came from. One of the displays was a log raft. The local lords had contracts with the Dutch Navy for lumber for ships. They would literally put the logs together into rafts and ride them down the Rhine along with whatever else they may have to sell/barter/pay the toll stations on the 400 mile trip to Rotterdam.

[@danielcobbins8861]

During the Colonial Era, most of the forests, in what is now the state of Maine, were reserved for the Royal Navy. This was because the tall, straight pine trees were used for ships masts.

[@cageybee7221]

3:45 OI just because something is completely true...doesn't mean you should say it... *cries in i live here*

[@briscoedarling3237]

I’ve been on Navy Base Crane and it is a beautiful property with lots of deer and turkey, and many bunkers.

[@ronnichols884]

It is very important that this forest is there to keep this national treasure afloat. Long live Old Ironsides.

[@michaelmccarthy4615]

The USS Constitution is still on active duty. Technically, it could be called on to fight. It's not just an old museum boat.

[@lucaskitamura614]

Technically, yes. But technically only: there is about zero reason (other than perhaps the apocalypse) for anyone to send a 200+ year old sail ship of the line into battle at this day and age. It's really cool that they maintain it so it can still float and sail, but, as someone said in another comment, it is an odd shaped museum.

[@agentofashcroft]

Love the ketchup bottle scaring off the Chicago navy

[@floridaboiwoody]

Just outside of Pensacola, Florida is the US naval live oak reserve. Managed by the navy by order of president Jefferson. Today the area is a great hiking and beach area of preservation.

[@terrycoontz]

From Indiana and served always hear of crane! Awesome vid thank you!

[@Pitcairn77]

Uhmm actually: Xylem describes the whole water transport system of a plant and consists of different structures. In angiosperms, such as white oak, that includes tracheids and vessel elements (and some other stuff). The vessel elements are much bigger and are especially prominent in oaks, so this is what you are describing. They transport most of the water. The vessel elements are also the structures that (in white oak) develop tyloses. Finally a use for my degree, fixed your video ;)

[@p00bix]

Glad I'm not the only one who noticed that. Disappointing to see such a basic mistake.

[@_maxgray]

Xylem only transports water and nutrients *up*, not up and down. Phloem carries water and nutrients down.

[@flechettispaghetti2240]

I was stationed on that boat years ago and quite enjoyed it. It’s worth a visit if you’re ever in town

[@mateobravo9212]

Hartley Whitney in Hampshire, England has similar former Royal Naval oak plantation planted in lines to guartantee European Oak supply into the future. Planted in Napoleanic era!😊😊

[@wotintarnation8388]

Not putting the Indy 500 on the List of Worthwhile Things About Indiana is a crime Sam from HAI

[@chrisa9990]

I think that falls squarely under the John Green category

[@waydebaker33]

For the record….. Crane, Indiana is not JUST for the boat. It’s where literally EVERY firearm in the United States Military comes from. It’s the Navy’s armor school. Source: graduated from the school in 2014.

[@fakjbf3129]

Large white pines were called “mast pines” as they were great for making ship masts. The British would send agents to scour the forests looking for these and carve an arrow into them to mark them as property of the Crown. Harvesting or possessing the lumber from such trees was illegal, and in the years leading up to the American Revolution many riots broke out against British officials trying to enforce those laws. My favorite story about the white pine is that one was found in South Carolina hundreds of miles from its normal range and was marked as a mast pine, and this then led to the nearby town being given the name “Kingstree” and that’s where my dad grew up.

[@dixiecyrus8136]

The white oak was only used on interior, the hull is from Southern Live Oak and the forrest reserves for this is in Ft Walton thru Pensacola,Fla.