I'm taking the Badger, wish me luck

[rsa.313]

MilwaukeeClipper.com

What is the story behind that submarine?! That thing's enormous!

USS Silversides [[SS-236) received twelve battle stars for World War II service, and was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation. She is credited with sinking 23 ships, the third-most of any allied World War II submarine, behind only the USS Tang and USS Tautog. The tonnage of the ships sunk by Silversides amounted to 90,080 tons, second only to the Tang's total. Judged by such standards, Silversides has the most prolific combat record of any still-extant American submarine.

Silversides [[SS-236), a national landmark and a museum, is seen in Muskegon, MI

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Silversides_[[SS-236)

[Johnlodge]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gx6TBrfCW54

[gnome]

Our time in Wisconsin has been nice but wifi access is spotty. I currentlyhave to climb the local telephone pole and hook up with a modified roach clip and the innards of a discarded Fredricks of Hollywood corsett.

Despirit times

[Lowell]

What interesting and glorious history. It is mildly frightening to think what it could do if it escaped into the Great Lakes shipping channels.

Click here to see this picture super-sized. There are torpedo and seating bleachers. Does anyone know it they have tours inside? The German sub tour at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago is amazing. Detroit had a sub for a while, as I recall from a past forum thread.

[1KielsonDrive]

Those who want a closer and cheaper cross-lake boat ride can take the ferry out of nearby Kingsville or Leamington ON across Lake Erie to Sandusky OH, with a stop on Pelee Island. In the last few years they put a larger boat into service on the run, with room for more cars. The one-way fare for a car and 2 adults comes to about $90.

That would be the M.V. Peelee Islander and the newer, much larger, M.V. Jimaan. Both used to dock at the Scudder Marina on the north end of the island, by the grain silos. About 20 years ago, a new dock was built a few miles north in the downtown of Pelee Island, to accomodate tourists to the island. They both sail from Kingsville and Leamington, depending upon the weather. A few years ago, my girfriend and I went to Kingsville with the intention of spending the night at Pelee Island. We arrived and the Jimaan had been diverted to Leamington. A big blow was coming from the east right down the length of Erie. BIG, rolling waves - she looked like chocolate milk with whipped cream waves. My girl refused to go aboard when we got to Leamington. Oh well. It's a nice ride to the island. Take a bike or rent one there. The island is only about five miles long and a few wide. Residents provide taxi service in their personal cars. There used to be flights available to a grass airstrip in the middle of the island. It's a fun getaway, but you have to make reservations for everything: the boat, the inns and the restaurants. My favorite way was by private boat. Dock, party and crash. Bike around the island. Swim at the beaches and off of the pier. Fun.

[Hermod]

Detroit had a sub for a while, as I recall from a past forum thread.

There was a submarine and a subchaser docked behind the Brodhead Naval Armory on Jefferson for some years after WWII. Up until the Korean War, the sub was available for tours. I remember my father taking me through it when I was about 11 The sub was just docked there, but the local naval reserves used the subchaser as a drill ship.

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[rsa.313]

There was a submarine and a subchaser docked behind the Brodhead Naval Armory on Jefferson for some years after WWII. Up until the Korean War, the sub was available for tours. I remember my father taking me through it when I was about 11 The sub was just docked there, but the local naval reserves used the subchaser as a drill ship.

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the submarine was the USS Tambor. it was docked at the armory until 1958 when it was sold for scrap.

http://apps.detnews.com/apps/history/index.php?id=62

she was also used for training for naval reserve officers. she was the lead ship of her class, served 12 tours of duty in WWII from before the war started until finish, and was awarded 11 battle stars.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Tambor

[Jimaz]

Oh, thanks for the Silversides info and enlargement! It looks like some torpedoes on display behind it and some kind of tower with a gun. It would be worth the trip just to see that sub!

[[Repaired Wikipedia link: USS Silversides [[SS-236))

From GLNMM.org:

While you visit Great Lakes Naval Memorial and Museum, climb aboard and immerse yourself into the past aboard USS SILVERSIDES – a WWII submarine, and USCGC McLANE – a 1927 Coast Guard Cutter. Explore the decks and compartments and experience firsthand what it was like to serve on board these military vessels.

[1KielsonDrive]

the submarine was the USS Tambor. it was docked at the armory until 1958 when it was sold for scrap.

http://apps.detnews.com/apps/history/index.php?id=62

she was also used for training for naval reserve officers. she was the lead ship of her class, served 12 tours of duty in WWII from before the war started until finish, and was awarded 11 battle stars.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Tambor

I think there was another sub docked there also. I remember the name but Tambor isn't it. Maybe at a different time?

[hoxie]

There's a great documentary about the Milwaukee Clipper that was produced by Hollywood filmmaker Mark Howell back in the late 90's. I've been trying to find it for years and just discovered it on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FBX3TmZTV0&feature=sub
The Clipper has an amazing history, and when it was saved and brought back to Muskegon, she was made into a museum ship. But, [[typical of those who run that town) they've done nothing but hinder the ship's success. The Clipper belongs in MILWAUKEE. Check out the program and see what I mean. Bob Hoxie

[1KielsonDrive]

There's a great documentary about the Milwaukee Clipper that was produced by Hollywood filmmaker Mark Howell back in the late 90's. I've been trying to find it for years and just discovered it on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FBX3TmZTV0&feature=sub
The Clipper has an amazing history, and when it was saved and brought back to Muskegon, she was made into a museum ship. But, [[typical of those who run that town) they've done nothing but hinder the ship's success. The Clipper belongs in MILWAUKEE. Check out the program and see what I mean. Bob Hoxie

Thanks for the link, hoxie. The Clipper sat at the Muskegon docks for many years, along with the Route 66??, and the Aquarama. I used to make a pilgrimage to see all of them as far back as the 1970's.

[1KielsonDrive]

The video and the State of Michigan website fail to mention she sat IN the Chicago River, next to the Sun Times Building, for years. They did mention she was at Navy Pier.

[hoxie]

The other ship was the MV Highway 16. She was owned and operated by the same company that ran the Clipper [[the Highway 16 was used to haul new cars from Milwaukee to Michigan and other vehicles from Michigan to Milwaukee). The Highway 16 was a converted LST ship from WWII, and over the past 10 years, she's been converted back into the LST ship and is open for tours. They also show movies on her deck in the summer months on the weekends. Check out the Muskegon tourism site for more info. I'm not a fan of those who run that town [[just look what they've done to prevent the Clipper from succeeding), but the people who own and operate the LST are good people.

[1KielsonDrive]

The other ship was the MV Highway 16. She was owned and operated by the same company that ran the Clipper [[the Highway 16 was used to haul new cars from Milwaukee to Michigan and other vehicles from Michigan to Milwaukee). The Highway 16 was a converted LST ship from WWII, and over the past 10 years, she's been converted back into the LST ship and is open for tours. They also show movies on her deck in the summer months on the weekends. Check out the Muskegon tourism site for more info. I'm not a fan of those who run that town [[just look what they've done to prevent the Clipper from succeeding), but the people who own and operate the LST are good people.

hoxie, thanks for that lead. I haven't been to Muskegon for a while. I'll attempt to get there before fall is out.

[hoxie]

The Clipper was purchased by businessman Jim Gillon in the mid 70's, and he had her towed to a Wisconsin shipyard for needed repair work. In 1980, she went to Chicago's Navy Pier, and Gillon had planned to operate her for short cruises onto Lake Michigan, but the over-zealous Coast Guard officials at that time prevented Gillon from moving forward, so the Clipper was used for such events as wedding banquets, parties, and tours until 1988. Chicago's first black mayor, Harold Washington, used the ship as his personal getaway spot and loved the ship, but when he died in office, the new powers that be, had other plans for the Clipper's dock space. Interestingly, another famous vessel, the USS Silversides [[the decorated WWII sub that's now located in the Muskegon Channel) was tied up right next to the Clipper until 1988, at which time she was moved to Muskegon.
The Clipper needed a new dock space fast in late 1988, and the Chicago Sun-Times granted her permission to dock there through the winter. She probably would've stayed there longer, but the tiny tour boats that operate nearby started complaining about the Clipper [[most of the complaints came from the inexperienced tour boat captains who had to "work"a bit harder maneuvering their ancient boats on the river). So, the Clipper was moved again in the spring of '89 to a dock space just inside the Chicago breakwall across from the Columbia Yacht Club freighter. There, she opened once again for tours and parties. But, in early '90, due to a few city hall individuals in the Windy City, the Clipper was forced to sold at auction where she went for $335,000 to the Hammond Marina. They planned to use the ship for the centerpiece of a new marina that was under construction. To make a long story a bit shorter, she DID become the centerpiece...until gambling came to Indiana, and her space was needed for a new gambling "BARGE". They were going to cut her up on site, but a non-profit group was formed in Muskegon, and they rescued the ship and returned her to Muskegon in '97 where she operated as a museumship. The group was also going to use her for events like she was used for at Navy Pier, but the anal folks who run Muskegon have done everything possible to prevent this from happening. Fortunately, the Clipper group in Muskegon HAS restored the ship, and she's actually in better shape now than she was at Navy Pier! But, the famous ship belongs in Milwaukee. Hopefully, someone there will realize this and get her out of Muskegon befre it's too late. To learn more about the ship, watch the documentary mentioned above. Thanks for your interest.

[Pepsi24tony5]

Sorry, I should have made that clearer. The Ann Arbor Railroad. For years after the AA service ended there was still a sign [[badly weathered the last time I saw it in 1995) by the highway between Clare and Farwell promoting the service.

As to the Arthur K. Atkinson, it was last reported in DeTour Village in 2004. If it's still there, and anyone has a picture, I'd like to see it.

Hello Group, Just joined, found your info about the Milwaukee Clipper on Google & checked out your posts, very interesting, especially the Clipper Video off You Tube.
For photos of the Arthur K. Atkinson at DeTour, go to www.boatnerd.com in the left column under Links in the search bx type in Arthur K. Atkinson, on the 2nd page, 7 posts down under Oct 21 2009, click & view photos of the Atkinson getting moved over to make room for the Sherwin.
Great website. Bob Kalal

[Ray1936]

I took the Milwaukee Clipper in 1958, Muskegon to Milwaukee. Got seasick. Really seasick. I haven't been on a boat since.

You sailors...don't tell me "It's a SHIP" all arrogantly. Any vessel in the water, to me, is a damn boat. I don't care if it says USS Enterprise, it's a bloomin' boat to me.

[Rocko]

Actually, in Great Lakes parlance, the freighters and other commercial class vessels are commonly referred to as "boats." They're orchestrating quite a movement in Muskegon to move and further preserve the Clipper. It actually pre-dates the Titanic by 6 years.

[douglasm]

Side question....

Does anybody know if the old advertising sign for the Ann Arbor ferries still exsist on U.S. 10 between Clare and Farwell?

[Stinger4me]

I believe the sign between Clare and Farwell is not visible. On the road into
Frankfort the large sign crossing M-115 was still there a couple of years back.