Museum Visit to the Scrapping of USS Greenfish

Folks,

Several months, many letters, emails and phone calls after the note below was written, the scrapper reneged on his agreement. Even though we had an agreement on the price of the material well above its scrap metal value, he decided to melt everything down. We never received an explanation why. We were obviously very disappointed.

We did collect many more pictures that document the boat over the few days of dismantling we observed. It is fascinating to see the internal structures of the boat normally only visible during construction.

Rich Pekelney
=====

29 May 01, Ver 1.31

A very basic history of Greenfish/Amazonas:

She was Electric Boat built and launched in Dec 45. USS Greenfish was commissioned in Jun 46. She was upgraded to a Guppy II in 1948, and a Guppy III in 1961. Decommissioned by US and transferred to Brazil in Dec 1973, she was renamed Amazonas. She was decommissioned by the Brazilians in 1993. The boat served a couple of years as a museum boat in their national naval museum, but was replaced in that role in 1997. For 3 years a group in another Brazilian port was trying to raise money to create a new museum with her as the centerpiece, but this effort failed. The boat was then sold to the scrapper in Feb 2001 and they began dismantling almost immediately.

Below is the list of equipment identified 21 and 22 May 2001 that we hope to recover for the museums from Greenfish/Amazonas. N.B. The boat's owner has been scrapping the boat since Feb, we only found them and made contact with them in April. USS Greenfish veteran Harry Nystrom and I were able to arrange a trip in less than two weeks but much of the ship was already gone. Beware when looking at this list that there are a lot of potential problems in removal, packaging and shipping.

Richard Pekelney
=====

Recoverable Equipment List From Greenfish/Amazonas:

Salvage Valves (x2), No Tag, Photo DSCN1259, Pampanito
Air Compressor, No Tag, DSCN1146, DSCN1150, Pampanito
Bunk (Rack) Frames, No Tag, Photo DSCN1162, Cod
Bunk Rails (x2), No Tag, Photo DSCN1160, Cod
Switch disconnects, Tag 8 on boat (more in pile) as many as possible, DSCN1204, Pampanito
Tube labels with gauge (x7), No Tag, DSCNP5221586, Vets&Cod

Blow and Vent Manifold, No Tag, DSCN1066, Pampanito
BQR-2 Console, Tag #?, DSCN1077, Torsk
Electric Gyro Setter, No Tag, DSCN1065, Keyport
Books and drawings, The group collected were mostly damaged by water on Thursday.
Handles, No Tag, No Photo, Mostly were lost on Thursday

TDC in two parts, Tag #16, Tag #17, DSCN1095, DSCN1059, DSCN1104, DSCN1106, Keyport
Small water heater, Tag #5, DSCN1111, Pampanito
Air Conditioning Evaporator (x2), Tag # 14, Tag #15, DSCN1089, Pampanito
Motor for hydraulic pump, Tag #12, DSCN1207, Pampanito
Indicator Panel in three pieces, Tag #13, P5211537, DSCN1186, Torsk (snorkel) & Pampanito (Ballast and Hull Opening)
Fire control panel, Tag #18, DSCN1100, Keyport
Motor control rectifier for SS-2, Tag #19, DCN1187, Torsk
SS-2 Motor, Tag #?, Photo DSCN1211, Torsk
High Voltage Power Supply SS-2, Tag #20, DSCN1108, Torsk
Dive Plane Indicator, Tag#31, Photo DSCN1205, Torsk
Dive Plane Wheel, with motor attached, Tag #32 p5211536, Pampanito&Vet
Per. Hoist handles, Tag #33, Photo DSCN1209, Pampanito
Torp. Ready switch on tube(x3), Tag #1, Tag #41, Tag #44, DSCN1180, Pampanito
Torp. Shaft coupling on tube(x3), Tag # 2, Tag #42, DSCN1178, Pampanito
Spool Valve, Tag #3, DSCN1179, Pampanito
Door drive chain, Tag #4, #43, DSCNP5221587, Pampanito
Hatch dog, Tag #6, DSCN1110, Lionfish
Hatch latch, Tag #7, DSCN1110, Lionfish
Clinometer, Tag #9, DSCN1184, Pampanito
Handles (multiple), Tag #10, Pampanito
Switch, Tag #11, DSCN1185, Pampanito
Piece of pressure hull approx 2 square foot, No photo, U-505&Pampanito&Vets

DSCN0966 DSCN1053 DSCN1056 DSCN1059 DSCN1065 DSCN1066
DSCN0966.jpg DSCN1053.jpg DSCN1056.jpg DSCN1059.jpg DSCN1065.jpg DSCN1066.jpg
DSCN1077 DSCN1089 DSCN1095 DSCN1100 DSCN1104 DSCN1106
DSCN1077.jpg DSCN1089.jpg DSCN1095.jpg DSCN1100.jpg DSCN1104.jpg DSCN1106.jpg
DSCN1108 DSCN1110 DSCN1111 DSCN1141 DSCN1146 DSCN1150
DSCN1108.jpg DSCN1110.jpg DSCN1111.jpg DSCN1141.jpg DSCN1146.jpg DSCN1150.jpg
DSCN1160 DSCN1162 DSCN1178 DSCN1179 DSCN1180 DSCN1184
DSCN1160.jpg DSCN1162.jpg DSCN1178.jpg DSCN1179.jpg DSCN1180.jpg DSCN1184.jpg
DSCN1185 DSCN1186 DSCN1187 DSCN1192 DSCN1197 DSCN1204
DSCN1185.jpg DSCN1186.jpg DSCN1187.jpg DSCN1192.jpg DSCN1197.jpg DSCN1204.jpg
DSCN1205 DSCN1207 DSCN1209 DSCN1211 P5211536 P5211537
DSCN1205.jpg DSCN1207.jpg DSCN1209.jpg DSCN1211.jpg P5211536.jpg P5211537.jpg
P5221586 P5221587
P5221586.jpg P5221587.jpg

 

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