Greetings to all,
There are occasional serious topics, which could benefit from your participation. This is one of them. John has put it on the map, I'll try to push the topic over center and get it rolling.
I've read most of the available offerings on this subject and if readers care about the preservation of naval history, I think they would find the time well spent doing the same. If you are not willing to check out the sources identified in John Freeman's earlier postings, repetition here wouldn't change your level of interest.
The Saginaw Valley effort has to be seen as a possible success and one of the reasons is the broad base of support. The problem for the CFA Confederation is that the SV focus was never the CFA class; it was just a convenient target for a while. At any rate, it highlights the need for a broad base of support, which could be developed if the DDG associations get behind the CFA Confederation. Neither the Barney nor the Adams may have viability within the overall potential for successful preservation. The Adams, according to some has not weathered well and was relieved of much material before being placed on donation hold. The Barney people are too late and too few to a game where the bureaucratic inertia is difficult to oppose. The Adams, Barney or some current Greek vessel may be the actual best choice for a CVA preservation effort but it will never happen when left to small partisan groups pulling nothing but their own load.
If people here are interested in the preservation of a C F Adams Class Destroyer we need to start organizing some expression of this support. If we don't have good ideas on how to begin then we might start by asking CFAC what they recommend. I have seen this on their web site: <EACH AND EVERY ADAMS CLASS SAILOR MUST JOIN HIS SHIP'S ASSOCIATION. ALL THE SHIP ASSOCIATIONS MUST JOIN THE "CHARLES F. ADAMS CLASS DDG CONFEDERATION"> I do not take this as imperial dictum but a recommended, necessary step in developing the basis of support necessary for a successful preservation effort.
What do you think, Shipmates?
John
