jlwright
05-13-2009, 11:22 AM
I am needing a little help in researching information about my father's military past.
I know this was a long time ago but maybe someone here can point me in the right direction.
My Dad was in the Navy from 1932 until 1936. He was stationed aboard the Melville which was a Destroyer Tender. There he learned the machinist trade. After he got out of the service he used his training to open his own machine shop and taught my brother and me the trade. My brother owned his own tool and die shop until he retired. I have owned my own tool and die shop for 30 years now. As you can see the Navy had a huge impact on our lives.
I am trying to find pictures of what the Melville looked like inside and the equipment that was on board. I have pictures of the outside of the ship but nothing on the inside. As far as I know all of the AD type destroyer tenders have been scrapped and so far no pictures have turned up on the web. My Dad told me stories about what all could be done in the machine shop and foundry and it is very impressive. He said they could pour the casting for a propellor for a destroyer right on the ship. That is amazing. Being a machinist myself I would very much like to see where my Dad learned his trade while in the Navy.
Another interesting thing about the Melville is the ship's commander at the time was Franklin Van Valkenburgh who was the Commanding officer of the Arizona when it was bombed during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Capt. Valkenburgh died that day with many of his men. I have my Dad's discharge paper signed by Capt. Franklin Van Valkenburgh.
Any help would be much appreciated.
Jim Wright
aeromold@cox.net
I know this was a long time ago but maybe someone here can point me in the right direction.
My Dad was in the Navy from 1932 until 1936. He was stationed aboard the Melville which was a Destroyer Tender. There he learned the machinist trade. After he got out of the service he used his training to open his own machine shop and taught my brother and me the trade. My brother owned his own tool and die shop until he retired. I have owned my own tool and die shop for 30 years now. As you can see the Navy had a huge impact on our lives.
I am trying to find pictures of what the Melville looked like inside and the equipment that was on board. I have pictures of the outside of the ship but nothing on the inside. As far as I know all of the AD type destroyer tenders have been scrapped and so far no pictures have turned up on the web. My Dad told me stories about what all could be done in the machine shop and foundry and it is very impressive. He said they could pour the casting for a propellor for a destroyer right on the ship. That is amazing. Being a machinist myself I would very much like to see where my Dad learned his trade while in the Navy.
Another interesting thing about the Melville is the ship's commander at the time was Franklin Van Valkenburgh who was the Commanding officer of the Arizona when it was bombed during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Capt. Valkenburgh died that day with many of his men. I have my Dad's discharge paper signed by Capt. Franklin Van Valkenburgh.
Any help would be much appreciated.
Jim Wright
aeromold@cox.net