USS Acadia AD-42
"Service to the Fleet"

(Ship's Patch)

  


The Acadia, a destroyer tender, was my final sea duty station. It was our mission to provide repair services to the fleet. Consequently, we spent much time either in port or anchored off shore so that other ships could "tie up" alongside and receive the repairs necessary. I reported aboard in June of 1983 after a tour of duty at Advanced Electronics Schools teaching radar equipment maintenance classes. During the time spent ashore, I had also taken my final advancement step to Electronics Technician Chief Petty Officer.
 Being a repair ship, we had a large crew and R4, the electronics repair division, was no different. We had several shops within the division, each servicing different electronics systems. I started out supervising the radar maintenance team. Eventually, I ended up as a repair coordinator of all the shops to help ensure that scheduled jobs progressed properly and ships were completed on time.  I made one final West Pac while on board, making one final stop at some of my favorite ports. I can also fondly remember "sweating to the oldies" at noon each day, on the foc'scle in Subic Bay, Philippines with the ship's Medical and Disbursing Officers, trying to lose some weight gained from the great Chief's Mess cooking. My last Acadia memory was walking the gangway with my Senior Chief, Tom Gill, as we proceeded off the ship, and sea duty, for the last time. For him it was to civilian life. For me it was on to my last shore duty station at the Calibration Laboratory, Shore Intermediate Maintenance Activity (SIMA) San Diego.   
 

EPILOGUE
The Acadia's service life seemed all too short for me. Not too many years later the Department of the Navy decided to "mothball" her. That is basically, to take her out of service and preserve her for possible later use. She is currently "resting" in Pearl Harbor, HI., awaiting her return. Some people would covet retiring in Hawaii and she gets an all expenses paid trip! She can be seen briefly in a Japanese fly-in scene in the movie "Pearl Harbor". Of note from the sad but true department: With the end of service for the Acadia, all of the ships I served on have now been taken out of service, something I never thought of happening when I sailed on them. For a sailor, it's similar to losing friends, since to a former crewmember you leave something of yourself behind when you leave. Its something special you've shared through the months and years together. As of Sept. 2007, it has been reported that faith based groups in Hawaii are trying to obtain the Acadia to use as a homeless shelter. Many obstacles stand in the way but hopefully they will be overcome so that one ship will be saved from the scrap heap and many of the less fortunate will be given a second chance. 



To read my Acadia poem, click on the following:

Ode To Doc

To learn more about Acadia, click on the following link: http://www.ussacadia.org/

Many thanks to the following:

Marine Photos
(ship pictures)

USS Acadia Ship's Store
(Ship's Patch)

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