[HOE] The Kidd (Long)

["coyote13" <coyote13@insightbb.com>]

Ok, been reading this thread for a while, and decided to add my 2 cents in.I
was stationed aboard the USS Chandler DDG996, last of the Kidd class
destroyers, so I'll start with a history lesson. Hopefully this will help
you to brainstorm how to raise her.
The Kidd(or Ayatollah) class guided missle destroyer was origanally Spruance
class destroyers build for the Shah of Iran. When the Shah lost his job in
1979(hence the nickname Ayatollah class), the USN kept the ships. Since the
ships were already paid for, the Navy got approval to upgrade them to DDGs.
The end result was a Spruance class destroyer, with a Virgina class cruiser
weapon and detection systems.This increased the draft of the ship to 33ft,
including the sonardome. Thats about a 7ft deeper draft than a Spruance
class. For those of you not familiar with naval terms, the draft is how much
of the ship sits down in the water, ie. the first 33ft of ship is
underwater.
From the waterline to the bridge was about 45ft, and I dont remember how
tall the masts were.(its been 12 years) If memory serves me right, from the
keel to the SQR-17 anntena, the total height of the ship, was somewhere in
the area of 150ft. So depending where she was scuddled(at least I think it
was scuddled? Hell or highwater was a long time ago for our posse.), it is
very possable that some of the superstructure is above water.
   I have the exact specs on the Kidd classes somewhere at home, so if you
want them, i can dig them out, or check out a copy of janes fighting ships.
And for anyone who may be wandering why a destroyer was in the Mississippi
river, all 4  Kidd class  destroyers(USS Kidd DDG-993, Scott DDG-994,
Calahan DDG-995, and Chandler DDG-996) were all built at Ingalls Shipyards
in Pascagoula Mississippi.
Roger Howell   Firefighter/AEMT

Air goes in,  Air goes out,
Blood goes round and round
Any deviation of this pattern
is a BAD THING