Morton phot page 4 1975 shipyard

In 1974 Morton had extensive problems with it's aging engeneering plant. It spent several weeks in drydock in the Phillipines. In 1974 after our return from West Pac Morton was put into the shipyard at Pearl Harbor and given an overhaul and some much needed upgrades in the boiler rooms and engine rooms. There were a lot of other changes made to including in CIC.

At right in the background is the USS Somers DDG 34. Somers was a Forrest Sherman/Hull class ship that was converted from DD to DDG. Morton was a Forrest Sherman/Hull class. The Hull class had a different shape of bow. It was broader and sloped higher. Called "Hurricane Bow"

Thanks to OSMC Kent Smith for these excellent photos.
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If anyone would like copies of these or any other picture from this web site
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A patch from the Paerl Harbor Naval Shipyard. NO KA OI in Hawaiin means " The Very Best"

1980 Morton went into drydock again. Robert Schultz who was an ET 2 and on Morton 1978 to final decommissioning in 1981 took these. Nice shots too. Schultzie retired an ETC and lives in Hawaii with his wife

I really love these night shots. Lights glowing, work still going on. Drydocking a ship is a science. Blocks have to be in just the right place and when the water is pumped from the drydock the ship has to be positioned just exactly right to set on the blocks in the proper place. Morton had a hefty set of screws.

This next several pics sent in by GMT3 Skip Burdette were taken by ET2 Bob Schultz who retired an ETC. I was trying to decide if Morton was coming or going. Judging from the amount of turbulance in the water it looks like the dock is filling. I have tried to sequence the rest. Interesting photos. I believe this was Mortons last drydocking and last yard overhaul.

I was in dry docks three times when on Morton and twice on a previous ship in mid sixties and it feels good when the keel is floating on water again. The ship still has a lot of work to finish. It won't be much longer until she is underway, crew is retrained, many for the first time and then off to see exotic and exciting places.

About a 1/4 way back from the bow on the bottom is the sonar dome. On Morton the dome is as deep in water at the screws are. This adds several feet to the depth. Notice blocks with keel resting on them. The keel runs the lenght os the ship and is the back bone. There is a whole lot of wieght on the keel here. It doesn't work alone tho.

A trip around with a Dolphins eye view. Awesome looking bow. I wonder what those dolphins thought looking up at these. It was called a hurricane bow and in rough seas it was supposed to help keep it from submerging. On the older and smaller cans some of us were on the bow would submerge. Heck the ships would submerge too.