G
I went to San Francisco last Thursday and interviewed with the manager of the Pampanito (WWII Fleet-Class museum submarine) to become a volunteer. I will probably begin after the holidays, and will attend regularly once weekly on Thursdays, perhaps for a half-day from about 10am to 3pm.
I have received a volunteer's handbook, and must fill out the usual paperwork, and I will receive a new Pampanito baseball cap (my old one is well worn and musty by now!). I am looking forward to the experience, and will take some photos on occasion once I am "on the job."
At such time as I have transport available, I may be able to help out on restoration tasks. I was surprised by the sheer amount of work needed to restore the sub to what it should look like; it seems that before becoming adopted by the museum, it was a "parts" boat, and many goods had been stripped from her. Some parts had to be made from scratch, and fortunately in the beginning, they had a volunteer who had been a shipbuilder at Mare Island who had worked on subs before, and could make up stuff for which no plans were available.
Regards, John
I have received a volunteer's handbook, and must fill out the usual paperwork, and I will receive a new Pampanito baseball cap (my old one is well worn and musty by now!). I am looking forward to the experience, and will take some photos on occasion once I am "on the job."
At such time as I have transport available, I may be able to help out on restoration tasks. I was surprised by the sheer amount of work needed to restore the sub to what it should look like; it seems that before becoming adopted by the museum, it was a "parts" boat, and many goods had been stripped from her. Some parts had to be made from scratch, and fortunately in the beginning, they had a volunteer who had been a shipbuilder at Mare Island who had worked on subs before, and could make up stuff for which no plans were available.
Regards, John