Sea Bird History, US Army, US Navy, Movie Star
History of The Sea Bird or New Bedford
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Written by Andrew Rossillo
Birth of the Texas Towers
During the Cold War, America began to feel concerned about protecting its vital locations, most of which are positioned along the east coast. An improved monitoring system was desired to provide an early alert in case of an attack. During the summer of 1952, the concept of securing radar platforms to the ocean floor was studied. It was determined that a set of these towers, very similar to oil rigs, would be constructed approximately 100 miles off the east coast.
Design and Planning of the Texas Towers
Next, the painstaking process of design had to begin. Although the 
towers would be used for communication and surveillance, planning the lay out wasnt that simple. People would have to live on the towers for periods of time, so recreational and food preparation facilities had to be included.
Crew size was another concern. 22 to 27 individuals were estimated to keep each tower up and running. This was later increased to 41 then 46. The towers were intended to be spacious enough to accommodate up to 72 individuals. The towers were modeled after offshore drilling platforms located along the coast near Texas, which is the basis for the name Texas tower. On January 11th, 1954, construction was approved on five Texas towers but only three were built.
Written by Andrew Rossillo
The History of the Wheeler Shipbuilding Company
In 1945, the Wheeler Shipbuilding Company in Whitestone, New York finished construction on a very special vessel that was later given the name the U.S.S. New Bedford. Even though this ship would go on to do many great things, it was not the first produced by the company. The history of the Wheeler Shipbuilding Company dates much further back to the turn of the 19th Century.
Written by Kris Land
The Texas Towers Incident: Bravery Despite the Odds
It is impossible to stop every tragedy, but there are those who will try even when it means risking their own
safety. This was the case in the tragic Texas Towers incident which marked another important landmark in the history of the U.S.S. New Bedford (currently the Seabird).
An Impending Demise
Captain Sixto Mangual was in charge of the U.S.S. New Bedford which was scheduled to run supplies to the Texas Towers located off the coast of Long Island, New York. Tower 4 in particular was known for experiencing structural problems after suffering damage from Hurricane Donna in September of 1960. Captain Mangual was ordered to travel to Tower 4 to pick up equipment and resupply the minimal team of 14 air force personnel and 14 contractors inhabiting the tower. He would also be dropping off Airman First Class Larry Wolford who was to replace another airman who had left the tower earlier.
Written by Kris Land
Lieutenant Thomas Heggen: Before Mister Roberts
World War II was a trying time that impacted the lives of people all over the world. During this period, there was one individual who was impacted but for different reasons. While men were traumatized by the horrors they saw and experienced, there were those who had to wait it out along the sidelines. They were anxious to get involved but had no choice but to go through the daily motions and wait for their turn, if it would ever come.
Thomas Heggen's Wartime Experiences
Just like many other young American men, Lieutenant Thomas Heggen enlisted in the Navy immediately following the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was awarded his rank in August of 1942. During his enlistment, Heggen was stationed on supply vessels traveling the Pacific ocean, Caribbean and North Atlantic ocean. He was later assigned assistant communications officer aboard the cargo ship the U.S.S. Virgo.
Written by Kris Land
Throughout the early months of 1945, Germany's position became more and more hopeless, as the invading Allied armies penetrated deeper into the country. In March, Allied armies advancing from the west reached the German city of Cologne, and in April, the Rhineland and the Ruhr were captured by the Allies. Meanwhile, the Russians were advancing from the east, and on April 23, 1945, they reached the northern and eastern suburbs of Berlin. German leader Adolf Hitler committed suicide on April 30, 1945. On May 2, Berlin was captured, and on May 7, Germany surrendered unconditionally (as the crew of the AK-601 hear over the radio in Mister Roberts). In Britain, the royal family, as well as Prime Minister Winston Churchill assembled at the balcony of Buckingham Palace and greeted the huge crowds that had gathered in the streets to celebrate the end of war (this is the celebration the USS Reluctant, AK-601 crewmen hear described over the radio). Mister Roberts begins a few weeks before V-E Day, which would place it some time during April 1945, when World War II was drawing to a close.
Breaking News
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1944: Camano Class Light Cargo Ship was laid down for the US Army as FS-289 at Wheeler Shipbuilding in Whitestone, NY.
1945: Delivered to US Army.
1950: Acquired by the US Navy on July 1, 1950 and placed in service as USNS New Bedford (T-AKL-17).
1954: The movie, Mister Roberts, was made on the USNS New Bedford (T-AKL-17).
1955 - 1963: Used as a cargo supply ship for the Texas Towers, a network of advanced radar stations located off the Eastern Seaboard. In 1957, Capt. Sixto Mangual was commander of the AKL-17 and in 1961 it was rechristened the USNS New Bedford. The New Bedford, sailing out of State Pier, was keeping vigil when Texas Tower No. 4 callapsed off the New Jersey coast during a January 1961 nor'easter.
1963: Reclassified as Miscellaneous Unclassified (IX-308).
1971: The New Bedford (IX-308) served as a Torpedo Test Firing Vessel in the Puget Sound area.
1994: Ceremony in New Bedford.
1995: The ship was struck from the Naval Register on April 4.
2004: The Sea Bird's current disposition is a tuna long liner (fishing boat) out of San Diego, CA.
2006: Design of the Tesla Turbine began on June 11, 2006. The Sea Bird was sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service for commercial service.
2007: The Sea Bird was drydocked for renovations.
2008: The Sea Bird setting sail to Sea-Tac in Seattle, WA.
2009 - 2010: The Sea Bird is currently docked at Seattle Sea-Tac.
