Just picked this up should get it next week. A WW1 US Navy Chelsea Deck Clock No.2 been wanting one but these they don't sell cheap since there not a lot of them like the ones from WW2 and later. This is the oldest Deck clock in the collection made in 1918. My Grandfather was in the US Navy in WW1 and was on the USS West Virginia and the USS New Mexico both battle ships and the USS Lexington CV-2 the second US carrier made. So this clock was around when he was in the Navy who knows mite of been on one of his ships. Chelsea sells archive letters on there history for 35 bucks will order on next week. It was completely serviced and the most I ever paid for a Chelsea but it a rarer model the hands are different than the newer ones with second bit and the adjustment for fast and slow different also. The movement serial numbers match the ones on the brass case so all original. I will post some more photo's when I get it these are the sellers photos. It's in great shape for being 100 years old. There also issue numbers on the dial the US Naval Observatory after testing it put those on before issuing them to a ship.

 

That's really nice @river rat, congrats on the pickup.

Would be interested to learn where it's been... do you think the archive letter will reveal much? Is there any way to get more information from the Navy?

 

Paging @Bill Sohne

 

Are forum members in England are lucky most of the record from the royal observatory are still around but all the post I read on the net the US Naval observatory most likely destroyed them no one was thinking of the history they destroyed. Would be cool if that was wrong.

 

That’s beautiful. I am also liking the black military plane clocks often seen on eBay.

 

I think you're right - was lucky enough to spend Friday afternoon at the Royal Observatory hanging out with Rory and Anna in the workshop... so much cool stuff... and they have an awful lot of records from the Admiralty from the sound of it.

Would be great if the US archives are hidden away somewhere!

 

Why I wanted one from this era WW1 was my Grandfather was in around WW1 and into WW2 he made Chief then became a mustang that's were enlisted become a Officer a few photo's he was in early Naval aviation would not surprise me if he was the crew that took care of aircraft on battleships were they used a catapult to get them in the air and a crane to pick the floatplanes out of the water to get put back aboard ship.

When he was a ACMM (chief) around 1925 in Hawaii

Miami Florida Christmas day 1917



He got on the ground floor the beginning of Naval aviation Deering Island Florida don't think this is around any more think it got filled in with dirt.

Now this is a cool photo out of granddads album


The USS New Mexico

Now this was when going across the equator were it was brutal you got beat bad and I thought I got it bad. Look at that cricket bat that had to hurt. And the suitcase no justice no mercy. I am from 3-4 generation who joined the US Navy and the last most likely. I just wanted a Naval clock from my Grandfathers time.

 

Great clock and super photos. Great thread.

 

gatorcpa
Thanks for the info here is another site on the net I found we only had one NAS Navy base at the start of WW1 so Deering Island was one of the many the Navy quickly made to get training for the Navy to fly.
https://www.bluejacket.com/usn-usmc_avi_ww1_air_fields.html
Miami, Florida Seaplane training and patrol station began in October 1917. The commissioning date is unknown. A Marine Flying Field was established at Miami on an adjacent tract to the NAS in March 1918.
This is all they have for the Miami area
http://www.pbase.com/donboyd/memories_aviation_opalocka
The airport property was bought by Glenn and Lena Curtiss in 1918 and the US Navy did buy Curtiss aircraft.

 

Threads like this are why logging into OF is still rewarding. Great story and pics and that clock is beautiful.

 

You were right Dinner Key I guess the Miami city hall right on top of it.
http://www.airfields-freeman.com/FL/Airfields_FL_Miami_C.htm#dinnerkey

 

I really like that, good but if history

 

RR, that is a great clock and amazing collection of photos.

 

Thanks for the history lesson. This is the type of thread that makes OF such a pleasure!

 

Here is another ship my Grandfather was on the USS Saratoga CV-3 my Dad use to have a large photo of it hanging in the house when he passed away my Step mom ether kept it or gave it to one of here chicken sons who never served in the military. I got this photo off the net you will see it has a strip on the island that way you could tell the USS Lexington CV-2 and the USS Saratoga CV-3 apart they were sister ships my Dad told me that the other one the USS Langely CV-1 Americas first carrier we have went a long way since. The Saratoga was first ordered as a battle cruiser then later turned into a carrier instead.



Wished I had that large photo my Dad had also a WW1 Navy recruiting poster who knows were there at now dam it. When they did a atom bomb test on a bunch of Navy ships after WW2 this ship survived the test still afloat they had to use conventional ammo to finish the job to sink it I guess divers can dive and see the shipwreck of it today.

 

Well it got delivered today mounted it on a wooden plaque and put her on the wall.

 

Here are a few more photo's of my Grandfather Navy Service.

This photo is interesting taken in 1918 same year my clock was manufactured and issued. And on the back of photo was he made chief in less than 5 years what was called a slit chief for making rate that fast never heard of the slang for making rate fast (slit chief) also he is the chief next to the officers think the spot mark on the arm was to ID him in the photo and check out the officers boots.

This one was around 1913 he was in long before WW1.

In the 1920's he is holding my Dad

This was around WW2 he was a mustang were a enlisted becomes a Officer he retired at a LT he was once my Dads and my Dads Brother Div. officer he was tough to work for he once put my Dad in the Brig most likely for mouthing off after coming back to the ship drunk. Maybe if parents were tough like that today we would have less craziness in the USA maybe bring back the draft and teach them discipline like I was taught. Ad this was the good old days when the Military had no high year tenure to boot you out you could stay longer than just 20 years.