Here is a photo of what was reputed to be the "Fire Islander" on sea trials at Miami Shipbuilding Corporation. Her Navy designation was C-9501 and I cannot say unequivocally that this picture is not of 
C-9502 or 9503, which were built side-by-side. The "Islander" was the first to be launched and test run. The Fire Islander served more people and for longer than any other ASR (ARB) ever built, and she served us all well.
Capt. Monk Mina
C-9502 or 9503, which were built side-by-side. The "Islander" was the first to be launched and test run. The Fire Islander served more people and for longer than any other ASR (ARB) ever built, and she served us all well. Capt. Monk Mina
Ed note: The Islander even worked well when the Captain and crew were all under the weather.
2 comments:
Was the crew running the ASR in the "Monkey's" picture sober?? If so, it may have been one of the last times the vessel was so captained.
Years ago "Lindbergh" - a maker of plastic ship/airplane's, etc. produced a motorized version of a Navy Air-Sea 63' rescue boat. It looked remarkably like the reputed picture of the Islander differing only in the the dual 50cal machine guns mounted on the wheelhouse were supplemented by dual 50's mounted both on the forward and aft decks. Imagine Skinner/Sneaky Pete/Patterson etc. all liquored up running the boat with operating 50cal machine guns??????
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