Photo By Danielle Lofton | NORFOLK, Virginia (May 10, 2023) (From left) Keith Nitka, MM2 Self Steven, MMN1 Cizek...... read more read more
NORFOLK, Va. – Six volunteer Machinists from Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center (MARMC) repaired the windows in the 04-level pilot house aboard ex-battleship USS Wisconsin berthed at Nauticus in Norfolk, Virginia May 10.
Due to the windows being inoperable, the pilot house could reach temperatures well over 90-degrees. The work was part of an effort to enhance the guest experience and mitigate safety concerns during guided tours.
“These windows haven’t worked since the ship was decommissioned in 1991, “ said Keith Nitka, Battleship Operations Manager and a Navy veteran who worked on battleship Wisconsin as a Quartermaster during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. “All of the gears that work the windows are original to the ship, so they’ve been here since 1944.”
Leading Petty Officer for MARMC’s Outside Machinist division, MM1 David Cizek, was informed about the broken windows by his wife who works for Nauticus in their Education Department.
“My wife ended up telling Keith that her husband worked for MARMC and could probably get the job done,” said Cizek. “Once I heard about the request for the repair, we pushed it up our chain of command and two weeks later MMC Martin Yarbrough and I were here to scope out the job and find volunteers.”
"I knew it was going to be tight quarters in here, so I made sure to get the best people I know for the job," said MMC Martin Yarbrough, MARMC’s Outside Machinist division’s Leading Chief Petty Officer. “Machinists work together every day, so it was easy to put a team together.”
To repair each of the 17 windows, the Sailors removed all of the caulking that had been in place since the ship decommissioned. Once the caulking was removed the gears that control the windows going up and down were re-greased. The final step was refitting and adhering the windows back into place. In total, it took the Sailors roughly 30 minutes per window to complete the job.
“The resources and volunteer work that MARMC is able to give us is phenomenal,” said Nitka. “You can’t trust 80-year old gears with just anybody. With MARMC, I know I can trust the work that’s being done and ensured that Wisconsin is in good hands.”
Now that the windows can be opened, the guest will be able to experience the pilot house for longer periods of time allowing them to learn more about the history of the Iowa-class battleship.
MARMC, a field activity under Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), provides surface ship maintenance, management and oversight of private sector maintenance and fleet technical assistance to ships in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States.
| Date Taken: | 05.10.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 05.31.2023 12:05 |
| Story ID: | 445858 |
| Location: | NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 159 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, MARMC Machinists Volunteer to Repair Windows aboard USS Wisconsin, by Danielle Lofton, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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