NAS Pensacola Wiped Out!

Rob Mears · **Posted:** Fri Sep 17, 2004 12:59 pm

I just heard the news that every single building at NAS Pensacola has received damage from the storm, with costs estimated in the hundreds of millions. They are calling it a complete disaster area. Not good news. :shock:

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Fri Sep 17, 2004 1:28 pm

Regardless of any feelings over the recent debates I sure hope that they are all recoverable and that the museum will pull through this.

Ryan

HELLDIVERS · **Posted:** Fri Sep 17, 2004 1:35 pm

THIS IS NOT GOOD NEWS,PLEASE LET ME KNOW STATUS ,THIS MAY HAVE AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON UP COMING MEETING.LETS HOPE AND PRAY THAT THE MUSEUM WASNT HIT TOO BAD ,I KNOW THEY HAD ALLOT OF OUTSIDE DISPLAYS. PLEASE KEEP US UPDATED THANKS MIKE :cry:

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Fri Sep 17, 2004 1:49 pm

I'm wondering if there is some way the warbird community could try and sort of "do something" for the folks there at the museum in Pensacola. Like do some things to help them get the place back in shape and show some general goodwill. Maybe that'd help their overall attitude in other areas as well.

Just a thought.

Ryan

mrhenniger · **Posted:** Fri Sep 17, 2004 2:21 pm

RyanShort1 wrote:

I'm wondering if there is some way the warbird community could try and sort of "do something" for the folks there at the museum in Pensacola. Like do some things to help them get the place back in shape and show some general goodwill. Maybe that'd help their overall attitude in other areas as well.

Scott,

Could you take up a PayPal collection on behalf of WIX participants? Compared to the likely damage levels it would probably be only a token, but doing nothing is much worse.

Mike

Rob Mears · **Posted:** Fri Sep 17, 2004 3:31 pm

I've yet to hear any updates since the original announcement. This was a report handed to Linda Vester during her show on Fox News. The report made it sound like mostly housing and building damage, but the "hundreds of millions of dollars" quote is what got me figureing that there must have been damage to the active status planes as well. I figure those can be replaced. The museum's warbird contingent cannot.

All said, I didn't hear any reports on injured or killed personnel. Unlike the civilian population, I can't imagine the military guys evacuating their base. They probably have much better shelters though.

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Fri Sep 17, 2004 3:57 pm

This just came through on MSNBC http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6028506/

Ryan

JohnH · **Posted:** Fri Sep 17, 2004 4:47 pm

Typical mainstream media article, nothing about the fact that there are historic aircraft and a large museum on the property, which doing the math here, has probably recieved extensive damage.

John

Shay · **Posted:** Fri Sep 17, 2004 5:14 pm

I was at NAS Pensacola back in 98 when George came through. As far as evacuating the base. All personnel except for Alpha personnel (mission essential) are authorized to evacuate the area. Leaving only a handfull of people on the base. Mainly those unfortunate enough to be standing duty that day. Those unable to leave, who are not Alpha, get bused to shelters. In my case I spent 3 days and nights sleeping on the floor of a elementary school eating cold cuts and drinking warm milk. As for the active Military aircraft fly to surrounding base that are out of danger. When Hugo and Andrew hit Wright-Patterson AFB was filled to the brim with aircraft. So much in fact that they were parking them in the grass all over the place. I had never before seen so many planes in one place at one time. It is possible that the museum would have received some damage. It is one of the highest spots on the base and they park all the vehicles there incase of flooding. So there is alot of potential for flying debris and moving objects. Hopefully everyone and everything will be ok. My prayers are with them.

Warhawk · **Posted:** Fri Sep 17, 2004 7:17 pm

Holding my breath waiting to hear how those aircaft that were outside faired. :shock:

JimN · **Posted:** Fri Sep 17, 2004 9:39 pm

Note the remark that the building for the aviation museum "held up"--whatever that means. I hope it's a good sign, but I'm worried about the outside displays. Were the Lake Michigan recoveries still stored outdoors?

My sympathies to the crews down there and to the Blue Angels. Its a wise decision for them to stand down and get to their families.

Damage at Pensacola causes Blue Angels to cancel Oceana show
By JACK DORSEY, The Virginian-Pilot
September 17, 2004
Last updated 6:00 PM Sep. 17

Damage at the Navy's air station in Pensacola, Fla., where 90 percent
of
the buildings sustained "significant" damage from Hurricane Ivan, has
forced the Blue Angels flight demonstration team to cancel its
appearance at Oceana Naval Air Station next week.

Oceana will continue with its annual air show, which features several
other aerial flight demonstrations. It is scheduled to begin on Friday
and continue through next Saturday and Sunday, said base spokesman Troy
Snead.

About 55 members of the famed F/A-18 Hornet squadron, who have been on
the road for the past two weeks, are on Nantucket Island where they had
planned to perform today. That performance also was canceled.

"We've got folks up here learning for the first time on TV about their
homes and boats, seeing the damage from reports being broadcast from
their neighborhoods," Lt. Mike Blankenship, the Blue Angels' spokesman,
said Friday. "Our priority is to get back to Pensacola and get our
personal lives back up to speed. Our priority right now is not doing
air
shows."

Every member of the Blue Angels team reported damages to their homes
and
apparently their base hangar building has collapsed, Blankenship said.
While the airfield is considered "capable," the base radar is out.

Pensacola Naval Air Station, home to about 11,000 military personnel
and
4400 civilian workers, reported damage to every building, the Navy
said.
It has no electrical power, water or sewage service. There are sporadic
gas leaks throughout the base. No injuries were reported.

The Pensacola Naval Aviation Museum, where the Navy houses its most
valuable aviation artifacts, held up, officials said.

At nearby Whiting Field, in Milton, Fla. where the Navy primarily
trains
all of its helicopter pilots, every hangar is missing its roof, the
Navy
said.

Damage to aircraft that remained at the field is suspected, officials
said.

Dennis Bergstrom · **Posted:** Sat Sep 18, 2004 2:06 pm

Posted a short time ago on the Pensacola News Journal website. No more news about the museum unfortunately.

Dennis

Saturday, September 18, 2004
Pensacola NAS damage in the millions
Emergency Management officials in Escambia County toured Pensacola Naval Air Station Saturday afternoon and determined damage to the base was in the "hundreds of millions of dollars."

Dozens of boats in the base's marina were sunk or damaged.

Pensacola NAS, Saufley Field and Corry Station are closed to all but key and essential personnel.

Anyone holding orders to report to NAS should remain where they are and call in on Monday, September 21, 2004, for further instruction.

Anyone who evacuated or is on leave needs to stay where they are and call in on Monday, September 21, 2004, for further information.

Personnel must not call the NAS fire department.

Public Works and Engineering personnel should report as soon as possible.

Duty personnel for NAS command should report as scheduled.

Commissary and Navy Exchange are closed.

posted by Pensacola News Journal Storm Team at 2:00 PM

Lynn Allen · **Posted:** Sat Sep 18, 2004 8:13 pm

We flew into Orlando around noon time today and appr. was talking to Blue Angel #1. We asked the controller if #7 wanted to to join up with us, A Hawker 700, since the controller was giving them a hard time about having to fly by themselves. They were a flight of four, 30 miles north of us.

Would have been cool to fly with the Blue/Blues.

Cheers,

Lynn

DaveM2 · **Posted:** Sat Sep 18, 2004 11:24 pm

From the 'Pensacola News'

'The National Museum of Naval Aviation was almost unscathed by the storm. Nichols said there were a few leaks in the roof, but the exhibits inside were unharmed.

Some of the historic aircraft parked on the tarmac behind the museum were damaged, however. The canopy of an A-6 was sheared off. A couple of wings lay on the pavement and some planes, evidently blown off their moorings, had collided with other aircraft, causing significant damage.'

Now here's a thought...should these museums {Pensacola, Weeks etc }be relocated away from the Hurricane danger zones.? It seems these storms are only going to get more frequent and more poweful as time goes on with the climate changes. An expensive proposition I know, but perhaps no more expensive than repairing the damage each time and inevitably the loss of some really historic airframes. Thoughts anyone ?

Dave

Scott Rose · **Posted:** Sun Sep 19, 2004 12:57 am

DaveM2 wrote:

Now here's a thought...should these museums {Pensacola, Weeks etc }be relocated away from the Hurricane danger zones.? It seems these storms are only going to get more frequent and more poweful as time goes on with the climate changes. An expensive proposition I know, but perhaps no more expensive than repairing the damage each time and inevitably the loss of some really historic airframes. Thoughts anyone ?

Dave

Couple of problems with this idea:

1. Where is a safe zone? Short of moving everything to New Mexico or Arizona everywhere has an issue. California has earthquakes, mid-west has tornados and hail, north has blizzards. There is virtually no place "safe" to display

2. Fantasy Of Flight is one of the more commercial museums and is situated to take advantage of the tourism industry in the Florida area. I doubt Mr. Weeks would want to move the entire collection to Borrego Springs.

Hurricanes are a fact of life, they happen. These places (especially NMNA) need to get these aircraft under cover. Mr. Weeks does an excellant job of this leaving only a couple of the biggest aircraft exposed.

Unfortunately, as much as we would like too, you can't Nerf the world.

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