Comments on Vandenberg Artificial Reef Project: A call out for Vandenberg Project supporters

Dear strokes. Why i can't get real information on ...

2009-04-24T14:38:00.000-07:00

Dear strokes. Why i can't get real information on this ship from you, the responsible ones, such as blue prints, interior photos of potential areas, etc. is it really that dificult to actually do something right. Here is the scenario joe, you and your circus will not release information critical to REAL professionals doing their work and looking at doing a better one for no reason other than you're a stroke. We will get the information from a different source, is just stupid that a bunch 0f (can't get it right)are unable to coordinate the most simple of the task...maybe that's why it took 10 years and how many millions...?

Let's us hope the city of Key West force the organ...

2009-04-23T14:10:00.000-07:00

Let's us hope the city of Key West force the organizer of the Vanderberg sinking, and the rest of the circus, to act in a more responsible way now, that the ship is here. Stop the nonsense and the parade of the starwars fanatics and gooblers, get real about the project and make it happen. By the way, those of you who are putting your stroke mentality to work on this, take a break and allow honest people to do their work.

Hi, my name is Bart van den Berg, a student in Mis...

2009-04-21T12:12:00.000-07:00

Hi, my name is Bart van den Berg, a student in Mississippi USA, originally from the Netherlands. Got certified here in 2006, got my advance in 2007 and will probably leave this summer to UK for starting a new job position. But...... my life's goal is to dive this awesome wreck before I leave!!!!! Hope everything will go smooth and the sinking will be no problem at all!!
I wish everyone involved lots of success and hope to see you in the Keys!

I would love to hear some of the stories of passen...

2009-04-13T16:09:00.000-07:00

I would love to hear some of the stories of passengers on their trip over to US from Bremerhaven from 3/25/09 post

We live in Michigan and plan on diving the Vandenb...

2009-03-25T20:02:00.000-07:00

We live in Michigan and plan on diving the Vandenberg.

I'm so happy I found this site. My parents came o...

2009-03-25T14:20:00.000-07:00

I'm so happy I found this site. My parents came over from Eastern Europe on the General Taylor - they arrived to the United States on April 21, 1950. I can't wait to tell them what became of their "ship to freedom." They now live, for many years, in Los Angeles and have abundant memories of WWII and their time on the transport to America - it certainly changed their lives

Rick the Dive Bum here. I am really excited about...

2009-02-19T10:12:00.000-08:00

Rick the Dive Bum here. I am really excited about this project, but you've got to get your sites and links to go viral. I'll do what I can. [Of course, this will be near impossible since blogger doesn't allow URL's or links in their comments.]

This is the best thing that could happen to key we...

2009-02-18T23:07:00.000-08:00

This is the best thing that could happen to key west. we are in san diego www.gottadive.com we plan on running regular trips to the vandenberg. we have plans to arrange a trip of 25 divers to come for the sinking. we all plan to spend about 3,000 dollars. in this economy u cant shake your head at 75, 000 dollars. The sinking is a great idea and will bring millions of dollars to key west. As a padi instructor and dive resort manager I will be planing regular trips to this site.

I was an original passenger on the USNS General Ha...

2008-10-12T09:37:00.000-07:00

I was an original passenger on the USNS General Harry Taylor. I only found my manifest two days ago which led me to this site. My mother and I came here from Bremerhaven, Germany. I was born in a Displaced Polish Camp, Wildflecken, DE. aka "WildPlace" by Kathryn Hulme. We left on Oct 2, 1950 and arrived New York,NY on Oct.23,1950 I was only three years old so I don't remember any of my journey here but my mother tells me she was seasick most of the time. Now just finding the ship I am sad to hear they will be sinking her but if they haven't doen it yet I would love to be able to be there when they do.

Hello Sheri....How does one contact you as I see n...

2008-10-12T08:42:00.000-07:00

Hello Sheri....How does one contact you as I see no email address or instructions on how to contact you.

I was a child of 4-1/2 when my parents and baby br...

2008-07-11T06:12:00.000-07:00

I was a child of 4-1/2 when my parents and baby brother left Bremenhaven on August 12, 1950 to come to America. We were Polish refugees. Both my parents had been prisoners of the Nazis and both my brother and I were born in refugee camps after the war. Our home and lands in Poland were confiscated by the Russian Communists. We had no home to go back to and my Dad was a fervent anti-Communist with a probable death sentence if we tried to return to any part of Poland. We couldn't stay in Germany any longer, the land of their captors, so our new home was to be America. I remember the officer's cabin in which we stayed including the can of Planter's Peanuts on the dresser behind the door; seeing my first African-American; seeing dolphins jump out of the water near the stern when the cooks threw out the remnants of a meal overboard; I remember walking along the deck and looking over into the water which looked so far below and foreboding and I remember the fog. So many memories! We arrived in New York City on August 23rd and the adventure began and continues. When my son, who works for the Department of the Army, told me about the Harry S. Taylor still in existence, a flood of memories enveloped me. I hope to see her one last time before they sink her. The Harry S. Taylor reminds me of my parents bravery and resolve to build a new life out of the ashes of the war that almost consumed them and so many like them. America gave us hope. Thank you, America!

With Regard, Krystina
Summerville, SC

Well if they actually really do sink the Vandenber...

2008-04-06T10:17:00.000-07:00

Well if they actually really do sink the Vandenberg I'll have a reason to drive past Key Largo. As it is now, I'll just keep stopping there.

I've been coming to Key West for 10 years hearing ...

2008-04-01T10:43:00.000-07:00

I've been coming to Key West for 10 years hearing about this project and hope it is finally going to come to an end this year with the sinking of the Vandenburg. My shipwrecker t-shirt is so old you can see daylight through it. I've dove the Cayman and Joe's Tug so many times that in recent years I've been heading north to do my diving and spending my tourist dollars a few Keys up highway 1. I'll be here again in June and hope I can dive on her then.

Why not let the Navy sink it for minimal cost? If...

2008-03-31T14:24:00.000-07:00

Why not let the Navy sink it for minimal cost? If it doesn't land upright, just wait for a major storm to come through e.g. the Spiegel Grove.

Please keep me posted on the date. I have a unique...

2008-03-26T14:32:00.000-07:00

Please keep me posted on the date. I have a unique tie with this ship. My father is a retired Merchant Marine Sailor and at the age of 90 just recently passed away. While researching family history, I found that he had sailed on her when it was a Troop Transport (ATP). He signed on in San Francisco and sailed to New Guinea during WWII.

I also am a former sailor, from the Cold War era. I was in the Submarine Service in the 80's and rode on board as an observer for a Trident
Missile Launce out of Port Canaveral, in the early 80's.

I am also an avid diver (RESCUE) and would love to be one of the first to dive on her.

I have not read any accounts of missions where the...

2008-03-26T07:51:00.000-07:00

I have not read any accounts of missions where there is mention of tracking Russian missiles. During my time on the Vandy we tracked many of the Russian missles. We tracked the first Russian MIRV. At the time this was all classified information.

We vacation in Key West every year. After diving J...

2008-03-20T10:03:00.000-07:00

We vacation in Key West every year. After diving Joe's Tug for years we were thinking about changing vacations sights. Now with the Vandenberg we will stay in Key West and continue to have a great time and now a great dive too.

Im looking forward to dive it. I've waited for yea...

2008-03-11T13:22:00.000-07:00

Im looking forward to dive it. I've waited for years it will be so great. Im coming down to Key West to dive it.

I'm definitely going to go down to the keys at som...

2008-03-10T16:23:00.000-07:00

I'm definitely going to go down to the keys at some point to dive it, I've been looking forward to it for at least half a decade now. I hope everything goes according to plan.

This is a great project, can't wait to view the pr...

2008-03-02T06:59:00.000-08:00

This is a great project, can't wait to view the project history at the Harry Truman Little White House Museum in Key West.

Within the next 4 weeks I will be constructing an ...

2008-03-01T08:31:00.000-08:00

Within the next 4 weeks I will be constructing an exhibit about the history of the Harry Taylor/Hoyt Vandenberg which will be on display at the Harry Truman Little White House Museum in Key West. If anyone has small artifacts or photos to donate or loan to this exhibit, please contact me. This is such an important piece of American History, and we really want to tell the story.