Foundation encourages restoration of derelict former U.S. Navy ship

Bradford Island, Calif. -- The former USS Lucid MSO-458, a wooden hull ship, was left derelict on Bradford Island, (between Oakley and Rio Vista in the California Delta) some years ago by civilian scrappers.

Today this once proud U.S. Navy ship has hope for its future, as the first and only Oceangoing Minesweeper (MSO) to be put on permanent display in the U.S. as a public museum.

The Lucid MSO-458 Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt public benefit corporation, was formed in March 2006 to transform this retired U.S. Navy wooden ship, formerly dedicated to mine warfare countermeasures, into a vibrant floating Naval history minesweeping museum to honor the tens of thousands of men and officers who served in minesweepers around the world.

MSOs served to keep sea lanes open and harbor approaches clear of enemy mines. Being constructed of wood and nonferrous metals, these shallow draft non-magnetic vessels were capable of effectively removing contact mines as well as magnetic and acoustic mines. Being made of wood, the MSO was specifically designed to deal with the new Soviet-made magnetic mines found during the Korean War.

MSOs served in the Korean War through the Persian Gulf War and into the early 1990s when they were replaced by the Navy's new MCM Avenger class mine countermeasure ships.

Of the 101 MSO's built, only a few remain on active duty and are in the hands of foreign countries. All of the US ships have either been sold or scrapped.

Bringing the Lucid to life as a minesweeping museum is a large financial undertaking. The foundation is seeking contributions from the minesweeping community, the Navy's industrial sector, and the general public to help with the endeavor.

The Lucid must undergo major restoration, including hull repairs, painting and re-outfitting, to be brought back to its former state to serve as a living museum. The ship also is in desperate need of a new home.

"The major problem out here on Bradford Island is access," said Mike Warren, Lucid's executive director. "We just don't have good access for volunteers and workmen, not to mention potential museum visitors. Whenever someone comes out here, they have to contend with a limited auto ferry schedule. It's been really difficult trying to accommodate waterborne transportation for visitors and volunteers, not to mention the limited availability of water, electrical power and sanitary facilities," Warren explained.

"Finding a new homeport is our most immediate need for the ship," said Warren, who also served aboard the Lucid in 1964. "We need a great deal of help because it's going to take a dedicated negotiator and salesman to package deal with some corporation, individual or municipality for us to locate a berth for our museum ship in an area that's more conducive to our needs and public accessibility."

What makes the Lucid so important, Warren added, is that it is the last MSO hull that is feasible to restore. "By sheer coincidence there is another one of these ships here on the California Delta, but it is in extremely poor condition. No others are known to exist here in the United States," said Warren.

The Lucid MSO-458 Foundation communicates with the public through its website http://usslucid- .org and its group discussion forum at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ USSLucidMSO_458DiscussionGroup.

Monetary contributions can be sent to P.O. Box 1058, Rio Vista, CA 94571. The foundation invites everyone who is interested to join in on the discussions, and anyone who knows of a good home for a 172nd Naval Museum is asked to contact Craig McAllister, foundation's engineering director at Mack@usslucid.org or call (877) 285-8243).