I was in NYC last week, and took my usual trip over to Staten Island and back on SI Ferry. While returning to NYC I was, as I always do, looking out and reminiscing over my old home Governor's Island. I noticed that one of the former high-rise apartments (not the newest, the one closest to the former base galley) appeared to have major fire damage to it. Many windows were covered and surrounded by soot and smoke stains. It also appeared the front of it the building was barricaded with construction barriers, and netting. I don't know how long ago this may have occured. Last time I was down in NYC a year ago and made the ferry trip I didn;t notice it. Has anybody else noticed this or has any info???
BTW has anybody taken the tours the Park Service is now offering of the island?

The New York City Fire Dept has been using the building that you identified as a testing lab on various fire spread models and fire fighting operations.

Jack
Former GIFD firefighter

Rod, my wife and I were the first visitors to GOVIS for the Park Service tour and it was fantastic. This was a few years ago and was conducted by newly appointed Rangers. I learned more about the island then I did when we lived there in 1967. They were very knowledgeable.

I stayed there for a weekend while in the Honor Guard in 77 but for the life of me I can't remember what we were doing up there? I don't remember any parades, funerals or drill team exhibition?
I rememebr it was very green!
Peace,
Dick

quote:

Originally posted by cgrdcs:
The New York City Fire Dept has been using the building that you identified as a testing lab on various fire spread models and fire fighting operations.

Jack
Former GIFD firefighter

Well, that's good to hear. Glad it wasn't set or accidental. Thanks for the update!

quote:

Originally posted by CGRET1977:
Rod, my wife and I were the first visitors to GOVIS for the Park Service tour and it was fantastic. This was a few years ago and was conducted by newly appointed Rangers. I learned more about the island then I did when we lived there in 1967. They were very knowledgeable.

I would love to take one of those tours, perhaps next summer. Looks like most of the activity there closes down after September, according to the NPS Website.

Isn't it strange that a place I hated so much during the 70s while stationed there on the CGC Firebush, now attracts and fascinates me? Must be the aging/retirement process!

Not so strange at all. It's natural to want to return to places where you have been.

I love to return to my home town which I couldn't wait to leave. I'd really like to go back to San Jose, California and Sitkinak Island, Alaska. All places that I was eager to say "goodbye" to.

Ray,

Seen any photographs of the decommissioned loran station on Sitkinak lately? Kinda sad.

mw (On Sitkinak Island 1971-72.)

GI was my first duty station out of boot camp. I still remember just barely getting off of the ferry, in Bravos and carrying my sea bag and suitcase when a very pleasant LT approached me. (That was pretty scarry for a kid steping on his first CG unit out of boot camp.) He was very nice, explained that my unit (CGC Sorrell) was out for a couple of days. He said he would put me up aboard his unit (CGC P Bay) until they got back and let them know I was there. What he didn't tell me was that his change of command was in 2 or 3 days and his crew needed all of the help they could get to do the normal field day preps prior ot a change of command. Didn't take long to understand that you needed to be warry of strangers bearing 'gifts'!

Spent a little less than a year of non-rate time on the rock. Was there for about two weeks when I met my XO for the first time. It was two o'clock in the morning, on the ferry, with WAY too much 'military special' Vodka in my system, too much street vender food in my stomach and too much time hangin with one of the not-so-squared-away non-rates. Thanks god the XO never let the Admiral know it was one of his folks that lost his dinner ON THE ADMIRALS SHOES on that little ferry trip! ahhhh the good memories!

I went through Radioman "A" School on the island in 1970.

Either you hated New York City or you loved it. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there and probably recieved two educations there - skills to become a Coast Guard Radioman and a lot of history & current events that had taken place or were taking place in New York at that time.

During my period there, the twin towers of the World Trade Center were being constructed on South Manhattan. When the structures got too tall for the crains, helicopters were used to transport the steel up to the highest points.

The best pizza in the world was baked and sold at a small joint that was part of the Staten Island Ferry Terminal, next to the Governors Island Ferry Terminal. In 1970, you could get a slice of cheese pizza and a beer for 75 Cents. And since E-2 personnel were only taking in about $120 a month as pay, a cheap date was to buy a a couple of slices and beer and then ride back and forth on the Staten Island Ferry for a few hours. It only cost a nickel for pedistrians for an unlimited amount of time.

The Coast Guard had a few good eateries on the island itself. Since Commissaryman "A" School was on the island, the base galley was perhaps one of the best in the service. On Fridays, for noon meal, the cooks would put out a fantastic seafood spred that included clams, oysters, crab (both chilled and deep fried softshell Blue Crab; a number of types of fish fillets, shrimp and, to top it all off, t-bone steaks. There was no fat boy program then and the Coast Guard seemed to have plenty of money to feed the personnel.

In 1970, there were 3 378's homeported out of Governors Island, tied up to Yankee Pier (Dallas, Gallatin & Morganthau), An ocean going tug (Tamaroa), 1 180' buoy tender (Firebush) and one coastal buoy tender (CGC Tern).

The people of Manhattan were pretty good to us Coasties also. Most of us went on liberty in our blues or whites. The only time the population seemed remotely pi$$ed was during the time when a Lithuanian radio operator, Simas Kudirka, jumped from the Soviet trawler, the Sovetskaya Litva, being boarded at the time, onto the deck of the CGC Vigilant. The big shots at DC and 3rd Coast Guard District decided that Kudirka should be returned to the trawler despite having pleading for political asylum. Of course, you know what rolls down hill and in the media, the Coast Guard received more than its fare share of the blame. The atmosphere in New York grew colder than usual - and I don't refer to the air temperature.

Speaking of weather, summers were hot and sticky with humidity and pretty darned miserable when the wind was blowing in across the Hudson River from New Jersey. Smelled a lot like burning rubber tires. During Winter, especially if the wind was blowing in from the Atlantic through the Verrazano Narrows, the icy cold could go right through your blue jacket and through your bones. For a few of us, riding on the Governors Island Ferry was the only ice breaking experience we would ever have, especially when New York Harbor was choked with ice.

As the broadway song goes, "New York, New York is a hellofa town..." You could find just about anything you wanted there - legal and some not so legal. Military members could get theater and movie ticks from the USO free of charge. Same with Yankee & Mets tickets. And not for the nose bleed zone. These tickets were for good seating, sometimes behind home plate or the high rent zone of the theaters on Broadway. For the most part, New Yorkers took good care of the troops.

And that's why this sailor loved his short tour of duty on Governors Island. Things just weren't the same anymore after the island was closed down and schools sent to Petaluma and Yorktown.

mw

Mark, if you remember, Coasties didn't even need the nickle for the Staten Island Ferry if you were in uniform. Cheapest date or free entertainment in New York. Pizza, beer and fabulous scenery on a 1 hour boat ride for under a buck.

In 65/66 I was on the Spencer at Base St. George Staten Is. As a young Coastie I thought it was so cool to ride the S.I. Ferry over to the city for free, stop and get some pizza at the ferry terminal and go to the USO to see what movie,show or sports game we were going to that night or over the weekend. In 73 I went to recruiters school on GI, and the pizza was just as good then. Now many years later I have to wonder if the pizza place is still there, how much a slice, and is it still as good.

Lots of memories coming back. Sorry to say, that pizza place is gone, In fact, you wouldn;t recognize the Staten Island Ferry Terminal. It has been totally renovated, and it really quite nice. Wide open waiting area, and huge Flat=panel TV screens showing the schedule. Nice and clean too.. A few little food booths, but again, that pizza place is gone.

Even the Governor's Island terminal has been fixed upnicely, although I did not go inside, just looked thru the windowns. How many thousands of us can remember waiitng in there for the ferry, or cursing ourselves for missing the last one of the night at 033o??

The Staten Island side has also been fixed up, and the whole area around the teminal is now a nice ball-park for the local ball team. The old Saint George Buoy Terminal is now the site of what was supposed to be the National Lighthouse Museum, which seems to have been abandoned. No activity there at all,and the whole yard looks abandonned.

Remember the old Bay Cafe on Bay Street? That was a long-time Coastie hangout back in 60s and early 70s. It's still there, but is now a Russian Restuarant, I believe. Almost couldn't find it after 35 years, but I think I did.

In looking at some old New York Times articles, it appears that the Staten Island Ferry Terminal (Manhattan) was gutted by a bad fire several years ago. As recently as November of 2007, the firm managing the terminal had been criticised for not filling the numberous shops and eateries. I have a friend in New York who is going to go down to South Ferry and check the place out and see if the pizzaria is still there.

When it was in operation, if you ate a slice of pizza from the terminal, nothing else in the nation, safe perhaps the various "Little Italy" neighborhoods throught the United States, would suffice as "good pizza".

Of course, if I remember correctly, they made a pretty good pizza at the White Hats Club (EM Club) on Governors Island itself.

mw

CPO Club had the better view of the "LADY"

BBQ's on the patio where famous, notorious and infamous.

During the "LADY's Centennial," they built the VIP stage behind the new fire house, adjacent to the high rise, BLDG 877.

Jack

Was stationed there 4 times between 1975-1991. I used to give tours of the island to VIPs when in Special Services and then at the MLC...lots more fun at MLC (got ride in a Jaguar limo). I remember the pizza down below the terminal on the Manhattan side, grab a slice on the way to the GI ferry. Used to just show an ID and ride for free, then was changed by Capt. Daniels to only uniforms.

I would really like to see them turn it into a college...

The service that has control over the Island has cut off the end of the Island with the high rises - they are to be torn down as well as many of the other buildings that are deemed "non-historical." NON-HISTORICAL"? I spent 9 years there (some with Walt) and I deem that wherever I went should be called a historical site. But then, that's just me. And if we were to do that - the ENTIRE Island would be set, without tearing anything down.

I guess the pages keep turning. Too bad - I loved the place, except when I didn't.

nickap
retired and still having fun

a pic of the Bay Cafe, I spent a lot time and money there..I guess Momma Papis and Howie have both passed away.....

from Today's NY Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/15/nyregion/15governors.html?ref=nyregion

I recently emailed a friend who lives in NYK and asked as to the status of the pizzaria at the Staten Island Ferry terminal at South Ferry on Manhattan. Kevin was stationed in the Coast Guard during the 1950s and did some time at the Coast Guard Base at St. George on Staten Island...

quote:

Mark: I wend down to the Staten Island Ferry today and took pics. Old terminal is gone, replaced by new spiffy one. There is no pizza place there andacording to an employee hasn't been one for 10 years. Might be a new one later on though, construction is still incomplete. Took pictures.

I also went over on the boat to St George SI where I was stationed tad 3 times in my brief career.

Don't know if you were there but there is not much left of the place. It's right next door to the ferry terminal--the buoy dock was hit by that ferry in the accident several years ago. The administration bldg still stands as does a warehouse and the old enlisted barracks. All are fenced off and in extremely dilapidated condition. All were built c. 1865 or earlier. One building, the old "Lamp Shop" still stands and has been restored on the exterior only. All other buildings Coasties would remember are long gone. The site was formerely a USLHS Depot, and before that a USPHS Quarintine Station.

Interestingly, the old barracks was part of the Qurantine Station. A sign says tha once upon a time there was a outbreak of some disease or other on Staten Island. The good citizens of SI got up in arms, blamed it on the quarintine station and burned it down. Only building that survived was the old enlisted baracks--no word on the fate of it's former diseased occupants.

From the ferry I could see the USS Intrepid CVA11. It's docked on the SI waterfront south of the CG Base. It's now an air and space museum in Manhattan and has been in the yard for 2-3 years. It will soon be towed to it's berth on the west side of Manhattan.

The GI ferry terminal has been restored and looks quite spiffy. I didn't go over on the ferry as I was too tired and went home. Will bring my bike and visit later on.

Best, KB

Too bad about the Pizzaria. I guess that all good things eventially must come to an end.

mw