This letter is being sent to the contact persons of all known Charles Adams class DDG Associations.
Gentlemen, we ask that you forward the e-mail below to all members of your association. The 700 member Barney Association is probably second only to Saginaw Valley in the process of getting an Adams class DDG turned into a museum. Our ship has been professionally inspected. The report clearly indicates she is in far better shape than Adams. We have a site who wants her. That site should easily be able to maintain her once she is set up. We need your ideas, and your money. Let me thank you now for any help you can render.

Mission Statement
"The USS Barney DDG-6 Foundation, is made up of nearly 700 US Navy veterans who served aboard USS Barney, one of America's first guided missile destroyers. Our ship was decommissioned in the 1990s, and faces the possibility of being cut up for scrap in the not-too-distant future. This group of ex-Navy sailors has been working to raise sufficient funding that our ship can be set up as a permanent public display at a historical naval museum here in the United States. The Miami-Dade Historical Maritime Museum, in Miami Florida, has met with us, and wants to acquire our ship as the key point of their museum. Once we can show the Navy that we have the money to restore the ship to view able condition, we can ask the Navy to donate the ship for museum purposes. The USS Barney DDG-6 Foundation is in the process of fund raising, through any means available, to raise the $3 million necessary to restore our ship. We are incorporated in the State of Texas. We are registered with the Internal Revenue Service as a non-profit organization (501-3C) therefore all donations made to our foundation are tax-deductible."

History
In September 2002, Keith Green of the USS Barney DDG-6 Association learned that Barney and about 9 other ships had been put out to bid by NAVSEA for scrapping. The Barney Association decided at that time to try and save the ship. The USS Barney Association (with 700 members) is in the process of trying to get our ship put on “donation hold” so we can get her set up as a permanent static display in a maritime museum on the east coast. Here is what we have accomplished:

1. In late 2002 we incorporated under the name, “USS Barney DDG-6 Foundation”. We are incorporated in the state of Texas.

2. In March 2003 we were granted non-profit 501 (c)3 status by the IRS. Any donation made to our association for the purpose of getting the ship set up as a
museum is tax deductible and receipts stating such will be sent to everyone who donates more than $100.00 or more.

3. In February 2003 the President of the “Save The Barney Foundation” Keith Green met with Mr. Frans Boetes Chairman and Founder of the Miami-Dade
Maritime Museum. Mr. Boetes has indicated to us and to NAVSEA, in writing, that he specifically wants the Barney as a key exhibit in their new museum.

4. In March 2003, a professional marine engineer, at the request of Frans Boetes, went aboard USS Barney DDG-6 and thoroughly inspected her in
Philadelphia. His subsequent report indicates that not only is Barney in sufficiently good condition to make her a viable candidate for museum restoration,
he further indicated that Barney is in significantly better condition than USS Adams DDG-2.

5. The USS Barney foundation is a member of the Historic Naval Ships Association.

6. Key members of the Barney Association are in regular contact with various NAVSEA personnel. NAVSEA has not, to this point, been terribly
receptive or supportive of our goal. Recently, this has changed. As a result of our efforts (and some solid progress in the museum process) NAVSEA
has moved Barney toward the bottom of their east coast scrapping list.

7. The USS Barney DDG-6 Foundation is in the process of identifying target corporate contributors who will help us raise the money necessary to get the
ship restored to the condition necessary for museum display.

Action Steps To Save A Ship
1. The ship must be inspected by a professional marine engineer, approximate cost $15,000.00. (Done for USS Barney)

2. A naval museum must be located who wants to acquire the ship. (Done for USS Barney)

3. Group saving ship must raise between $25,000 and $75,000 to have a professional request for “donation hold” status prepared
and submitted to NAVSEA.

4. Said report must include detailed estimate of all costs necessary to restore decommissioned ship to view able condition.

5. Once on “donation hold” group saving ship has about 2 years to raise the money to restore the ship. After that they must re-solicit NAVSEA
(with a new report) and start all over.

Saginaw Valley Association
It has been clear from the beginning, by simply visiting their web site that this group did not specifically want Adams DDG-2, but instead wanted any ship built by Defoe shipbuilding.

Reasons why Bay City, Michigan May Be A Poor Choice For A DDG Museum Display:

1. Lack of tourism. Bay City is not particularly close to any major metropolitan cities (it is 100 miles north of DETROIT), and PROBABLY cannot
draw enough tourism from local residents to generate the revenue necessary to make Adams a self-supporting display.

(The Founder of the Miami-Dade has estimated in a letter to NAVSEA that tourism through their museum will be 285,000 per year.)

2. Bay City, Michigan experiences harsh winters which have negative effects on the structural integrity and maintenance of the ship. Plus, as someone
who served aboard Barney in the winter, in dry dock in Portsmouth with a cold plant, I can assure you a non operational DDG in winter is a very
cold experience. What little tourism there might be in winter, I doubt if many people are going to walk around a very cold steel ship. And even
if the ship were open for display, ice and slippery conditions would make liability issues a night-mare.

(There's a reason why Florida is the retirement capital of the US, mild year round climate) This increases revenue streams for self maintenance, and
makes Barney view able year-round.

3. Florida in general, and Miami in particular are one of the most popular tourist destinations in the US.


We Need Your Help
At this point in time we need the help of any former DDG sailor who can recommend Specific ways for us to raise the money needed for restoration. Estimates of the amount of money needed range from $2 to $5 million. We do not have to have all of it in order to get the ship put on “donation hold” by NAVSEA. We must have a $100,000 before we can make a formal presentation to NAVSEA requesting that Barney be placed on “donation hold”.

The ex-USS Sampson DDG-10 was scrapped last year ONLY because she began taking on water, and according to eye witness reports she was down
about 15 degrees by the bow. Because of this breach in the hull, the Navy had to “find” the $3 million necessary to pay to have the ship scrapped.

Of the approximately 8 ships on list to scrapped, I have been told by someone within NAVSEA that because of our efforts, Barney has been placed near the bottom of the scrapping list. We estimate that we have 18 to 24 months (minimum) before any negative action will be taken on Barney. This is our estimate only!

If you have specific suggestions who to contact at specific company's for corporate donations we would welcome them. Any former DDG sailor who sends us a contribution of $100.00 or more will receive a tax free receipt for their donation, as well as a professionally printed 8” X 10” certificate (suitable for framing) which names them as an Honorary Executive Officer of USS Barney. Donations of $250 or more will receive a similar certificate naming the donor as an Honorary Commander of USS Barney,.

We need the contact names, company names and addresses of companies who would make good target donors for our project. All other specific suggestions are welcomed. Please send your recommendations to:

Keith Green – President Save The Barney Foundation
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Or

John Van Dusen – Founder USS Barney Association
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Contributions should be made payable to: USS Barney DDG-6 Foundation

Mail them to:
John Van Dusen
1007 Cambridge Drive
Carrollton, TX 75007

Include your full name and return address so we can mail you a tax deductible receipt.


Warm Regards,
John Van Dusen
Founder USS Barney Association

Questions:

1. You indicate you're organization has raised and paid the 15K for inspection, how much of the 25-75K do you have raised? Are you willing to fully disclose all efforts and funding through this process to the CFA Associations?

2. I haven't heard much from you on the Confederation or the trip to Greece to video tape other CFA destroyers. What is your position concerning the Confederation and preserving the heritage of all CFA ships?

3. If the Barney efforts fail, are you prepared to return the contributed funds to the respective ship Associations or the Confederation?

4. Are you willing to have representation on your Board of Directors from other ship Associations? I'd like to know how you feel about this being a joint CFA ship Association effort.

5. What plan do you have or does the Miami-Dade Historical Maritime Museum have to honor all CFA ship Associations?

6. Is NAVSEA aware of your efforts and do they support your direction. We've heard they don't know why you are making the effort....but that information isn't solid. Please give us the first person story.

7. Do you have any corporate sponsorship and/or government (local/state/federal) support at this time?

8. If your efforts fail, are you willing to pursue another CFA class destroyer or is your interest limited to the Barney?


Regards,

Rick Bennett

Welcome gentlemen. My name is John Van Dusen. I am a founder of the 720 member USS Barney DDG 6 Association. In an e-mail that went out earlier today there were several errors made. This is not attack on that individual, nor is this in any way a letter designed to make people mad. The sole purpose for me writing is to clear up some areas that were not reported completely accurately.

1) There is no group in Miami trying to save the USS Barney DDG 6. The 720 members of the USS Barney DDG 6 Association are trying to save our ship. We have located a maritime museum in Miami, who is very interested in acquiring our ship as a permanent static display. The founder and chairman of this museum is a gentleman by the name of Frans Boetes. Frans is not a novice at naval museums. He founded and successfully created a maritime museum in the Netherlands several years ago. He is adept at bringing together talented people, getting them focused on a common goal, fundraising, PR, and everything else that goes along with putting together and running a successful maritime museum. It has been falsely reported, by several people, that Frans has lost interested in acquiring the Barney. Frans has been in constant written and verbal communications with NAVSEA, and has informed them repeatedly in writing that he is extremely interested in acquiring the Barney as a permanent static display. Furthermore Franz has indicated that he estimates traffic through his museum, once it is completed, at approximately 238,000 people per year. The Saginaw Valley's own prospectus estimates traffic flow through their future exhibit at 145,736 (about half the estimated traffic through Miami)

2) Error, “the Adams is in better shape than the Barney”. This can be very misleading. While it is true that the same marine engineer has inspected both ships on more than one occasion, it's difficult to say which ship is in the best condition. It is true that the Adams has more of her original equipment on her. Because Adams has been on donation hold for almost a decade, it has been impossible for museum groups to go board the Adams to scavenge parts for their own static ship displays. The Barney has not been as fortunate and some pieces of hardware have been removed from the ship to be used in other Naval displays. So in that instance the Adams is in better shape than the Barney.

In March last year the marine engineer conducted a thorough five or six day inspection of the USS Barney. He reported back to us that the hull, and the general watertight integrity of the Barney and most of the structural members of that ship are in significantly better condition than the USS Adams. He also reported that in general it would take less time, less effort and less money to get the Barney into museum display shape than it would the USS Adams.

I think it is important to remember here that once the public is allowed to go board a display ship they don't go through every single space, passage and compartment. I had the pleasure of going through the USS Edson in New York City approximately two years ago and the general public is not allowed within the skin of the ship, and is only allowed to go around portions of the main deck, the 01 level, the bridge wings and through the bridge. In instances like that it doesn't require a lot of equipment to be able to put together a very nice display that will attract the public. And in fact since the Barney's guns (she needs barrels), ASROC launcher, and Tartar launcher are all intact she essentially has all the hardware necessary (minus a fresh coat of paint and some other face lifting) to put her in display condition.

There are probably those among us who would say, “well she doesn't have the right air search radar”, or “the director turret is wrong, or some other small issue is not quite correct”. And while that's all probably very accurate, I would remind them that the general public would never notice this, so it would not in general detract from the ability to make a static display of the ship.

I was in Philadelphia in February of 2002. At that time there were 5 Adams class DDG's at the facility. The Barney and the Lawrence were tied up outboard of a Forrest Sherman class DD, the Bigelow. And the Sellers, the Sampson and the Adams were all tied up together on a different pier. The Sellers began taking on water bow first last year and had to be scrapped. But I have not seen any specific information which would indicate that the Sampson was also scrapped. So there may actually be 4 Adams class DDG's in Philadelphia I'm not sure of that.

I welcome e-mails from any of you that wish to ask me questions. Again my e-mail is not and has never been intended to be an attack on any individual or group. Nor is it intended to embarrass or infuriate any individual or group. Any opinions stated here are simply my own and should be treated accordingly. The facts reported here are accurate to the best of my knowledge and personal experience.

We have formed a separate Save The USS Barney DDG 6 Foundation. A dedicated (and a little bit crazy) gentleman by the name of Mr. Keith Green is heading up that difficult job. He can be reached at:

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Warm Regards,
John Van Dusen
Founder and President USS Barney DDG 6 Association