USS Salem, CA139, as the Graf Spee

In the fifties, the Salem Starred as the German ship in a Movie. The USS Salem is now a Museum Ship at Quincy, Mass. She also hosts a Museum for her Sister Ship, the USS Newport News, CA148.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• USS
• Salem
• Newport
• News
• Graf
• Spee

[art9864]

MASTER CHIEF DEXTER GOAD That was a fine editing job that you have done on the Salem as the Graf Spree BRAVO ZULO . see you in May Lcpl Art Hunt

[dextergoad]

Thank You for the nice words, Art. And Thanks also for the Outstanding Job You and Your Wife are doing running our Ship's Store. CU on the Salem in May. Dex I and II

[garywpalmer]

Well done my friend. I walked the dex, I mean decks of the USS Salem with my grandson in April of 2006. We were on board for a USS Newport News Work Party. It was great to watch your video and see all of the places my grandson and I stood on or walked over. Seeing the Salem in that new condition was great. Anyone who gets the chance should visit that great ship and also check out the USS Newport News Mueseum that is on board. Both are great ships that should never be forgotton. Gary Palmer

[dextergoad]

Thanks, Gary. CU aboard the Salem in May. Dex

[jjim4870]

Something screwed up, showed four stars and I wanted five..............JimO

[dextergoad]

That's OK, JimO. So you pulled our average down. No hard feelings. [:>) Dex

[SuperSkeptiker]

Tja. Sieht der Graf Spee nicht mal ansatzweise ähnlich. Haben da die Amis nix besseres im Angebot gehabt? :(

[iowa61]

Wow. Interesting comparison. Graf Spee was more heavily armored than SALEM is, but not nearly as fast. Graf Spee had bigger guns, but SALEM's were auto-firing 8 inchers. SALEM also has much better fire control and damage control.

Graf Spee would have done well to avoid SALEM, that's for sure.

[Waistgunner39]

I tend to agree... while the Germans did in fact use deceptive modifications -the Salem could have been modified somewhat or the USS St Paul could have been used : it looked more like the Graf Spee and was in service at the time.

[canopus101]

Very poor casting, like a lot of war films of this era the producers thought that if a tank, ship, lorry or aircraft was required just about anything would do. Another howler of a film, in this respect was 'Battle of the Bulge'. Thankfully things have changed, the Tiger in 'Saving Private Ryan' was too small to believable to an enthusiast of AVFs but care had been taken to convert a Soviet T34 to look like a Tiger for a mass audience.

[DigbyCat]

The move is called: 'The Battle of the River Plate'

[slotzi]

so eine scheisse können echt nur die ammis verzapfen

1. Graf Spee Hatte nur 2 drillingstürme

2. Capt. Hans Langsdorf hat NIE ohne vorwarnung geschossen

3. das schiff da oben sieht KEINEM Deutschem schiff ähnlich

[lostthe80s]

probably the most inaccurate film in history - I don't know what drugs the casting and ship selector were on to pick a ship that looked nothing like (really not even a good second guess) the Graf Spee and a bearded actor who looked absolutely nothing like Langsdorff. Tragic !

[loht773]

What Movie is This?

Looks Great!

[MisterChandu2]

Great Movie. Peter Finch did a great job as Captain Hans Langsdorff. I have the film on VHS and I guess it is only available on DVD on a Region 2 version.

"A gigantic witches cauldron of fire!"

A slice of time.

[DOLRED]

The US Navy did not allow German paraphernalia on board the Salem. American helmets etc take away from the movie realism. Not a problem today as US has now adopted for its use-the very helmet that was despised then--the Nazi helmet. The picture on the wall of Langdorff's office in the movie sports the real Graf Spee and in the background 2 other ships--one of those being the HMS Hood. Bernard Lee who plays Captain Bell----was also "M" in the James Bond movies the early years.