Greek Destroyer Velos (ex USS Charrette) Fletcher class
Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2017 12:50 pm
by Ayanamikun
Thread for the Destroyer Velos, known as "The Museum of anti-dictatorial struggle "
Velos is currently not available as she is under restoration in dry dock, following the return of Averof from her maintenance drydocking in late July 2017.
Here is a video of Velos on her way to the drydock earlier this summer.
Re: Greek Destroyer Velos (ex USS Charrette) Fletcher class
Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2017 12:54 pm
by Pim vW
Any pictures available of Velos in drydock?
Re: Greek Destroyer Velos (ex USS Charrette) Fletcher class
Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2017 1:22 pm
by Ayanamikun
Unfortunately no... All my searches have been in vain so far. She gets heavily overshadowed by her stablemate Averof in all respects of interest.
Re: Greek Destroyer Velos (ex USS Charrette) Fletcher class
Some start to forward the idea of transferring Velos to the naval Base in Poros Island, where Averof was stationed for 30 years before becoming a museum. Doubtful, it makes no sense, unless they need to move the Hellas Liberty in the Naval park there.
Re: Greek Destroyer Velos (ex USS Charrette) Fletcher class
Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2018 10:12 am
by Pim vW
I guess I could use Google translate, but what is their reasoning?
Re: Greek Destroyer Velos (ex USS Charrette) Fletcher class
Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2019 5:26 pm
by Ayanamikun
Latest pictures and info on Velos:
The ship was towed in drydock in September 2017, for maintenance and painting, paid courtesy of Danaos Shipping Ltd
After that she was docked in Salamis naval base and has been there ever since. No visitors have been on her for almost 2 years now.
Her future is somewhat uncertain because of the internal politics in the Hellenic Navy. The ship was part of a mutiny against the Junta in 1973, and this is the reason why she was later kept as "a museum of anti-dictatorial struggle" Her captain during the incident became later an Admiral, after the fall of the Junta, and he was a driving force behind her preservation.
After his death in 2013 the Naval command has been clearly trying to downplay and generally disassociate it self from the incident, the late Admiral and the left wing evocations of historical mutinies in general. Many have pointed out that the Hellenic navy, now that he has passed away, does not want Velos next to Averof and to be associated with her and her history.
They cant get rid of her though, as she is a Fletcher. There are thoughts of renaming her simply as a Naval Museum and docking her in Thessaloniki as a Branch of the Hellenic Maritime Museum. Seems more and more people notice her absence and the lack of action for her, I'll try to keep this thread up to date..
