Ghosts of the USS Yorktown

by Bruce Orr

  As she entered the women’s restroom, the feeling became more intense. She stated that she was completely alone, yet she felt as if there were someone there with her. She felt obligated to inspect the restroom to make certain that she was alone, and when she confirmed that she was, she proceeded to the furthermost stall to “take care of business.”

  As she settled into the stall, she was concerned with the large pipes that surrounded her. She had images of evil mutated creatures rising from the bowels of the ship, crawling through the pipes and descending upon her stall to devour her. My daughter’s fear began to overwhelm her, and she did as she has always done when she is afraid: she began to sing.

  As stated earlier, this is my daughter and the apple does not fall far from the tree. Unlike her father, my daughter has a very beautiful singing voice (she got that from her mother). Much like her father, she has a very eclectic taste in music. EXACTLY like her father, she often changes the lyrics.

  What song choice does a frightened eighteen-year-old young lady choose to help calm her nerves in the presence of an oppressive spirit while relieving herself on a haunted ship?

  “All by Myself” by Eric Carmen.

  Quite an appropriate song, yet her modifications made it the perfect song. The lyrics of the 1975 classic hit are:

  All by myself

  I don’t want to be

  All by myself

  Anymore…

  After Kayla’s modification, the word “be” was replaced by the word “pee.” The child is not responsible for her genetics.

  If there were any ghosts within two decks of her, they were rolling on the ground in fits of ectoplasmic laughter as my child, frightened and all alone, sang out loud:

  All by myself

  I don’t want to pee

  All by myself

  Anymore…

  Being a musician, singer and performer, Kayla recognizes great acoustics when she hears them, so her singing grew louder as it echoed through the restroom and then through the ship.

  Apparently, the music traveled further than she thought, and God in heaven heard her plea. Unfortunately, Kayla did not get that memo. She was unaware that another woman—a living one—had joined her in the women’s restroom. The woman, apparently amused, snickered at the singing. Kayla heard the snickering and thought that perhaps the evil mutated creatures crawling through the pipes had a sense of humor and enjoyed a good laugh before devouring young ladies as they urinated in restroom stalls aboard haunted ships. Kayla quickly and abruptly finished what nature had started, and she departed the restroom just in time to encounter the other party who had joined her. After mutually frightening each other with minor shrieks of terror, Kayla returned to report her experience. If there was an ominous and oppressive entity in the haunted head, I am sure he will never forget his encounter with my staff photographer.

  I know she never will.

  AN EERIE PRESENCE

  Another visitor, Savannah Silkie, had her own experience with an unseen ominous presence onboard the USS Yorktown. She posted her experience with the website known as “Project: Paranormal.” Her experience, in her own words, is as follows:

  Several years ago, I spent a weekend on the USS Yorktown, located at Patriots Point in Charleston Harbor. We had gone there with my son’s boy scout troop. The Yorktown is an aircraft carrier used in WWII and the Vietnam War. After we arrived, the group went to the theater onboard the ship to watch a documentary. I used this time to shower and get refreshed, and was quite alone on the deck on which my cabin was located. Halfway through my shower I got a feeling I was being watched, and shook it off, thinking it was my imagination. The ship creaks and groans, sounding like metal against metal and it is easy to get spooked in such a place. Needless to say, I hurried to finish my shower, and then proceeded to dress and dry my hair. The outlets are located above the mirror over the sink. As I was drying my hair, I had my eyes closed and my head was down, I was not looking in the mirror. Suddenly, I had a chill and felt a presence standing behind me. I was so terrified, I dared not look in the mirror in fear of seeing something besides my reflection. It was definitely not a “good” feeling. I reached up and jerked the plug from the outlet, leaving my belongings behind and I literally flew from the bathroom. As I ran down the corridors to my room, one of the heavy metal doors creaked open as I passed by. While I did not see an apparition, I can tell you without a doubt that the presence was ominous. I immediately climbed down the narrow ladder/stairs to the hangar deck to join the group. Needless to say, I didn’t go to the bathroom alone the rest of the trip. Later, I was talking with one of the personnel on the ship, and I asked if they had ever had any reports of ghosts or paranormal activity there. He informed that yes, many, many, times. He then told me the ship had a morgue below, they didn’t bury people at sea. The bodies were kept in the morgue and brought back home. He also told me that an apparition of an officer had been seen there by personnel on the ship and by visitors. I just wondered if anyone else had been there or had similar experiences. It would be a very interesting place for a paranormal investigation.

  This large metal door, although extremely heavy and difficult to operate, has been known to open by itself, much to the surprise of those in the galley. Courtesy of KOP.

  After having received so many accounts of activities from both staff and guests, Executive Director Mac Burdette agreed.

  It was time for an investigation.

  HAUNTED BY HEROES

  On October 6, 2004, Ghost Hunters premiered on the SyFy channel. The paranormal reality-based series features the investigations of the Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS) led by founders Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson. The combination of the investigations and the interaction of the team members has proven itself to be a lasting combination with its audience.

  After eight seasons, the show has succeeded in pioneering new techniques and equipment in the field of paranormal investigations and has set the standard that others follow. The January 11, 2012 premiere of Ghost Hunters’s eighth season reached two million viewers, and the paranormal reality series was up 16 percent in total viewers.

  In 1990, TAPS was founded by Jason Hawes with “the sole purpose of helping those experiencing paranormal activity by investigating its claims in a professional and confidential manner, and using the latest in paranormal research equipment and techniques.” Ghost Hunters has stuck to TAPS original principles, and because of this, Patriots Point approached the group for assistance in investigating the activity that many have experienced for years on the USS Yorktown. The consensus was that the team would treat the ship, her crewmembers—both living and deceased—and her legacy with the respect and honor she deserves.

  If the USS Yorktown is truly haunted, then she is indeed haunted by heroes. Courtesy of KOP.

  “While we were intrigued at the notion of paranormal activity aboard ‘The Fighting Lady,’ our first priority was to make certain that any investigation was handled in a manner that was respectful of the service and sacrifice of the men who served aboard her. The TAPS crew was absolutely wonderful and displayed great patriotic respect throughout the filming,” said Patriots Point executive director Mac Burdette.

  In February 2012, Ghost Hunters conducted its investigation of the USS Yorktown, and on May 2, 2012, the tenth episode of season eight, the show aired.

  During its investigation, the TAPS team was able to validate the Patriots Point staffs’ claims. Footsteps, voices and activity were captured in the empty ship, along with recorded evidence of a shadow figure on the Flight Deck, a team member being gently pushed and a full body apparition captured on a thermal imaging camera in the Charleston Naval Shipyard Museum.

  TAPS founder Jason Hawes, during an interview with the Post and Courier, said what they captured is convincing. “Not only did we catch some of the most compelling evidence I believe we have ever caught and the most intense experiences all team members have encountered in a long time, but it is also known as a hot spot for th
e very thing we seek—the paranormal.”

  HAPPENINGS IN THE HANGAR DECK

  On July 18, 2012, this author and Rick Presnell spent the evening on the USS Yorktown. Rick is more open to “ghostly” occurences, but it takes quite a lot more than a bang or bump in the night to convince this author of paranormal activity. However, by the end of the evening, we would both be scratching our heads and questioning if we had indeed experienced what we thought we had experienced.

  Upon our arrival that evening at 6:45 p.m., we were escorted onboard and met with the security shift supervisor, Justin Davis. There would only be myself, Rick, Justin and one other security person onboard during our stay.

  Rick and I made a cursory walk-through of the areas we wanted to focus on and then split up for a bit to get the feel of the ship after power had been turned off in the main areas. We then met up on the Flight Deck to gather our thoughts and to also take advantage of the cool evening sea breeze before going back into the ship, which had been baking all day in the one-hundred-degree temperatures. With power turned off to the main areas, the air conditioning—what little there is—was also shut off.

  When we returned to the ship, we continued down to the Hangar Deck. As we walked and planned, we listened to the enormous ship creak, pop and groan as her upper deck cooled and contracted in the evening air.

  An F4U Corsair stands as part of a World War II aircraft exhibit within the Hangar Deck of the USS Yorktown. Courtesy of KOP.

  As we stopped in the hangar, we decided that we wanted to set up motion sensors inside the Charleston Naval Shipyard Museum in an effort to simulate events that had previously occurred there. As we were discussing this idea, we both heard footsteps on the catwalk above us. We immediately turned and looked upward, and both Rick and I saw a shadow block out the auxiliary lighting that was illuminating that area. Rick immediately went up a nearby stairwell as I remained on the lower deck. I could see him clearly cross the catwalk as he attempted to find the elusive shadow. As he crossed the catwalk, he could hear the footsteps ahead of him dissipate but was unable to locate anyone…or anything. We immediately went to locate security and found both officers on the pier below us.

  CAT AND MOUSE

  Later in the evening, this author was again in the Hangar Deck while Rick was examining the Engine Room. As I was walking through the area, I observed a shadow crossing ahead of me. The shadow stopped in a dimly lit area and stood as if it were watching me. I remained still and continued to observe the silhouette for about a minute as I debated what to do next. I decided to walk at a normal pace past the figure, and as I did, it moved into the shadows and disappeared. I continued on past the area and sat down on a bench near the entrance to the Charleston Naval Shipyard Museum. As I sat there, I continued to hear noises from the direction of the shadow. After a few minutes, I again saw motion and went back to where I had seen the figure. Again, there was nothing there.

  At that point, I decided to give it a few minutes, and I went into the Shipyard Museum. I spent a few minutes there deciding where to set up motion sensors, and after determining the best area I again exited back on to the Hangar Deck. As I walked toward where I had seen the figure, a shadow crossed directly in front of me and blocked the light. A second shadow did likewise. As I looked toward the light, I could distinctly see two figures near the snack bar area. As I approached, one slowly disappeared from sight and the second stepped back into the shadows and disappeared. I continued back down to that area and found no one, although I am positive the silhouette figures were human…at least in size and shape.

  Once again, I am not ready to rubber stamp this experience or the previous one as a “ghostly” encounter, but what I experienced was not normal and still has me scratching my head wondering what exactly did occur.

  RICK AND THE CAPTAIN

  When we first arrived, Rick and I had spoken with Justin Davis, the security supervisor that evening, and asked him about his experiences. He informed us of what he referred to as an “urban legend.” He stated that on the bridge, there is a wooden mat near the wheel of the ship. He states that if a person stands and spins the wheel and acts as if he is the captain, that person will feel a stern hand upon his shoulder. The grip is alleged to be that of the actual ship’s captain who is strongly urging you to vacate his post.

  Of course we had to try it.

  Later that evening, I attempted my turn at the procedure and had no issues. Rick then took his turn. As he did so, he issued orders, spoke of incoming kamikazes and directed all persons to “battle stations.” I asked if he could parallel park the ship while he was at it.

  We both joked about the legend and the fact that the captain was not too concerned with us. Rick spoke aloud and asked to speak with the captain. He asked if the captain had anything he wanted to tell us. Rick laughed at the silence, and as he turned, his Go-Pro Camera, which he had attached to his hat, began beeping and shut off. I checked his camera and observed that his freshly charged battery was now dead. I attempted to turn on the camera three times with no success. As Rick removed the camera, it turned on while facing him and snapped his picture. We both laughed at the incident and admitted that perhaps the captain was trying to contact Rick.

  The bridge of the USS Yorktown. Courtesy of KOP.

  The pamphlets and the telephone handset located by Rick Presnell. Courtesy of Rick Presnell.

  Rick then made the statement that the captain was going to have to do better than that.

  Sometime later, Rick and I had split up. While I was playing cat-and-mouse on the Hangar Deck, Rick was in the Engine Room. As he looked around, he had an overwhelming feeling that he should check around the engines and see what may be around, in or under them. As he did so, he noticed a pile of old pamphlets, and he reached in and removed them. The Patriots Point pamphlets he found were over twenty years old and actually contained information on the USCGC Comanche that was scuttled in the nineties.

  The pamphlets were interesting enough, but what was even more interesting was what they had been concealing. Behind the pamphlets was a handset and cord to a telephone. What is even more interesting is that the mouthpiece and earpiece were brass and different from any other phone we had seen on the ship. As Rick relayed his story and turned the phone over to security he speculated that perhaps the phone and its unique brass fittings were property of the captain and perhaps this was his way of saying that the next time Rick should use the proper channels when he wants to address him.

  III.

  THE HERITAGE

  PATRIOTISM, PRIDE, PRESERVATION AND PATRIOTS POINT

  PATRIOTS POINT

  On March 29, 1973, South Carolina governor John C. West approved legislation creating the Patriots Point Development Authority. Part of the provisions of that legislation was to provide a place of education and recreation to “foster pride and patriotism in the United States, and to establish and develop a National Naval Museum of ships, naval and maritime equipment, artifacts, books, art, and other historical materials to tell the story of the importance of sea power.”

  Since Patriots Point opened, many ships have come and gone, but the USS Yorktown has always remained. She was acquired in 1974 and was opened to the public on January 3, 1976. She has always been the focal point of Patriots Point. In 1981, she was joined by the highly decorated World War II destroyer USS Laffey (DD-724). The two had served together as part of Task Force 58 in February 1945, when they participated in strikes on the Japanese homeland. The USS Clamagore (SS-343) also joined these two ships in 1981.

  In addition to these ships, Patriots Point also is home to many other exhibits, including the Cold War Submarine Memorial, a Vietnam Support Base and the Medal of Honor Museum.

  Since opening almost forty years ago, Patriots Point has exceeded expectations in preserving our military heritage and fulfilling its original goals. It also has certainly surpassed any expectations in regard to educating others about our military history and heritage. According to Patriots Point�
��s Education Center, over twenty-two thousand scouts and students participate in overnight camping trips, and fifty thousand students visit Patriots Point annually. Their Education Center offers standard programs for kindergarten through twelfth grade and specialty programs for third, fifth and seventh grades.

  In a recent interview regarding the educational experiences that a field trip to Patriots Point offers students, Barbara Hairfield, social studies coordinator for the Charleston County School District, stated, “Kids can read about World War II all day long in a textbook, and they’ll remember some parts and not others, but they will remember those real world experiences. It’s such a deeper learning experience for the kids, and we feel like that’s really important.”

  To read about a legend is okay but to actually stand on the decks of a legend is…well, to quote a third-grade student, “That’s awesome!”

  The USS Clamagore (SS-343). Courtesy KOP.

  THE USS CLAMAGORE (SS-342): THE LAST OF HER KIND

  The USS Clamagore (SS-342) was commissioned in June 1945, a little too late to see action in World War II. She spent her thirty-year career operating out of Key West, New London and Charleston, South Carolina. She underwent several modifications, such as Guppy II and Guppy III, before the introduction of nuclear submarines phased out the diesel submarine. She is the only Guppy III submarine surviving as a museum ship.