Batfish Fundraising

[scamp588]

Henry Primeaux, a Tulsa auto dealer, AFL 2 team owner and former reservist who served aboard the USS Batfish during 1959 and 1960, is taking the fundraising helm for the Batfish.  His short-term goal is to raise $160K in the next six weeks to cover the cost of painting the boat.  His desire is to go back to the original WWII color scheme.  Overall, he would like to raise $1M for the Batfish preservation and other museum projects.

Today he spoke with Senator Jim Inhofe and has received his full support.  Mr. Inhofe is going to try and obtain the boat's original guns and attempt to obtain a retired dive trainer from subscol and create an attraction at the War Memorial Park where visitors can experience a depth charging, angles and dangles, etc.

To help generate revenue for the museum, he is having challenge coins made.  He has also ordered shirts and hats for resale at the museum.

In addition he has commissioned, Mike Wimmer, a local Muskogee artist, to paint the Batfish in a wartime setting which will be displayed at the museum.

[Mark Sarsfield]

WOW!  I knew that he wanted to help with the painting, but holy crap!   I was just thinking the other day how neat it would be to simulate the boat diving and rising or hearing depth charges going off.

As far as the original guns go, good luck with that one.  Maybe he can be instrumental is getting Mr. Inhofe to obtain one of Pt. Loma's 5"/25 guns.  As stated to them earlier, we'd be more than happy to send them one of our 3" guns.

[JohnG]

Holy Submarines Batman! 

This is great news!!! I hope it all works out for the museum. I remember seeing his interview and thought, wow, thats a nice publicity stunt. But now that he is taking steps to backing it up, wow! I just hope it actually pulls through.

[Shipwreck]

I never could get a response from Inhoffe - so kudos on that.  I wonder if there is any way we can pull of getting the boat's bell back.

[Rick]

I know where it is as well as the 681's   Problem is that they are held by the NHC and they are reluctant in releasing any artifacts to us.  There is a lot of work being done both in DC as well as here to correct this problem.

 Long story.   

Rick

[Shipwreck]

Maybe we can ask specifically for Ihhoffes help on this request?  I can add Mary Fallin too.  I know her pretty good as I worked with her detail when I was a cop and she was lt governor.  Maybe I can get Keating to put in a word too.

[Paul Farace]

Congratulations on the super finds aboard the BATFISH.  Remember, there are likely more treasures hidden aboard your sub. We are still finding stuff on COD!!!

I don't think the brackets described as belonging to the deck gun supports are that... the deck gun travel lock was a simple bracket that swung up to clamp over the barrel... no swiveling involved. Besides, the tubes were used to store torpedo room stuff and it is very unlikely that anything do do with the deck gun would end up there. Having said that, WE did find COD's original shallow and deep depth gages in the torpedo room... PAMP found theirs in the motor room... so there!

Keep looking !!!

[Mark Sarsfield]

That would be sweet if we found our depth gauges in the dark, dank recesses of a motor room.

So, what's the latest news with Mr. Primeaux's fund raising efforts?

[MWALLEN]

So, what's the latest news with Mr. Primeaux's fund raising efforts?

I've been wondering that myself.  I hope this wasn't just a media stunt.

[Mark Sarsfield]

We're weeks overdue in hearing something back.  I hope it wasn't a stunt, either, just to sell cars.

[MWALLEN]

Now we're months overdue...I'm beginning to lean towards publicity stunt.

I've noticed that Henry is still on TV selling his cars.

Oh well...

[Mark Sarsfield]

Nice. 

[MWALLEN]

Well...it's been almost a year and all I hear are crickets.

I had a feeling this was going to be too good to be true.

Hey Rick - any news on all these promises from the original post of this thread?

Mark A.

[Rick]

The crickets continue to chirp.  I do not feel that Primeaux i going to hold true to his promises.   

[Mark Sarsfield]

Next time that he opens his big mouth, we should post something in the Tulsa World reminding everyone of his publicity stunts from the past.  Have a picture of the boat with the deck only partially finished and hull still rusting with the caption "Does this look like this boat/museum has seen a big donation to you?"