Posted by Melvin on August 22, 2002 at 06:59:29:
In Reply to: Re: Diving Navy Ship Wrecks posted by Capt strange and grumpy on August 21, 2002 at 19:43:16:
My post was not in reference to any specific wreck, but just intended as general knowledge. As it says, unless the Navy has taken specific action (example the Spegel Grove) to dispose of the ship it remains their property. For the most part, ships that are NOT delibertly sunk, but are sunk by acts of war or nature, will remain Navy property as it is not easy removing the ship from the books. "Only by congressional action can ship and aircraft wrecks be declared abandoned." So it literly takes an act of congress to remove wrecks from the books.
My point is, that when wreck diving Navy ships, it is prudent to do some research to accertain its status before you start removing Navy property from the wreck.
Note, the distinction is "wrecks". Artificial Reefs (Speigel Grove) are a different matter, they have had the ownership transferred BEFORE they were sunk. But that of itself may not give permission to divers to remove anything from the wreck. That is another matter that will again require research.
So, I believe an assumption was made that was incorrect. I did not make any reference to any specific wreck in my post, and even took care to start it as a new threas to avoid confusion.
Final analysis, I did, and do read carefully what I post.
Melvin