Navy Seabees Build VP Kamala Harris a Desk Out of Wood from USS Constitution

[Nevilledog]

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Navy Seabees Build VP Kamala Harris a Desk Out of Wood from USS Constitution

The vice president and Navy secretary now have new desks built out of materials from some of the most storied ships in U.S. history.
military.com
6:57 AM · Apr 5, 2021

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/04/05/navy-seabees-build-vp-kamala-harris-desk-out-of-wood-uss-constitution.html

The vice president and Navy secretary now have new desks built out of materials from some of the most storied ships in U.S. history.

Navy Seabees built a desk for Vice President Kamala Harris made from wood, copper and nails taken off the USS Constitution, one of the country's first frigates. The Constitution is the oldest commissioned warship still afloat.

The desk, which was delivered to Harris in February, features carvings of an eagle and stars reminiscent of the Constitution's stern decorations, said Paul Taylor, a spokesman for Naval History and Heritage Command, which oversaw the project. The project was approved while President Donald Trump was still in office, and Seabees began construction Jan. 4.

Harris' new workspace is one of two "heritage desks" Seabees constructed this year. Sailors also built a desk for the Navy secretary that not only includes materials from the Constitution, but from the frigate Chesapeake; battleships Texas, New Jersey and Arizona; and sloop of war Constellation as well.

*snip*

[Hugh_Lebowski]

1. Cue the fake poutrage from RWNJ fantasy world in 3...2...1 (nt)

[SergeStorms]

23. But it was never intended for V.P. Harris.

It was commissioned while Drumpf was still pResident, so he obviously thought Q-Tip Pence would be the proud owner. Ooooops!

[Hugh_Lebowski]

30. Yeah I saw that part ... but RWNJ poutrage rarely has solid basis in fact/reality ...

It's opportunity-based.

There's headlines saying VP Harris got this desk, and that's all it takes for their nonsense to start up.

[SergeStorms]

36. You're right about that.

The owners of the "Q" conspiracy seldom let little things like actual facts get in the way if their righteous indignation, do they? They're the "ready, shoot, aim" bunch.

[sdfernando]

46. This was my 1st thought as well

the q-publicans will all have the vapors..The VP is raping material from storied historical ships to make personal use desks and other items. Oh the outrage we are going to hear about this.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

56. She should put her feet upon it.

Might rid me of some trumpanzee in laws when they vapor lock.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

57. Bare feet, while wearing a tan suit :) nt

[kirkuchiyo]

62. With a sleeveless blouse eating a sandwich with fancy mustard... nt

[pandr32]

2. So awesome!

[Hermit-The-Prog]

3. Pretty sure she's one to appreciate the history, since she's making history being there.

[Karadeniz]

4. Where do they find spare wood on these ships?

[Treefrog]

6. The Constitution was a wooden ship.

[getagrip_already]

72. IS a ship... not was....

It is still a commissioned ship residing in Boston harbor. Once a year there is a ritual ceremony where they take her out and turn her around.

I suspect they had to do some repairs and this wood had to be removed for structural reasons.

[SoCalNative]

7. Per the article

"The wood from the Constitution was removed during two restorations that ran between 2007 and 2017, Taylor said."

[Karadeniz]

8. Ah! My link connector is so slow today, I've abandoned links!

[localroger]

21. As others have said, they were refitting the Constitution

When you take wood off a massive structure like a ship because it's outer layers are rotten, you can also get some fine boards from the interior which has been protected -- not enough to reuse on the ship, but enough to build a desk, door, etc. You often see this done on old barn restorations too.

[Karadeniz]

22. Ah, so!

[Brother Buzz]

37. The USS Constitution is like George Washington's ax

The handle has been replaced six times, and the head three times, but it's still George Washington's ax

[Karadeniz]

38. I see!

[BobTheSubgenius]

49. It occupies the same space as the original.

[Greg K]

68. See also: Ship of Theseus

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_Theseus

[Brother Buzz]

70. There you go!

I've read that before, but my pea brain doesn't retain much these days

[Irish_Dem]

5. My uncle was in the Navy and killed in the Battle of Guadalcanal. He would be astounded to see

Last edited Mon Apr 5, 2021, 05:29 PM - Edit history (1)

a beautiful woman sitting at this Navy desk in the office of Vice President of the United States.
I wish his ship had survived to contribute some wood for this desk.

[Treefrog]

17. I wish I could rec your post. A beautiful one!

[Irish_Dem]

19. Aw thank you!

[jaxexpat]

33. Struck me much the same.

Your prose does the Irish proud.

[Irish_Dem]

35. Thank you Jax. I am cursed/blessed with a strong sentimentality and a desire to express it!

[Celerity]

60. The Pacific WWII theatre was some of the worst warfare in human history. Horrific from every angle.

Superb multi-part, huge (they average out to over 4 hours an episode) podcast series about it. Part VI, the final part, is coming soon. All episodes are free to download atm.

Hardcore History – Supernova in the East

https://www.dancarlin.com/hardcore-history-series/

[Irish_Dem]

64. Did you see Speilberg's Pacific? It was superb.

Until I saw this series I did not understand the circumstances around the death of my uncle.
I cried as I saw what had occurred on these islands and I finally understood why my uncle died.

Thanks for the info above, I will see if I can watch them. Pacific wrung me out.

The fighting on the Solomon Islands and GC was horrific as you say. At times supplies were running dangerously low
putting American troops in danger. In August of 1942, my uncle was on the USS Meredith which was sailing to the islands in a supply convoy with barges pulling badly needed oil and bombs. It was learned that a huge Japanese carrier task force was in the vicinity and all the ships turned back except the Meredith and another ship.

The Meredith did not have much in the way of defensive equipment but the Captain felt his mission was so important it warranted the risk. The ship was attacked by a large number of Japanese planes. The men onboard the Meredith fought back ferociously but the ship sank in 10 minutes. Many men were killed outright, others swimming for hours in shark infested waters. I was concerned that my uncle was one of the ones in the water fighting against sharks, a torture of sorts. My brother says no, our uncle's duties were on the bridge which was wiped out immediately. So my uncle was either killed right away or he was in his bed below and drowned. The Navy has a memorial for those KIA on the USS Meredith in the Philippines.

[Celerity]

66. I have not seen that, but it is now in my list, thank you so much for the recco, and also for

sharing a part of your family's history.

[Irish_Dem]

75. Yes Speilberg and Tom Hanks were the producers and knocked it out of the park.

Thank you for listening to me about my uncle. He was killed when he was only 22 yrs old, so it is good to give
him some recognition. We think about him every family reunion and drink some whiskey for him!

[Dream Girl]

65. Awww...

Lovely post. 😀

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

9. I can already hear the RW screaming about how Kamala Harris destroyed the USS Constitution,

completely ignoring the part of the article which says the project was approved while T***** was in office.

I'm surprised he didn't tear apart the entire ship to make a desk big enough for his fat ass to sit behind.

[getagrip_already]

73. he probably was going to grab it and sent to mar a fog oh... n/t

[WarGamer]

10. too bad she can't take it home with her after she's out of office.

Would be a lifetime memento.

[zipplewrath]

13. Better it be there in perpetuity

Better that such a desk should first be sat at by the first female vice president in history. That will be its legacy. It could be known for all time as the "Harris desk".

[WarGamer]

14. It's gorgeous. Hell I'd like a replica for MY office.

My inner amateur wood worker is curious if the details were done by CNC or by hand...

[Irish_Dem]

20. I got chills reading the words "Harris Desk." Of course, that is going to be the name of the desk!

[localroger]

25. It will probably be known alternately

...as the "Harris" or "Constitution" desk, just as like the Hayes / Resolute desk used by many presidents, made from timbers of the H.M.S. Resolute and originally gifted to President Rutherford B. Hayes.

[Irish_Dem]

28. Yes. The Harris/Constitution Desk.

Historic Vice President, it couldn't be called anything else by future generations.

[VGNonly]

47. HMS Resolute

Was originally a merchant vessel converted to naval use to search for the Franklin Expedition. It was caught in the ice and abandoned in the 1850's. The US Navy found it, had it refitted and presented it to the British Navy. When it was eventually scrapped, Queen Victoria had some of the timbers rebuilt into desks for the US Navy. FDR, JFK, Carter, Obama and others used it, including Joe Biden.

*I'm a polar history exploration nerd*

[lark]

11. Wow, how freaking cool is that!

[Baked Potato]

12. Outstanding!!

[iluvtennis]

15. Beautiful desk - thank you Navy Seabees. nt

[localroger]

32. I for one did not know the Seabees had cabinetmakers in their corps.

Probably should have known. They do have to build everything.

[BobTheSubgenius]

51. I had the same thought.

"Construction Battalion" doesn't exactly scream "fine joinery," does it? I picture them in the South Pacific with bulldozers, building airfields for the Air Force and Naval aviators, among other things.

[Harker]

16. If she spills on it

she'll have to swab the desk.

[reACTIONary]

39. +10 nt

[Warpy]

18. Every piece of wood from the original ship was replaced a long time ago

and much of it has been replaced several times over, but this is still really neat.

I love that she's the first VP who gets to use it. I hope it's the start of a long line of competent VPs (you know, not GOP) who will use it for the next decade or so.

[localroger]

31. The Ship of Theseus, or Grandfather's Axe paradox

If your grandfather gives your father an axe, and he replaces the handle, and he gives it to you and you replace the head, is it still your grandfather's axe? We tend to think that it is because the repairs did not interrupt its identity as a functional object.

The wood for the Harris Desk might not have been from the original construction, but it's very definitely from the Constitution, and that's what matters.

[Warpy]

67. Right, it might be new wood

but it was carefully crafted, often by hand, so it would fit precisely into the original ship.

20+ years in eastern Mass. and the one tour I never did was Old Ironsides, I just never got around to it.

I did visit the replica Mayflower in Plymouth, constructed according to the original's specs. That one surprises everybody, it's so much smaller than people think it is. It wouldn't be considered much of a yacht were it moored in one of the posher marinas in the area. Those people were brave to the point of lunacy.

[Hortensis]

24. How wonderful! A new historic desk honoring our election of our first woman VP.

[madamesilverspurs]

26. Just forwarded this to my siblings.

We are descended from commodores of both Constitution and Constellation. During an earlier restoration of Constitution pieces of the original hull were presented to descendants, a square of wood about 3"x3" with a round bronze medallion on it. Dad treasured it, and when he passed it went to my older brother, a Navy veteran, and it will eventually go to my younger brother, also a Navy vet.

Thanks so much for sharing the article!


.

[onethatcares]

27. how could you not

place your elbows on that desk, close your eyes, and not feel the history of our country?

Thank you SeaBees.

[onetexan]

59. +1 -K&R

[CTyankee]

29. Well, their motto is CAN DO!

[FakeNoose]

34. I hope she carves her initials on there somewhere for posterity

Hidden underneath, of course.

[dlk]

40. What a beautiful, historically significant desk!

Thanks to the Seabees!

[mcar]

41. What a wonderful gift!

[ffr]

42. It's a work of art!

[StClone]

43. Did you see the inlay of pink marble! Historic art.

Pretty sure it is Pink marble! That had to be done specifically with Harris in mind.

[electric_blue68]

52. Oh, nice! I wondered why that looked different. Zoomed in on it

[taxi]

44. That is one cool desk.

The desk may have been made using the joinery techniques of the time and some nice details like the inlays and columns. Fine craftsmanship for sure.

[liberal N proud]

45. That is cool

[Hekate]

48. How very nice!

[Wounded Bear]

50. Cool stuff! Thanks for the link! nt

[electric_blue68]

53. What VP Harris could do is get some high quality 100% cotton rag paper

... or something like that and make a rubbing off the stars, and the eagle.

Then she could have that framed for herself post office.

Lovely woodworking!

[rickford66]

54. Can Do

CE3 69-71

[ismnotwasm]

55. K&R

[Martin68]

58. So cool!

[BlancheSplanchnik]

61. Coool!!!

[BlueIdaho]

63. Beautiful work SeaBees!

These desks are a wonderful addition to our nations heritage.

[YoshidaYui]

69. Impressive

very impressive!

[Joinfortmill]

71. How cool.

[getagrip_already]

74. most people don't realize it, but there is a lot of wood in WWII warships

They used to put wood timbers behind the steel plating/belting in the hull to prevent shrapnel from dancing through the ship if it was hit with a torpedo or shell.

I had a picture somewhere......