We are of course disappointed at receiving the recent decision by the Navy not to proceed with the donation of ex-USS Ranger to the Foundation. We understand as part of follow-up contact with the Navy that certain constraints would not allow us more time to develop our project.

In response to the Navy’s decision we are now reaching out to our community and all those involved with the project to determine where to go from here. We have no doubt there is substantial local and regional support for a community heritage project that includes an important historical naval asset as its centerpiece.

The offer of land and riverfront as a site for the ship by Columbia-Edgewater, LLC was a significant show of support for the Ranger effort; that support still exists. Our many volunteers have demonstrated a level of energy and enthusiasm that has been an incalculable asset to the project. We take this opportunity to thank everyone for their contributions of time, treasure and commitment. We look forward to continued support from those who have responded so positively to the idea of welcoming Ranger to our community. Such support is a large part of making such a significant project viable.

With regard to options that may still exist with the Navy, we are working closely with the staffs of Senators Wyden and Merkley and Representative Blumenauer. We will continue to keep you updated as we develop options and determine how the USS Ranger Foundation hopes to proceed.
Thank you all for your long-lasting support of a monumental effort. It has been a long and winding road, and we think there is still territory to be explored.

A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all.

Dave Todd
Executive Vice President \ Acting President
USS Ranger Foundation

The USS Ranger Foundation plans to fight the decision to remove the retired supercarrier ex-USS Ranger from donation hold status, preparing her for dismantling in 2014. The USS Ranger Foundation has been working since 2010 to place Ranger in Fairview, Oregon as a Community Heritage Center. We have made significant progress on the project and have strong community support for Ranger to become a tourist attraction, economic development engine and job creation project.

The Foundation has contacted our Federal delegates and key partners to prepare arguments for a NAVSEA decision reversal. A strategy is being developed and will be implemented upon approval.

The Foundation office and store are temporarily closed for now to free up volunteer work time and to provide us with a secure work space. If you’re interested in ordering from the store to support the Foundation, you can still place online orders.

At this time we suggest everyone watch the website for further information. The Foundation will update this page as new details emerge. We know everyone is ready to help and we greatly appreciate the support we have received.

We are focusing our energies on a key strategy. Thank you for your continued support of USS Ranger, Team Ranger staff and volunteers.

In addition to celebrating our great gray lady, we wanted to update everyone on our six-month progress.

Phase II Application in its working binder a week before being shipped off to Washington, D.C.

Events & Outreach – The Ranger event calendar overflowed the past six months and in July the event team outdid themselves. Each outreach event is important to explain the Ranger Community Heritage Center and her five new missions. Ranger is going to be “event central” when she gets to Fairview, so start planning your aircraft carrier special events for 2015.

Fundraising – The land and water rights donation to the Foundation was a major step toward Ranger’s new home. She will be the only supercarrier museum with her very own mooring slip and over 20-acres of adjacent land. The Foundation is continuing to contact large corporate and individual donors, in addition to our many ongoing fundraising events, store purchases and licensing agreements. We are looking at $30 million to complete the project and know this is a doable goal.

Land Donation – The major 20+ acre land and 10+ acre water rights donation from Columbia Edgewater LLC to the Foundation in June made Ranger front-page news state-wide this summer. The complicated land permitting and zoning needs for Ranger’s new home and the adjacent development are working their way through the City of Fairview. The multiple cities, county, state and federal agencies involved with this project continue to help us move Ranger forward to make her new home a one of a kind showplace.

Infrastructure – Team Ranger Staff are expanding, transitioning and taking on more rolls as the organization grows and brings in new talent to help with increasing project requirements. With an all volunteer staff, except for our Development Director, we are building a professional staff organization to give Ranger the best. The Foundation’s Board of Directors is also changing and adding additional expertise and local business strength to assure a Top Gun organization fit for the Top Gun of the Pacific.

Timeline – We are still on track for a winter 2015 opening for bringing Ranger to Fairview. There are a million details which need to be accomplished to make this happen. We appreciate the amazing community and veteran support we receive and are working very hard to bring Ranger to the Pacific Northwest.

The project will move upriver by less than 1000 feet, which will allow the Foundation to own the property used for parking and ship access, increase the benefits to Chinook Landing Marine Park and surrounding public investment, open additional water access within the City of Fairview and site the ship in a beautiful location with increased access potential.

“The generous donation made by Columbia Edgewater, LLC substantiates the work of the Foundation taking the project to a new level and solidifies the siting of the carrier on the Columbia. This donation supports the Foundation’s efforts to gain momentum and regional partners for this project as a part of Phase 2 of the Navy application currently in process,” stated Peter Ogle, Capt USN (ret), President and CEO of the USS Ranger Foundation.

“This project has many interesting challenges, all of which the Foundation has met head-on and the list gets shorter every day. With a project of this magnitude it’s important to recognize the collaboration and support the Foundation receives on a daily basis.”

“There are few projects that see such unwavering support and can do the region immeasurable good. We have seen incredible support from not only the City of Fairview and the surrounding cities, Multnomah County, Metro, the State of Oregon and our federal Congressional delegates, but from those in Washington State as well,” Lonnie Dicus, Senior Advisor to the Foundation.

Studies show that Ranger will bring 350,000 visitors a year to the ship and close to 50 million dollars a year into the community with over 500 direct and indirect jobs.

Columbia Edgewater, LLC was formed to redevelop industrial property along the Columbia River into a mix of residential and commercial uses in support of the USS Ranger and to create long sought after public access to the river.

The Foundation is in the midst of a capital campaign, plus increasing volunteer support for the project.

This year’s fleet includes the USS William P. Lawrence and the USS Dewey, USCGC Alert, USCGC Henry Blake, USCGC Adelie, USCGC Invincible II, and the HCMS Oriole from the Royal Canadian Navy. Ships begin arriving June 5 and will be open for public tours from June 6 – 10.

Navy ships have been coming to the City of Roses since USS Charleston visited in 1907, and are considered a highlight of the festival. At left the Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate USS Ingraham (FFG 61) arrives June 9, 2011 to participate in Portland Fleet Week festivities during the city’s 104th annual Rose Festival. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nathan Lockwood/Released)

The historic ships attending this year include PT Boat 658 and the Sternwheeler Portland. For more information http://www.rosefestival.org/events/fleet/

Ceremonies around the nation and our state will focus on the personal sacrifices made by our military personnel at the request of our nation. We honor our troops and veterans returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan. Many of these returning service members will cope with war wounds and illnesses for the rest of their lives. These wounded men and women will now fight to make new lives for themselves after their service. http://www.pbs.org/memorialdayconcert/remembrance/wounds.html

The Foundation supports and honors all who serve and their families.

“It is fitting and proper that we devote one day each year to paying special tribute to those whose constancy and courage constitute one of the bulwarks guarding the freedom of this nation and the peace of the free world,” President Dwight D. Eisenhower said in 1953.

“Word to the Nation: Guard zealously your right to serve in the Armed Forces, for without them, there will be no other rights to guard,” said President John F. Kennedy in 1963.

“Our servicemen and women shoulder the burden of defense as one of the responsibilities of citizenship in this free country. Having participated in protecting our rights and having met oppression on the
battlegrounds of the world, they are able to appreciate and savor the blessings of citizenship in the country they serve,” said former Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird in 1972.

The Foundation honors all who serve, those who have given the ultimate sacrifice and the families who also bear the burden of military service. We welcome home our returning troops and hold safe in our heats those serving far away from home. Freedom isn’t free.

Foundation CEO Peter Ogle and Senator Anderson cut the blue ribbon to launch the USS Ranger Foundation office.

Using a supercarrier set of scissors, Foundation CEO Peter Ogle and Senator Laurie Monnes Anderson made quick work of the ribbon to invite all the guests into the office.

The guests checked out the office space which includes military and USS Ranger memorabilia in a donated display case, the Ship’s Store, the Team Ranger meeting area/workroom and the administrative office.

The packed crowd enjoyed hot coffee donated by Caffeinated Culture Coffee and fresh baked scones provided by Bumper’s Restaurant next door which were brought fresh from the ovens by smart looking bakers. The sunny weather added to the festive party environment.

The Foundation would like to thank all who attended the ribbon cutting for their support and good wishes. A community heritage center can only happen when area citizens support the project. Team Ranger staff, volunteers and board members appreciate the day-to-day encouragement we get from area businesses and residents.

Keep up with us as we move the project along by checking out our new Google Calendar on the events web page which highlights all the activities on schedule for this summer. We expect big things this summer for Ranger, Fairview and Oregon.

We’ve included the credits of the showing to let everyone see how fabulous Top Gun looked on the big screen. We also learned from AC2 Scott Wells, who served aboard Ranger from 1985 to 1988, that the location used on Ranger for the radar scenes was  incorrect in a previous post. We thought the CIC didn’t look quite right. Wells told us the Carrier Air Traffic Control Center (CATCC) was used since the radar displays in the CATCC were “large and fairly brightly lit which makes them much more photogenic than the CIC scopes” they were standing in for. The movie Top Gun is copyrighted by Paramount Pictures.

At the end of the film the audience clapped and hollered. We look forward to playing Top Gun on Ranger’s flightdeck when she gets to Fairview and really making some noise. Enjoy the video!