By Kathy Krause
The thirty-six foot replica of the USS Arizona battleship, fondly called ZOE by the builders Cecil and Pat Gates, was put into dry dock at the end of 1991 after seven years, 6,700 water miles and 8,000 road miles. Her mission had been to teach the history of our proud Navy, and especially to teach children about the sacrifices that were made to give us the freedoms we enjoy.
In mid-1992, ZOE was donated to the Navy League in Phoenix, Arizona. It was a bittersweet parting for Cecil and Pat. Though difficult, they felt the ship would receive tender loving care and be seen in parades and at veterans programs. An impressive dedication event in Phoenix with Governor Symington, Senator McCain, Navy officers and personnel and other dignitaries closed a chapter in Cecil and Pat’s lives.
The entire superstructure of the replica was removed, rebuilt and replaced (Courtesy Wanda Sartain).
The replica was subsequently donated to the Naval Recruitment District and used “maybe” twice for special events. It was then “parked” (on its trailer) at the entrance of the Naval Reserve Center located at the intersection of I-10 and 35thAvenue for about eight years. The U. S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps met there and they were just about the only ones who knew of its existence. It was deteriorating rapidly because it was outside during this time. The Sea Cadets would go out after a rain storm and bail her out!
The U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps program is a non-profit, military oriented, youth education program designed to give motivated teen boys and girls the opportunity to grow in confidence as they learn about the Navy’s core values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment. They participate in local and national programs, local parades and serve as color guards at major events showcasing the Navy and military service in general. Though the location of the USS Arizona replica was theoretically ideal, the conditions were not. Finally, in 2005, the Reserve Center wanted it off the property. It needed much repair and no one wanted it. A training officer for the Sea Cadets, LCDR Wanda Sartain (today the regional director for the Sea Cadet Corps), was very familiar with the ship, passing it regularly on the way to the youth training sessions. When she learned that the ship’s future was in jeopardy, she offered to remove it. Her hope was to restore it to its original glory, not fully realizing just what a tremendous job that would be.
Wanda and her husband, Perry, rescued the ship and are now the legal owners. It was obvious that restoration was needed sooner rather than later. The superstructure was sagging badly, the mast fell off and “she was a mess.” The last time the “broken” ship was seen in public was on December 7, 2007 in Sun City.
Bill Schoneman puts the final touches on the model (Courtesy Wanda Sartain).
The Sartains first took the ship to Falcon Field in Mesa where the Arizona Wing of the Commemorative Air Force Museum is located. They were hoping to have it restored there but it was not to be. It remained there at the field for about three months; the museum was requesting that it be removed. The ship was then taken ‘home’ and a search for someone to help with the restoration was on. Two volunteers stepped forward with a heart for the job: Bill Schoneman of New River and Dennis Roeper of Phoenix.
The overwhelming job of restoration began in Phoenix with 95% of the work being done by Bill and Dennis. Other volunteers pitched in wherever and whenever they could. The Sartains did their share of work as well. It took three full years aside from their “day jobs,” including nights and weekends to complete the restoration. The replica was stripped down to the hull. Dennis scanned the replica pieces to determine the size and appearance of the original model for the purpose of rebuilding the superstructure.
The ships motors had been removed prior to its arrival in Phoenix in 1992 and there were no plans for replacing them with the restoration (it would then have to be classified and registered as a ‘boat’). Cecil Gates, the original builder back in 1984, had hand-built the two OS2U Kingfisher floatplanes that were on catapults on the stern. Somewhere along the way, both Kingfishers were lost (or taken?). Dennis Roeper built two new Kingfishers of fiberglass and balsa wood for the restored model. They are beautiful.
The USS Arizona replica is restored and shown here at the Best Fest Centennial Celebration in Prescott September 17, 2011 (Photo courtesy of Author - Kathy Krause)
Slowly but surely, the restoration progressed. During the process, many photos were sent to Cecil Gates sharing with him the conversion of his previous masterpiece to its original splendor. The project was completed in October of 2010. The rebuilt replica was accompanied by the Sea Cadets in the November 2010 commemoration of Veteran’s Day parades in Anthem and Phoenix, receiving top honors. The cadets will continue to accompany the replica to future events. The ship will continue to be used as a display for veterans and at schools to educate children about the sacrifices that were made to give us the freedoms we enjoy. There will be no commercial use of the model and no fees for its use. Donations are accepted and if you would like to make a contribution, please contact Wanda Sartain at 43020 N. 3rd Avenue, New River, AZ 85087 or telephone 602-757-8209. The ship may be seen at three upcoming events: the Tucson Centennial Best Fest January 20-22, 2012, at the Peoria Sports Complex for the Military Vehicle Show January 28-29 and at the Phoenix Centennial Best Fest on Washington Street February 11-14. Painted on the trailer which holds the replica are the phrases, “Dedicated to All Veterans Who Have Served, Fought and Died” and “Freedom is not Free! Just Ask a Veteran!”
The USS Arizona replica has been shipped to Pearl Harbor to be displayed at the USS Arizona Memorial Visitor’s Center November 28th through December 8th for the observance of the 70th Anniversary of “A day that will live in infamy,” December 7, 1941. The Sartains, Bill Schoneman and his wife, Kathy, and Dennis Roeper will be with her. Cecil Gates’s widow will also be at Pearl Harbor. It will be the first she has seen her “ZOE” since the restoration. God Speed, little USS Arizona.