 |  CROSSGATES MALL First Floor Exhibits include two prize-winning dioramas and a World War Two Jeep. |
| CROSSGATES MALL First Floor Exhibits include two prize-winning dioramas and a World War Two Jeep. |
The 218 man crew is at Battle Stations with all guns manned. The depth charge roller racks on the stern, fantail K-Gun depth charge throwers and forward-throwing hedgehogs near the bow are ready for release of a full pattern against a Nazi U-Boat. Crewmen are also stationed at their dual-purpose three 3"/50 caliber main gun batteries, twin 40 mm gun, eight 20 nun guns and the triple torpedo tubes. The torpedo tubes were removed and additional anti-aircraft armament was added to fight off Kamikaze attacks when PETTIT was transferred to the Pacific for the War against Japan.
DIORAMA CONSTRUCTED BY JUNIOR AND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS OF GILBERT (ARIZONA) SCHOOL DISTRICT
The junior and senior high school students of Gilbert ( Arizona) School District, under the guidance and leadership of teacher Glen Frakes, constructed this nine and one-half foot model of the USS PETTIT as part of a diorama depicting "Battle Stations in the North Atlantic - 1944". The first Destroyer Escort Day took place at the Intrepid Sea-Air- Space Museum in New York City on the third Saturday of June, 1987. On that date, this USS PETTIT II was "Re-Commissioned" in a Ceremony in which members of the original crew participated with Rear Admiral William B. Ellis, USCG (Ret.), in command.
This project took almost two years for the students to complete. Referring to the original vessel plans, they constructed this ship from scratch. Each of the figurines required 10 hours of effort to fashion, clothe and paint them. Working from photographs, they were able to make liknesses of many of the young sailors.
Mr. Frakes uses these projects for the purpose of teaching a unique lesson in history, and he has been awarded several Teacher of the Year designations. His students have constructed 14 diorama projects over the years and they have been exhibited in some of the major museums of the United States. One of these, "McArthur Leaving the Phillipines" is also on display. This diorama was previously on view at the at the Albany Visitors Center and prior to that at the U.S. Naval War Museum in Washington and the Intrepid Sea-Air-Museum in New York City.
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