Dear Mr. Dietz,

I wish to tell you of the hit your artwork "Fleet Maneuvers" made with the Veterans of the USS Salt Lake City.

When I saw the print in the catalog of Historic Aviation Co., I thought "Hmmm… that looks like the USS Salt Lake City or the Pensacola."

Then when I went on the website to see the print in a much larger scale, and read the description of "circa 1930". I told myself that has to be the Ol' Swayback or the Pensacola, since they were the only new cruisers the Navy had in service in 1930.

I ordered the print, and when it came I showed it to my neighbor, Franklin Lloyd, who was on the Salt Lake City during WWII. He agreed that it sure resembled the Swayback Maru.

In preparation of the Reunion of the USS Salt Lake City Association in Washington DC this past June, I ordered twenty-four copies of the print from Historic Aviation Co. When I made the order, and told them of the veterans' reunion, they were gracious enough to let me have the prints at a discount.

I had three of them framed. One I gave to Frank Lloyd, one to Sandra Eskew, the Historian and keeper of the ussslcca25 website, and one to be given away at the Reunion.

The prints were in demand the moment we set the framed print up for the drawing. Everyone started asking how they could get a copy, and they were really pleased when I pulled out the "extras" and told them that there was a copy for each of the Vets.

I told them that I couldn't honestly say that the cruiser in the artwork was in fact the USS Salt Lake City, but until told otherwise, we would claim it as our own!

If you ever need a subject for a great naval scene, I would invite you to check out the history of the USS Salt Lake City CA-25. She was the oldest heavy cruiser in the WWII; escorted the Flying Tigers on their journey to China; escorted the Doolittle Raiders; sunk a large number of enemy surface ships; fought the longest gunnery duel in US Navy History during the Battle of the Komandorski Islands; and when you add in all the bombardments, including Iwo Jima and Okinawa, she had the record for engaging the enemy more times than any other ship in the fleet!

When I was a kid, and Dad used to talk about the ship, I just figured he was like every sailor in that he thought his ship won the War single-handedly--but it would be very hard to exaggerate the record of the USS Salt Lake City: "The One Ship Fleet"; the "Swayback Maru"; the "Queen of the Sea" .

I just wanted to let you know how much your print meant to those Vets, and to thank you for the way you honor all those who serve.

Sincerely,

Richard Noar, member of the USS Salt Lake City CA-25 Association
PS: Is that our ship in "Fleet Maneuvers" ?

Friday, December 9, 2011

Reply from artist James Dietz to Rich Noar regarding the ship in his artwork "Fleet Maneuvers".

"Let's just say ...yes!"

Long story about that painting & print, that would take more typing skills than I possess, .I've always loved the lines of US pre-war Cruisers & their history in the early war years. In the painting I was using reference that was of 1942 vintage & if I recall correctly it had to be repainted as she was several refits earlier...There was a lot of repainting ! Jim

Artist James Dietz