The Ship's Radio - U.S.S. Davenport (PF-69)

The Davenport's console radio/phonograph was originally a gift from the citizens of Davenport, Iowa (it was mentioned on the back cover of the Commissioning Program) and it was kept in the officer's quarters on board the ship. Just prior to decommissioning, the radio/phonograph was raffled off and Vince Grobbel was the lucky winner.

Vince had it shipped home to Center Line, Michigan and when he bought a house of his own, it became a fixture in the basement, right next to his bar. Many years later, it went with him when he retired and moved to North Carolina in 1985. It has been in storage since then and it needed a new power cord, and possibly a new tube or two, to make it playable again.

Rather than continue keeping it in storage, Vince felt that he should find a better home for the radio.On 05 Sep 2002, the Acquisitions Review Committee of the Putnam Museum of History and Natural Science in Davenport, Iowa, voted to accept Vince's donation of the radio and one of his two copies of the PF-69 Commissioning Program.

Eunice Schlichting, Chief Curator of the Putnam Museum and a member of the Committee, said "we feel that it will be a wonderful addition to our Regional History Collection (and we) appreciate his desire to "give it back" to the people of Davenport".

The radio was delivered to the Putnam Museum on 17 Sept 2002, along with the Commissioning Program and copies of some of the photographs taken on board the Davenport. After 57 years, the gift from the people of Davenport had come full circle.

Vince Grobbel in front of the Putnam Museum, 17 Sept 2002

The front entrance of the Putnam Museum, Davenport, IA

	These are photos of the radio that were taken in August 2002 while it was in storage in North Carolina, prior to delivery to the museum. On the top of the cabinet is a brass plaque which has the engraved image of Col. Geo. Davenport (founder and namesake of Davenport, IA), plus the inscription: "TO USS DAVENPORT from the CITIZENS OF DAVENPORT, IOWA".