_underway,_circa_in_1944.jpg "USS Eldridge") |
| USS Eldridge - Source: U.S. Navy |
The USS Eldridge (DE-173) was commissioned in 1943 as a Cannon-class destroyer escort. The ship made nine trips as an escort. She was transferred in 1951 to Greece, where she served for many years. In Greece, the ship was known as the Leon (D54). The ship was sold as scrap in 1999. It had been decommissioned in 1992.
The USS Eldridge is famous in that it is the setting for what is called The Philadelphia Experiment. The Philadelphia Experiment is said to have taken place at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At some point in the latter of 1943, the Eldridge was supposedly rendered invisible by experimental cloaking technology. The ship faded out of view in a green-blue glow and then appeared in the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Virginia. It was visible for some amount of time before it disappeared again and returned to Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia Experiment affected the crew in various ways. Some were mute and staring, while others were rendered insane. Worse, perhaps, is the tale that some of the crew members became melded to the ship. They were partially stuck in the walls and in the floor.
The Philadelphia Experiment is widely considered to be a hoax. It does, however, make for good fictional movies and books. The ship has appeared in many kinds of media.
Wikipedia has good information:
The Philadelphia Experiment (1984)
The Philadelphia Experiment (2012 TV Movie. This is rated as 2 stars on IMDB)
Note: A few other Philadelphia Experiment movies can be found by searching IMDB.
In the fantastic Widowsfield Trilogy (entitled 314), by A.R. Wise, the Eldridge plays a large role.
