A retirement ceremony for BMC John Kinney was held aboard LST 325 on March 19th, following 32 years of service.  He is also an LST 325 crewmember, and he often brought a number of active duty and/or reserve sailors with him.  His contributions to the ship have helped enormously.  (See for instance, the May 2002 Progress Report page).  We hope that with his retirement, he'll find more opportunities to get back aboard!

In salute to Chief Kinney:

Here are some pictures we thought everyone might like.

Anna's final count was 41 new dogging wrenches and 35 new mounts for them, which were welded to the bulkheads.

All the deck plates (flooring) in the engine rooms were lifted out and all the supports and bracings were repaired (welded), which makes for much better footing.  I think that Peter Retzko will like this improvement.

Chuck Frawley has reported the loss of some of the ship's small tags such as the "D-Z" tags (see picture).  Some of these tags have been riveted or secured with small screws.

Bill Arras is working on the windshield wipers on the conn.

Terry Tull installed a sight glass and a pressure regulator on the ship's sewage system, and yes, it was pretty full!

Roe Karstetter secured several more lights and light switch fixtures.

Oh yes, the Coast Guard paid a visit to the ship and reviewed some of the repairs.  We appreciated their advice.

There's lots of clean-up work, and painting is a never-ending job.

It's great to see people (workers) coming to the ship as Anna and I head home.

     ~ Kenny & Anna Adams

[Ed. notes: (1) Several "Work Weeks" will be scheduled prior to our departure for the East Coast Voyage -- please try to get aboard and lend a hand! (2) As always, many thanks to the Adams Clan, who have devoted so much of their time and hard work ever since the ship returned in 2001.]

Click on any of the images for enlargements

A new-style dogging wrench with a woman's touch	Escape hatch conforming to Coast Guard requirements	Bill Arras was rudely awakened by a telephone call
Tom Dempster and Paul Holler cut and painted over 40 dog wrenches	Several fire extinguishers have been reworked using chain	New coupler cover as requested by the Coast Guard
Bill Mueller making repairs to a hatch chain	Ad Mumford using the sand blaster to clean engine parts	Charlie Clark painting the hatch between engine rooms - fewer bumped heads??
D-Z tags are being secured - Chuck Frawley says over half of them are missing	Bill Spencer has gotten buggy-eyed looking up info on the central fuse	The air vent lids are being repainted

I thought our website viewers might like to see a few photos of the current LST 325 dock construction.  These photos were taken by me on Friday, March 25, 2005.

Some photos are of the dock construction and some of the work going on inside the LST Tavern and restaurant at the dock.  Also there is a photo of the first waitress hired by Ron Maranto when he was in town this past week.

Thumbs Up from Evansville!!!

     ~ Mike Whicker
 

Click on any of the images for enlargements

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS: Sea Trial Report, the Board gave a BRAVO ZULU to all who participated, worked and made it such a success.

REPORT OF 5 BOARD MEMBERS MEETING WITH EVANSVILLE OFFICIALS: Questions were answered as to the USS LST SHIP MEMORIAL, INC. by-laws, structure, election of officers, ship's maintenance to date, funding, and plans.  It was requested that the River Queen boats be allowed to moor outboard of the LST 325.  There would be three boats, twelve visits each per year.  The meeting was very productive for both.

ANNUAL MEETING: The Annual Meeting date has been set for May 14, 2005, in Mobile, AL.  Mr. Kaupas, Board Secretary, will mail out notices and proxy cards.

FINANCIAL REPORT: Mr. Voges, Memorial Treasurer, reported that our treasury has $65,000 on hand with all current expenses paid.  It was noted that our income from Jan. 1, 2005 was $29,000 but expenditures were $58,000.  These expenses were for fuel for the sea trial, engine exhaust and engine repairs, dockage and electricity, new fire and flushing motors, and general maintenance and administration costs.  It was voted to try and limit or stop all but absolutely essential expenses.  Any expense over $100 must be approved by the treasurer.  Expected expenses for the East Coast trip: Fuel-- $60,000, life raft rental -- $3,000, Lube oil --$2,000, security for pier in Washington, DC -- $12,000, just to mention the bigger ones.  Other expenses could be for tugs, pilots, gangways, etc.

NEW BANK ACCOUNT: A resolution was passed to establish a bank account in Evansville, to be ready when the ship relocates there.

MEMBERSHIP REPORT: Mr. Kaupas, Membership Chairman, was happy to report that we now have 1,200 paid-up members.  Membership, along with interest in the LST 325, has grown rapidly since the fall of 2004, and new memberships are coming in daily!  Work by Mr. Kaupas, Lois Jornlin, Diane Hill, and Bob Ostrander are credited with most of this increase from the "Phoenix" newsletters and donation letter requests from our State Chapter lists, and individual ship's lists.  Our goal is 15,000 members by 2007.  We need your membership.  If you have not joined, please do so as soon as possible.  An application is available on our website.

CREW MEMBERS APPLICATIONS: All of approximately 60 applications for the East Coast trip were examined and reviewed by the Crew Review Committee.  Those individuals who were selected for the East Coast Voyage will be notified, and will have a few weeks to respond.  Last year's crew was given priority in the selection.

BOSTON VISIT: The questions that have been brought up by the Boston representatives were discussed.  Hours of operation were set from 0900 to 1630.  Admission fees were set as they are now: 1 to 4 years free, 5 to 18 years $5.00, adults $10.00, family $20.00 (mother, father and children up to 18 years).

WORK WEEK: Has been set for March 29 to April 9, 2005.  This is needed to finish safety items for the trip.  (The lists of work items are further down this page.)

NEWSLETTER: Our LST Ship Memorial Newsletter ("The Phoenix") for June will go out early.  We are planning to get it out in May for the East Coast Voyage.

     ~ Bob Jornlin, President, LST SHIP MEMORIAL

[Ed. note: As encouraging as this report is, it highlights the URGENCY of both funding and volunteering.  Please help financially in any way that you can (donations, memberships, Ship's Store purchases, etc.).  Also, if you can at all give a hand during the Work Week, please come and help.  As always, both technical and non-technical help is needed.  Anything you can do will put us that much farther ahead in our efforts to get underway for the East Coast Voyage.]

Ron Maranto sent along some pictures from Evansville:

Click on any of the images for enlargements

Clockwise from lower left: Doris & James Edwards, Mary & Don Chapman, Bill Kaupas, Gail Riecken, Bob & Lois Jornlin, Mike Whicker, Bruce Voges	Bob & Lois Jornlin, Mike Whicker, Bruce Voges, James Edwards, Don Chapman, Bill Kaupas Tom Lonnberg, Jack Cunningham, Gail Riecken and Ron Riecken's hand.
Lois Jornlin, Ron Maranto, Bruce Voges, James Edwards, Don Chapman Bill Kaupas and Tom Lonnberg	Clean-up and preparations are underway at the proposed new home port site
Mike Whicker and Bill Kaupas inspecting the site for docking	Artist's sketch of the proposed new home port for LST 325
Don Chapman, Bruce Voges, Mike Whicker and his daughter Savannah (currently home on leave from Iraq, Bob Jornlin, Bill Kaupas and Ron Maranto	This building is intended to be used as the future Ship's Store, as well as a storage facility for various materials and supplies

IN MEMORIAM, JOHN & BOBBYE LeMASTER Posted 13 March 2005       Shown at right: Bobbye & John LeMaster (click on image to enlarge)

LST 325 crew,

This is just to inform you that fellow LST 325 crewmembers John & Bobbye LeMaster, from Miami, Okla. were killed in an auto accident near Lexington, Tx. Friday, 11 March while returning to Oklahoma from the Rio Grand Valley. The LST meant so much to my father who sailed a portion of the 325 trip to Evansville a couple of years ago. Funeral arrangments are being held at Paul Thomas Funeral home, Miami, Okla.

Jim LeMaster

We deeply mourn the loss of our wonderful crewmates.  May you find everlasting peace in your last port-of-call.  We will miss you.

Thomas Paul Funeral Home
1432 B St. NW
Miami, OK 74354-3267
Phone: (918) 542-4451

The shakedown on Feb. 14 seems like a long time ago now.  The work force thatnumbered over 40 has dwindled somewhat, and the lists of repairs needed seemed to get a few pages longer.  So the crew on board -- we call ourselves "The Dirty Half-Dozen-or-So" -- carried on.

Bob & Rosemary Ostrander seem to never tire and Rosemary makes sure we have a noon lunch.  Bill Arras has been letting his shoulder mend, while at the same time taking out and tearing down the port ballast 1½-ton pump and motor.

We want to thank Dean & Janice Erikson from South Dakota; Terry & Sandy Tull of Iowa; Gary Rudrud from Minnesota; Jim Threlkeld from Indiana; Ed Strobel with Gil and John; Roe Karstetter, Larry Johnson and Charlie Clark.

We have been concentrating on the USCG list.  After all, we sleep, eat and go to church with these lists!

A new stairway with hand rails has been installed going into the main engine room from the tank deck.  This is a safety item needed to insure exit or evacuation, and the stairway can be made watertight in 10 minutes.

Item #1 on the CG lists: several fuse panel boxes, switch boxes, lids and loose wire ends are being tended to.  This is an ongoing repair item.

Item #2 on the CG list: safety guards (six) have been installed over pump couplings.

Item #4 on the CG list: fuel has been removed from the bilges and new sight glasses installed.  To install new sight glasses, fuel was transferred around the ship from four different fuel tanks to empty them.  And that's why the staterooms in Officers' Country have a distinct fuel smell.

Item #5 on the CG list: all seven secape hatches are being repaired with new seals.  This is an ongoing project and is not yet fully completed.

Items #6 and #7 on the CG list: the holes in the bulkhead and the hull skin have been repaired.  (To date, 20 pounds of welding wire has been used.)
Item #10 on the CG list: Hangers for the dog wrenches is an ongoing repair item.  So far, 21 have been installed.

All sounding tube caps have been revisited for watertightness.

Air duct inlets on the main deck are getting fitted with watertight fireproof lids.  This, too, is an ongoing project.

A 12"x18" shelf has been installed by the paint locker.

Please check out the repair lists.  If you can help with any of these projects, we'd sure appreciate it!

     ~ Kenny & Anna Adams
 

[Ed note:  Many thanks to the Adams Family and other volunteers who are making such terrific progress with these repairs!]

  - New LST-325 To-Do List
  - New Crewmembers Added
 

NEW LST-325 TO-DO LIST

A new LST-325 to-do list has been added to this page.  It's been placed further down with the others, so as to keep them all together (there are now FOUR of them!).  This latest one is from Ad Mumford (Engineering).

If you can help with any of these, PLEASE ... "Come on down!"
 

NEW CREWMEMBERS ADDED

It's a pleasure to add several volunteers to our Crewmember list.  Please see the new Crewmember list.  Thanks to all who have given so much of themselves to make LST-325 such an outstanding success!

We owe a debt of gratitude to our licensed officers who have given their time, efforts and dedication to LST 325.  Thank you!

  - Notice to Volunteers
  - Blocked Newsletters
 

NOTICE TO VOLUNTEERS

It goes without saying that the work of our volunteers is very much appreciated.  Indeed, our volunteers are the bedrock of LST-325's success.  Everyone's contributions, large or small, have added to the total effort.

Many of our volunteers hope to qualify for the East Coast Voyage this year.  For you, this message is very important.  You MUST make certain that your paperwork is in order, and that you are getting proper credit for your hours.

In the recent past, a lot of people have been putting in a lot of time.  But only a trickle of names have been coming through with eighty hours being reported for crewmember status.  In order to have your hours properly credited, you must do two things:

1. You must fill out a 3"x5" index card with your personal information (name, address, telephone number, email address, spouse's name and any special talents or skills) and place it in the file box; and

2. You must sign in and out in the logbook every work day.

Only by conforming with these procedures will you get proper credit for your hours worked.  Please do yourself a favor and make sure that you don't short-change yourself!
 

BLOCKED NEWSLETTERS

Spam is a continuing problem for everyone, and many measures are being taken by ISP's to block it.  Unfortunately, some of these measures prevent our email Newsletter from being delivered to subscribers.  In particular, some people are now having their Newsletters blocked by a program called Spam Firewall.  Whether your ISP uses this or some other spam blocking measure, you may need to configure it to accept mailings from us.  Newsletters are sent out from the address WebSkipper@LSTMemorial.org.  If you wish to receive the email newsletters, you must allow incoming traffic from that address.

•   In Memoriam, CDR Lloyd Kurz (USS LST 325)
•   In Memoriam, Dr. Harold Gourley (USS LST 866)
•   LST-325 Required Maintenance Lists (4)
•   LST-325 Sea Trial Crew (2/16/05)

IN MEMORIAM,  CDR LLOYD KURZ (USS LST 325)       Shown at right (l. to r.): Lloyd Kurz, James Batsel, Bill Bodiford Courtesy of Ted Duning Lloyd Allen Kurz, 83, a Navy commander and an IBM program manager, died of a heart attack Feb. 20 at the Falcons Landing retirement community in Potomac Falls, where he lived. Cmdr. Kurz, a Philadelphia native, entered the Navy in 1943, the day after he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, where he was class president. A year later, he was an ensign aboard LST 325 as it landed at Omaha Beach in Normandy on D-Day. In the meantime, he had been with the ship during landings in Sicily in July 1943 and Salerno, Italy, in September 1943. On its return to Britain from Normandy in June 1944, the ship was loaded with wounded servicemen, and the wardroom was turned into an operating room, he told The Washington Post four years ago. "You wanted to get them back but you couldn't," he said, choking up. He sailed home aboard the ship in 1945, after Germany surrendered. The sea was so rough that the ship "was like a floating bedpan," he said. "We hit a horrendous storm in the North Atlantic, and we were worried the ship would break apart." The LST 325 Memorial Web site said that during that storm, the ship slammed bow first into a monstrous wave and a crack developed across the main deck. Shipfitters were able to save the ship by welding steel plates across the damaged hull. Cmdr. Kurz stayed in the Navy after the war and flew anti-submarine warfare blimps. He later flew P2V Neptune patrol planes and commanded a patrol squadron at Barbers Point, Hawaii. He led the squadron during its deployment to southern Japan and on its mission with the nuclear testing program in the Marshall Islands in 1963. He was one of four officers selected to introduce computer technology to the Navy in 1957 and was based in Washington until 1959, when he went in the Naval War College. He returned to the Pentagon in 1964 after serving aboard the aircraft carrier Lexington. He retired in 1966. Cmdr. Kurz's career with IBM lasted 25 years. He represented the company before NATO and in Germany, Belgium, Greece and Australia, serving as the company's link to the intelligence community. He retired in 1991. Cmdr. Kurz was an early recipient of a kidney transplant at Georgetown University Hospital in 1987. He was a member and past vestryman of St. Alban's Episcopal Church in Annandale until he moved in 1997. Then he became a parishioner at St. Anne's Episcopal Church in Reston. Survivors include his wife of 58 years, Phoebe Blunt Kurz of Potomac Falls; three children, Christopher Kurz of Baltimore, James Kurz of Alexandria and Ann Rogers of Springfield; and five grandchildren.

IN MEMORIAM,  DR. HAROLD GOURLEY (USS LST 866)       Shown at right: Dr. Harold Gourley Dr. Harold E. Gourley, 78, of Evansville, Ind., passed away on February 27, 2005, at St. Mary's Medical Center. Harold was born in Princeton, Ind., March 24, 1926, to Lola Victoria (Coomer) and William Alva Gourley. He graduated from Princeton High School in 1944. Harold worked at the Evansville Shipyards during high school and then served in the United States Navy on the LST 866 in the South Pacific during WWII from 1944-1946.He received his bachelor's degree from Evansville College and received his Masters and Doctorate in Education from Indiana University. Dr. Gourley retired from the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation in 1996, from the position of principal of Highland Elementary School. He was also a longtime member of Methodist Temple. He was inducted to the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2004.Harold was a 33rd Degree Mason in the Reed Masonic Lodge. He is survived by his wife of 53 years,Joyce D. (McDonald) Gourley; daughters, Karen A. LeMond and her husband, Darrell and Jane E. Gourley; son, Brian H. Gourley and his wife, Laurie; grandchildren, Aaron Reinbrecht and his wife, LaDonna, Joshua Reinbrecht and his wife, Kim Scotland, and McKayley, Ella and Blaise Gourley; and great-grandchildren, Lisa, Erin and Cody Reinbrecht, Ashley Garrett and Haley Reinbrecht. He was preceded in death by his son, Scott McDonald Gourley, in 1958, and his parents, Lola Victoria (Coomer) and William Alva Gourley. Funeral services 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 2, 2005, at Browning Funeral Home, 738 Diamond Ave., with Rev. Robert Coleman officiating. Burial will be held at Oak Hill Cemetery, where the Princeton VFW Post No. 1147 will conduct military rites. Friends may call from 2 to 8 p.m. today, March 1, 2005, at Browning Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to your favorite charity or the Shriners Hospital for Children.  Dr. Gourley has been active in the LST community for many years now.  He's well known for his book "Shipyard Work Force."  He was instrumental in the success of LST-325's visit to Evansville in 2003.

LST-325 REQUIRED MAINTENANCE LISTS (4)

Several volunteers and prospective volunteers have suggested that it would be a good idea to post the ship's to-do list on the website.  That way, people can know in advance what jobs need to be done, whether their particular skills and talents can be put to good use, etc.  (For those without any special skills or talents, we always have work for you too, so come down any time!)

So here are the current lists (yes, several) of things that need to be done aboard the ship before the East Coast Voyage:
 

ITEMS RECOMMENDED BY USCG TO BE FIXED ON 02/14/05

1. Remove and/or tape dead end wires, bare electrical wires throughout the ship.  Put covers on boxes, etc. especially in escape trucks, passageways. - PARTIALLY COMPLETED, ONGOING.

2. Put safety guard on all pumps, cover couplings, etc. - DONE!

3. Stencil emergency exits on main deck -- also stencil "DO NOT COVER"

4. Remove diesel fuel from bilges.  Fix sight glass on stbd settling tank aux eng. room. - DONE!

5. Fix all watertight hatches/new gaskets/fix holes.  Remove emergency exit sign stbd passageway fwd of tool room - no hatch there now. - PARTIALLY COMPLETED, ONGOING.

6. Fix hole in bulkhead at base of hatch at 2-25-2. - DONE!

7. Fix hole in outer hull skin at frame 9, port side at 7' up.  Look for light coming through. - DONE!

8. Check and replace all CO2 bottles.  We had 34 on board in May 2004.  Refill as necessary.

9. Dogs on all watertight doors.  Some are frozen and will not move - break loose and grease or oil.

10. Make dogging wrenches.  Put throughout the ship both sides of doors. - PARTIALLY COMPLETED, ONGOING.

11. Change rope on life rings - need sunlight resistant line.

12. Cover main deck fire stations with canvas.
 

ENGINE ROOM WORK LIST TO BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF MARCH
PER PETER RETZKO, CHIEF ENGINEER

1. Replace safety shutdowns on #1, #2 and #3 generator sets and test per instruction book.  See #407 for details.

2. Auxiliary and main engine rooms - remove all unused or NG wiring gauges, piping, switches, valves, brackets, etc.

3. Put emergency lighting in engine rooms and their escape trunks (4) in working order.

4. Repair or install new call system horns/lights between vital areas - 2 bridges/2 engine rooms/bow/steering gear.

5. Install sound-proofed phone booth in engine room.

6. Get batteries for #1 generator - set up battery rack in more orderly manner.

7. Main engine heat exchangers FW and LO - remove top plugs on FWD/AFT water boxes (tube side) and install minimum 3/8" NPT vent valves, total 8.  Note lower coolers have pet cock vents on FWD end water boxes.  Same frozen.

8. Sound all tanks.  (Sounding log in 2nd drawer file cabinets, Capt. room.)

9. Overhaul/clean/lap in fire pump discharge valves total (4).  These valves leak by pressure zinc suction strainers on pmps.  Presently fire line OVBD valves are cracked open to relieve city water pressure on strainers.

10. DG meters - renew/repair as requires amp meters/kw meters, volt meters, tachometers.

11. Install gauge glass and valves on potable water pressure tank.

12. Replace or repair #2 ballast pump motor.

13. Pull stbd air bank ports #6 and #12.  Pull port air bank ports #6 and #12.  Check for oil.
 

ADDITIONAL LST-325 WORKLIST AFTER SEA TRIAL, FEB. 16, 2005

1. General alarm
     a. engine rooms
     b. berthing quarters
     c. Officers' Country

2. Sound booth, main engine room - horn and light from wheelhouse to main engine room and main engine room to wheelhouse.

3. Tachometers on bridge

4. Gyro - repeaters fixed on conn wings - DONE!

5. Globes on lights

6. Radar - Gyro hook-up on order

7. Fire hoses to reach every compartment - check fire station in auxiliary engine room - make sure it works.

8. Gyro room lock - DONE!
 

AD MUMFORD'S ENGINEERING TO-DO LIST

LST-325 SEA TRIAL CREW (02/16/05)

A personal note from the WebSkipper:  I'd like to encourage absolutely anybody and everybody to provide material for this page.  By no means are submissions here restricted to just certain individuals.  The whole purpose of this website (and especially this particular page) is to share information about our LST Memorial with the entire community.  Sitting here 2,000 miles away, I personally don't have a clue what's happening aboard the ship unless somebody tells me.  To date, I've posted absolutely every single tidbit of information that's come my way.  If you have any news to share at all, please just send me an email:  WebSkipper@LSTMemorial.Org -- all of us would be very appreciative, and we all want to know what's going on!

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Archives:

Archive for February 2005:

• 23 FEB 05 - Report on the Sea Trials from Kenny & Anna Adams
• 19 FEB 05 - Sea Trials Report from Ron Maranto
• 18 FEB 05 - Progress Report for Jan. 28 through Feb. 13 from Bill Spencer
• 17 FEB 05 - Ship Preparation Pictures from Chip Lanham
• 13 FEB 05 - Work Party Pictures from Pat Perrella
• 01 FEB 05 - In Memoriam: William Bliss

Archive for January 2005:

• 31 JAN 05 - LST-325 Welcomes Aboard Its Newest Pollywog
• 30 JAN 05 - January Progress Report from Bill Spencer
• 14 JAN 05 - Captain's Update
• 13 JAN 05 - We Mourn the Loss of a Terrific Friend
• 07 JAN 05 - You're Invited to Our February Work Party!
• 06 JAN 05 - Expressing Thanks to Macromedia

CDR Jackson Carter was LST-325's Executive Officer before and during the voyage back from Greece.  In addition to his normal duties, he was an avid ham radio operator and enjoyed communicating during his down-time with other hams all over the world.  He also maintained a website for LST-325 which included all of his situation reports, as well as many photographs showing the hard work done in Greece getting the ship seaworthy – that site is a must-see for anyone who hopes to understand what it took to bring this ship home.  Most importantly, Mr. Carter was one of the finest human beings one could ever hope to meet.  He passed away just five weeks after finally realizing his dream.  This website now carries on the work – and the dream – where he left off, and in his memory.  Thanks, Jack ... for being you.   Fair winds!

In Memoriam Jackson Carter