Most of you will recall how instrumental WFIE 14 was to our successful visit in Evansville, IN.  The News Team, under News Director Bob Freeman, were friends and partners in a very real sense.

We are pleased to announce that they have been rewarded with a very prestigious award for their coverage of the LST 325 visit.  The Indiana Associated Press Broadcasters Association has awarded them top honors in the "Best Community Impact" category for their entry entitled LST 325: A Sentimental Journey.  Their entry was very similar to the tapes that they produced as a fundraising project for LST 325.  Needless to say, it was in competition with other stations all across the state of Indiana.  This is quite an honor for them, and very richly deserved.  They put a lot of hard, dedicated work into that event.

Our warmest congratulations go to the WFIE 14 News Team and News Director Bob Freeman.  And let us thank you once again for all your help, your wonderful welcome and your warm hospitality!
 

Sorry for being so late with this report.  My computer has been down for more than a week.  I arrived aboard ship April 5th and was there almost 2 weeks.  Bruce Voges and John Calvin were there and the captain came a couple of days later.

The weather was cold and stayed that way for more than a week.  A lot of chipping went on.  Stacy Jackson, Bill Jr. and Bill Sr. and wife, Raine Rutledge, Jacob Ritgen, and Karen Fitts came the next day.  Bill Jr. and Sr. and Jacob and Stacy went to work chipping on the main deck and when the sandblasting started, they all went to the tank deck to chip and paint some more.

I took about 27 pictures but only a few came out.  Damn those throw-away cameras.  Well that won't happen again because we now have a digital to document the progress. 

Stacy, Bill Sr. and Raine will spend about a month working on board.  Also while I was there, David and LIbby Phillips arrived.  David put in 3 full days of work.  I can't say enough about the dedication of these people.  They make all of our involvement worthwhile.  Michael and wife came with some friends and gave them a tour as well as taking some pictures. 

A lot of work is being done.  For instance, 2 davits were removed, sand blasted the hull, applying 2 coats of primer and a patch in the shaft alley. 

The A/C generator compartment on the O1 deck has been removed and will be replaced with an A/C diesel generator.  Jim Bartlett has been there quite a while dealing with the yard people and other things.

Loren Whiting also was there.  When I arrived, he was installing a hot water heater in the laundry room.  Many other things are being done but I had to leave, but I will return soon. 

     ~ Ron Maranto
 
 

If you are interested in following the progress of LST-325 on its East Coast trip, you can subscribe to regularly issued SITREPs to be sent to you automatically by email. 

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PLEASE NOTE: The same reports will also be sent to those subscribed to the website's Newsletter.  If you subscribe to both lists, you will be receiving TWO copies.

We went aboard the LST 325 on Monday, April 12.  Currently the ship is drydocked in the Bender shipyard in Mobile, Alabama.  Jim Bartlett got us past the guard house, and once onboard we also visited with Bruce Voges and Ron Maranto.  Of course, Bob and Rosemary Ostrander were aboard seeing to various projects.   Its present location did not keep away other determined volunteers from various projects such as chipping, cleaning and organizing ships materials. 

The crews from Bender were all over the ship.  On the starboard side crews blasted the hull, on the main deck work had begun on the main anchor windlass, below a crew worked on a vent into one of the diesel tanks and up on the superstructure crews were completing cleanup after the removal of the forward LCVP davits.  Needless to say, currently the 325 is the center of a literal whirlwind of activity.  It is hard not to get spray painted, sand blasted or hit with the hot sparks of a metal grinder.

Progress has been rapid.  Both forward davits are gone.  All the ballast tanks on the ship are open and when crews work there, fresh air is pumped into them.  All over the ship clear plastic duct work forms a network bringing clean air into void spaces.  The port side of the hull had been blasted and primed with a light green paint.  It was appropriate for the just passed Easter holiday.

Our only disappointment was that with all blasting we weren’t able to get down in the dry dock and make some good photos of the hull and open bow doors, but of course we would never want to be in the way of progress. 

     ~ Michael and Naomi Smith

My wife, Gladys, and I had the pleasure of getting back to the LST 325 last week.  We were in Mobile attending an Avion International RV Club get-together.  We have a rendezvous somewhere in the U.S. three times a year and the winter gathering was in Mobile.

On arrival we found many of our good friends aboard, Rosemary & Bob Ostrander, Bruce Voges, Jim Bartlett, Calvin & Pearl Ellison, Paul Hannie, James & Doris Edwards and Ken & Anna Adams.  We noted that there were several other people working on various projects.  We had the good fortune of seeing Michael Smith and his wife later on in the week as they toured some people through the "T."

The new generator was on the beach but before the week was over it was sitting proudly on the deck ready to do the job in the coming months. James Edwards was working hard to get the washer and dryer into place.  He reported that they were just a tad too large to get through the hatch into the laundry compartment.  He had to remove the outer panels in order to get them into place.

My wife and I lead tours from the RV Club to the ship for four days.  Paul, Calvin and Pearl were on hand Monday to help with the first group because there were too many for me to guide.  Thanks for your help.  The club members were all impressed with the work and plans for the 325.  The group contributed several hundred dollars to the ship's treasury.

     ~ Sid & Gladys Hisel

We worked on the ship Monday and Tuesday getting the new commercial washer and dryer into the laundry room.  We had to dismantle the dryer to get it into the room and reassemble it. We had several helpers. W.C. Lawson was the only one Doris caught on film. We checked out the dryer with two bags of bedding that got wet, the dryer worked great. I had to leave several items to be finished, installation of the hot water heater, connect the washer water supply and connect the exhaust for the dryer. While there the lube oil was delivered (1000 gal.) and pumped into the lube tank. Also the new generator was delivered and should be placed on deck Wednesday, it looks like it will do a good job and be much quieter. 

     ~ James Edwards
          XO, LST-325
 
 

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!

Legend:

Archives:

Archive for March 2004:

• 29 MAR 04 - Captain's Update
• 24 MAR 04 - Progress Report from Kenny & Anna Adams
• 20 MAR 04 - Update from Bill Kaupas
• 16 MAR 04 - Progress Report from Michael Smith
• 08 MAR 04 - The 325 is Truly an LST Memorial

• 29 FEB 04 - Sporadic Email Problems, from the WebSkipper
• 29 FEB 04 - Progress Report from Pat Perrella
• 29 FEB 04 - Update from Kenny & Anna Adams
• 18 FEB 04 - Another Wonderful Contribution from James & Doris Edwards
• 18 FEB 04 - Opening Available for WebSkipper Striker
• 15 FEB 04 - Same Name, Same Call Sign, from Bob Wilder

• 28 JAN 04 - Report from Capt. Jornlin
• 25 JAN 04 - Update from Bill Kaupas
• 23 JAN 04 - Progress Report from Michael Smith
• 22 JAN 04 - Head for the Hills' (two articles)
• 08 JAN 04 - Crewmember Applications for 2004 Voyage Now Available
• 02 JAN 04 - A Terrific Donation from NCP Coatings, Inc.

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