USS LST-325 1800 CDT 14 JUN 03 SITREP (2300Z 14JUN03) POSITION: Mud Island River Park, Memphis.  Captain Hal Pierce USNR (Retired), OTC of the Advanced Landing Group, lead a shore party consisting of Mr. James Edwards, Executive Officer and CWO James Bartlett, USN (Retired), Chief of Engineering of LST-325.  The procurement detail purchased yeoman supplies, pipefittings, commissary stores and more.  We can report the shopping maneuvers were a success. 

A special thank you to Captain Hal Pierce for his time and efforts in leading the Advance Landing Party.  His dedication, professionalism, and zeal exemplify the highest traditions in naval service.  BRAVO ZULU!

"0630 Reveille, 0700 Breakfast and 0800 Muster" -- this is how the "Plan of the Day" read.  The ship opened for public tours at 0900 and experienced a steady stream of visitors.  Crewmembers took turns relieving one another for noon "mess call." The ship secured from public tours at 1700.  The crew surveyed the ship and policed the decks prior to "knocking off" ship’s work.

At 1800 the ODD passed the word, "LIBERTY CALL, LIBERTY CALL!"

     ~ Bill Kaupas, SM2

USS LST-325 0800 CDT 13 JUN 03 SITREP (1300Z 13 JUN 03) POSITION: Mud Island River Park, Memphis, TN.  Captain Bob Jornlin and his gator crew arrives ahead of schedule.  It will take a few hours to maneuver into her berth.  LST-325 needs to insert a barge between the hull and pier to support the configuration for pier/freeboard elevation.  Special thanks to the Luhr Bros. Company in St. Louis for their pusher crew and boat.  We have made them a part of the 325's crew.

Noteworthy event in Memphis: Rear Admiral Tomaszenski, U.S. Navy, Navy Personnel Command, Memphis, will call on Captain Jornlin, his crew and the ship.  Admiral Tomaszenski will arrive in his flagged vehicle at the base of the gangway, six side boys will assemble on the quarterdeck, "Chief Boats'" (Bruce Voges) will pipe him aboard, with the side boys saluting and greeted by the skipper, followed by six bells for his rank.  And the word will be passed, "COMMANDER, NAVPERSCOM ARRIVING!"  It's not yet confirmed, but there is a possibility that he will be accompanied by the Mayor of Memphis.

WEATHER: Cloudy and cool (70 degrees) this morning, but no rain.  Today's weather should see warming up to the 80's, breezy, wind speed 10 to 20 MPH and gusting, chance of rain 50 per cent in the afternoon, humidity 93 per cent, barometer 29.85 (1010.3 mb, rising in the last 3 hours by .2+ per hour), dew point 68 per cent and visibility 10 miles.

     ~ Bill Kaupas, SM2

[Ed. note: This report was sent early today, but circumstances did not permit posting it until just now.]

FROM CAPT. JORNLIN:

1.  Position of LST-325 at 0030Z (7:30 PM Central - 11 June) was 33 deg, 6 min N and 91 deg, 8 min W traveling at 6.4 knots.  Greenville is approx 9 NM ahead.

2.  We had an excellent visit at Vicksburg, from front page headlines to well over a thousand visitors.  Our thanks to the good people of Vicksburg for a fantastic reception.  Visitors ranged from tots to the WW2 generation.

3.  We are working hard and eating well.  All hands are enjoying the trip and having fun showing visitors around the LST.  The WW2, Korea and Vietnam war veterans who are tour guides are experts on the LST class of ship.

4.  We expect to arrive in Memphis by Friday noon, and from advance reports, we predict a fantastic reception there as well.

     ~ Capt. Bob Jornlin, CO, LST-325
 

FROM BILL KAUPAS:

USS LST-325 2030 CDT 11 JUN 03 SITREP (0130Z 12JUN03) POSITION: South of Greenville, MS, going north crossed under Hwy 82 from Arkansas to Mississippi state, 530 mile mark.  Making SOG 7.5 knots or 8.6 MPH.  The ship departed Vicksburg approximately 0800.  Memphis, here we come ... ETA 1800 CDT 13 JUN 03, the Captain may arrive early again.  Crew and ship are well.  Great spirits from the Vicksburg visit.

Weather: Tonight - Temperature 81 degrees, Humidity 85%, Wind Speed S 3 MPH, Barometer 29.80 and holding steady for the last 24 hours at 1010.9 with a change of .2+/-.  Few clouds, Dew point 76 degrees, Visibility 10.0 miles.

Tomorrow - Ship moving into Bolivar County, MS, Temperature upper 70's, partly cloudy with scattered storms, barometric pressure drop to 1009.0, southwest winds 15 to 20 MPH, chance of rain 50 per cent.

     ~ Bill Kaupas, SM2

Dated 10 June 2003
 

The landing and reception in Vicksburg were major successes.  Capt. Jornlin and the crew were welcomed by Mayor Laurence E. Leyens, who presented the captain with a proclamation from the city. 

The number of visitors has been high since we got here, and the crew has been extremely busy, working all day and into the evening as well.  Performing ship's work, musters, non-stop tours and preparing the ship for the next day, followed by mess call.  One crewmember said that "the invasions in the Pacific were easier, landing tanks on the beach under fire was a lot easier!"  We all got a big bang out of that.

Many sons, daughters and spouses found a new connection with their loved one, and learning how they fought for our freedom, what their jobs were like, and more.  We often overhear people saying, "I knew he was in the war, but I had no idea that this is what he did."

For many this is a time for reminiscing, and for healing.  Sailors, marines and soldiers are brought back together with old memories, both good and bad, and swapping stories about their experiences.  For some, it represents a closure.  I talked with one Korean veteran who had been at Inchon.  He told me that his physical wounds had healed in Japan in 1953, but that his soul had been healed in Vicksburg in 2003.

These are the stories, the memories, the newfound knowledge for families.  This is why this ship was brought back from Greece.  This is why we've toiled, given of ourselves and our pocketbooks for two years.  This is why we are now bringing LST 325 to the American heartland.  It's been a long journey, and the journey will continue for years to come.  Because it's worth it.

     ~ Bill Kaupas
 

Dated 08 June 2003

We have two crewmembers on board operating the airwaves.  Rene Stiegler (K4EDX) has been actively involved in the ship's Radio Room Project ever since the ship was brought home from Greece.  Tom Pendarvis (W0MTP) is a volunteer on the voyage to help operate the radios.

They were joined by Bill Ford and several members of the Vicksburg Amateur Radio Club.  Bill was kind enough to send along these pictures.

The radios are being operated from the Jackson Carter Memorial Radio Room.  Jackson Carter operated the LST 325 website before and during the voyage back from Greece, as well as communicating all over the world on the radio on the way back under callsign WW2LST (the one we're using now).  There is a dedication to him at the bottom of this page (as well as on all the Progress Report pages).  CDR Carter is sorely missed by all of us.  Fair winds, Jack.  We're doing the best we can to carry on where you left off.

USS LST 325 IS HONORED BY USS KIDD Dated 06 June 2003   Shown at right: USS Kidd, DD-661

Two gallant old warships saluted each other in passing on the eve of the 2003 D-Day Anniversary, as LST 325 made her way upriver on her sentimental journey through America's heartland.

The old ship's route up the Mississippi River took her past Baton Rouge, LA, where the destroyer USS Kidd (DD-661), the most decorated vessel of World War II, is docked as a memorial.

LST 325, veteran of the invasions of Normandy and Italy, was being propelled up the river by tugboats owned by Luhr Brothers, Inc. of Columbia, IL.  In passing the Kidd, the ship's company manned the starboard rails to render hand salutes.  The valiant old destroyer responded with a Three-Gun Salute from her forward 5" gun mount.  The gun salvos reverberated against the hulls of the ships in the river.  Crowds of spectators and river workers broke out into wild cheers and applauded as LST 325 passed by.  A local TV station was on hand to witness this event.  This truly made the crew of LST 325 feel very special indeed.

To the USS Kidd, DD-661: BRAVO ZULU with our deepest thanks!

LST 325 is to make her first stop on Saturday, June 7, at the Riverboat Landing in Vicksburg, MS.  From there, it will proceed to St. Louis for the city's Fourth of July celebration, then on to Evansville, IN, and Jeffersonville, IN, both homes to shipbuilding sites that built LST's during World War II.  She will then return down the rivers to Mobile, AL, where she has been moored since being brought home from Crete.

     ~ Capt. Bob Jornlin

Open Letter of Appreciation from The Board of Directors of The USS LST Ship Memorial, Inc. Dated 04 June 2003

The 2003 River Cruise is now underway, and the ship is currently transiting the Gulf of Mexico.  As this is posted, she is currently south of Pascagoula, westbound at five knots.

There are so many veterans, spouses, sons and daughters, active and reserve duty military personnel and corporations that have made this 2003 River Cruise a reality.  The Board of Directors, Capt. Jornlin and the hundreds of volunteers deeply appreciate the help given over the past few years, and is still being given on a daily basis.  We will never be able to adequately thank you for your generous gifts of time, energy, material donations and funds.  We shall strive to represent your ideals of freedom and history by carrying the message to all who will visit the USS LST 325 on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers.  What was simply a dream for so many years has now become a reality.

There are special thanks for today.  We thank the ship's volunteer crew for preparing LST 325 for this mission and for taking her out into the intracoastal waterway.  We express our special thanks to the United States Coast Guard (Mobile Station), for their considerable patience and cooperation throughout the entire pre-mission planning of the voyage.  Special thanks go also to the American Waterways Association and to the Kirby Corp. of Houston, TX, for providing the professional pusher tug services to New Orleans.  Without such special help, the ship would still be sitting in Chickasaw!

To everyone involved in this ongoing project, please accept our deepest and most sincere appreciation.

The Board of Directors
The USS LST Ship Memorial, Inc.

Dated 02 June 2003
 

Members of the crew started arriving around the 15th of May.  Preparations have been continuing over the last two weeks.  As more and more of the crew arrive, the ship is really starting to look like a working vessel.

The air tanks for the new pneumatic starters have been installed in the main engine room.  Although they won't be used this summer, everyone is hopeful for the future.  John Hastings, Ronnie Campble, and Tim Spencer came from West Virginia representing Madison Coal and Supply Company. Madison Coal and Supply Company provided the tanks and all of the labor and equipment needed to install them.  After discussion as to our compressors having inadequate capacity to fill the tanks, this great company provided a new compressor. 

The 5th LCVP was launched and performs acceptably.  It replaced the forward port LCVP which is beyond repair.

On Sunday, June 1, preparations continued with work parties all over the ship.  Frozen, canned, and dry provisions were loaded as well as a used working washer and dryer donated by O'Dell equipment of Jeffersonville, Indiana. 

Ken Adams arranged for the ship's display of military vehicles.  The vehicles were lifted onto the maindeck by a crane provided by Equipment Rental of Mobile, Alabama. 

Elevator cables were donated by Draco and installed by the International Union of Elevator Construction, Mobile Local Chapter. 

This is only a brief report highlighting some of the many exciting activities taking place aboard the ship as she prepares for the River Cruise.

  ~ The LST River Crew
 
 

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 May 2003:

• 30 MAY 03 - That Incredible Adams Family!
• 28 MAY 03 - LST 325 Expresses Thanks to Our Towing Donors
• 24 MAY 03 - New Flags Donated to LST 325
• 15 MAY 03 - A Wonderful Wedding Aboard LST 325, from Ron Maranto
• 11 MAY 03 - Update from Ron Maranto
• 10 MAY 03 - Urgent!  Cook Needed for River Trip!
• 10 MAY 03 - Raffle Winner Announcement
• 02 MAY 03 - Update from Ron Maranto
• 01 MAY 03 - Call for Volunteer Radio Operator, from Bob Wilder

• 25 APR 03 - Update from Ron Maranto
• 24 APR 03 - Update from James Edwards
• 22 APR 03 - March and April Work Report from Gary Lyon
• 20 APR 03 - Progress Report from Michael Smith
• 14 APR 03 - Another Great Week Aboard the 325, by Terry Leahy
• 12 APR 03 - LST 325 Update from Capt. Bob Jornlin
• 03 APR 03 - To Walk These Decks Again ..., by Pat Johnston

• 23 MAR 03 - LST 325 Steering Committee Report from Anna Koepp
• 22 MAR 03 - Progress Report from Gary Lyon
• 22 MAR 03 - LST 325 Update from Capt. Bob Jornlin
• 21 MAR 03 - Urgent Message from the WebSkipper
• 09 MAR 03 - Progress Report from Michael Smith

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