Return
of the LST-325
Articles
about
the ship
posted
before
Feb.
2001
- For
articles
after
this
date
visit
lstmemorial.org
By
United
States
LST Association |
21 November
2000
Report from
LST 325, from Jackson
Carter
We have been
sailing
along the south side
of Sicily since midnight
last night. It has
been slow going because
of engine down time
and steering problems.
Don't worry because
the US Navy is watching
over us like a mother
hen. The weather
has also dealt us
another bad hand.
We are back in the
rock and roll days
again. All the LST
sailors back in the
States remember those
6 second rolls and
the jarring shutter
when the bow dives
into a big one (We
just took one as
I type). Life is
now long watches
in the engine rooms,
the wheel house or
the bridge. Its also
hurried meals quickly
eaten so you can
relieve the watch
on time. Its also
finding your way
around a ship in
the blackest night
imaginable, hanging
on to something,
anything, with the
ship rocking and
pitching and a fierce
wind chilling your
bones. Don't cha
just love it, this
is when you know
your alive and you
can take anything
that's thrown at
you.
JIM BARTLETT
COME BACK WE NEED
YOU.
JIM BARTLETT COME
BACK WE NEED YOU.
JIM BARTLETT COME
BACK WE NEED YOU.
JIM BARTLETT COME
BACK WE NEED YOU.
November
23, 2000
This was
reprinted from www.military.com
It is a great story
about our guys.
The "veteran" crew
of the LST-325. (LST
Association)
RELATED LINKS
•
"Proud Vets Sailing
LST 325 Home" (article
from U.S. LST Association
site)
• Log of the USS LST
35 from memorial's
home page
•
"Veterans Fight
Red Tape to Sail LST
325 Home" (European
Stars & Stripes)
• History of tank landing
ships (LSTs)
• News Digest
• NEW! News Archives
• NEW! Military Legends
SOUND OFF!
Join our discussion
here.
Finally Underway
WWII
Amphibious Ship,
Veteran Crew
Casts Off For Historic
Homeward Voyage
By Keith Boydston
European Stars & Stripes
A
crew of senior citizen
sailors embarked
Nov. 14 on a historic
voyage to sail a
World War II amphibious
ship from Greece
to the United States.
Ending
weeks of delays and
bureaucratic
confusion over the
registration of the
55-year-old warship,
Hellenic Navy officials
signed it over to
the veterans early
Tuesday morning,
paving the way for
them to begin their
transatlantic journey
home.
" We've got
everything signed,
and all the 'i's
dotted and 't's crossed," Bob
Jornlin, 61, the
ship's commanding
officer said a few
hours before the
ship got underway. "We're
making final plans
to get out of here."
Jornlin
accepted the vessel
on behalf
of the USS LST Ship
Memorial Inc., a
nonprofit organization
that plans to convert
it into a floating
museum.
"We think
the project is a
great
idea and a worthy
one," said Todd
Pierce, spokesman
for the U.S. Embassy
in Athens. "We've
worked very closely
... between the Hellenic
Navy and the association
to make this work."
A
crew of about 30
Navy veterans,
with an average age
of 72, will sail
the ship across the
Atlantic to Mobile,
Ala.
Like Ship, Crew
Has History
The ship
saw action in Sicily,
Italy,
and the African campaign,
and carried troops
to Normandy Beach
during the D-Day
invasion.
The crew
members are veterans
of World
War II, the Korean
Conflict and the
Vietnam War, and
all served on amphibious
ships of the same
class. They have
been living on the
ship since late August,
and they have worked
around the clock
to ready the 325-foot,
3,400-ton vessel
for the trip back
to the States.
"I feel
very good about the
overall
condition of the
ship and the condition
of the engines," said
James Edwards, 74,
the engineering officer
and a World War II
veteran. "It's
an old ship, and
it's prone to having
problems. But we've
got experienced people.
They can handle any
problem."
Homeward
Bound, With Upgrades
The
ship has been fitted
with more
than $25,000 in the
latest satellite
navigational equipment,
modern communications
and computer gear,
life rafts and other
supplies.
Another
$70,000 in private
donations
has been pledged
to the ship for maintenance
costs and its conversion
into a museum.
Additionally,
the British Petroleum
Co. donated 50,000
gallons of diesel
fuel for the voyage
back to the United
States and the Phillips
Oil Co. pledged another
$40,000 to cover
fuel costs, if needed,
Jornlin said.
Each
crew member pitched
in $2,000
for food and incidental
costs. They also
paid their own airfare
to Greece.
"I'm on
top of the world
right
now," said Jack
Carter, 71, the ship's
executive officer
and a veteran of
Korea who served
in the Naval Reserve
for 42 years. "It's
been a long, damn
struggle, but I haven't
felt this good in
a long, long time."
November
22, 2000
Just had a
message from the
ship. They
are passing Sicily
and going through
strong head winds
and rain. Everything
is going along fine
at this time. They
want to wish everyone
a Happy Thanksgiving.
As soon as other
information is available
we will put it out.
Thanks, Linda Gunjak
20
November 2000
Report
from LST 325, Message
from
Jackson Carter
We
are about 70 miles
east of Sicily.
In about 10 hours
we will enter the
Malta Channel. After
we left Athens, had
2 days of beautiful
weather and great
views of the Greek
islands. The water
was like a mirror.
Sunday the weather
changed. Strong winds
were blowing from
the south and heavy
swells were doing
a rock and roll number
on this old LST.
There was thunder
and lightening for
good measure. We
were hanging on all
night. No one got
much sleep that night.
On Monday it moderated
a little and this
morning it was smooth
sailing again. For
the armchair sailors,
this afternoon at
3:46PM (1546 here)we
were at N36deg. 31.50sec,
E16deg. 02.69sec.
Pray for good weather
and no breakdowns.
November
20, 2000
18 November
2000
Report from LST
325, from Jackson
Carter
Underway report
from LST325, 18 Nov
2000,0430UTC After
sailing from Athens
to the eastern end
of the Corinth Canal
and calling the pilot
for a hour on channel
16, I called any
station and learned
from someone on a
ship at the western
end of the canal,
that the canal was
closed for 4 days.
So much for "A
Little Help from
our Friends".
After nearly 4 months
of disappointments,
we just put the rudder
over to starboard
and made a U turn
toward Athens. The
film crew in the
Helicopter, called
the Captain on his
cell phone to ask
why we were turning
around, Ha Ha. We
now have "steamed" south
thorough the night,
passing Athens to
port. In a few hours,
we will turn west
and begin crawling
westward through
the Med. Gotta go,
I need to eat before
going on watch at
0800. From: N36 46,
E23 20
November 19, 2000
Message
from Jackson Carter
aboard the
LST-325 in the Med.
16
Nov 2000
Report from
LST 325, from Jackson
Carter
Athens, We
left Souda, Crete
around
noon
on Tuesday with
the title to the
ship in the Captain's
hands. After a
beautiful moonlight
cruse on flat seas
with the moonlight
glistening on the
water, we arrived
in Athens, met
our Greek Navy
Pilot and tugs
and went into the
Naval Base in Salamais.
No time for tourist
activities. Last
night Ambassador
Burns and his entourage
came aboard. He
made a fine speech,
congratulating
us on our success
and presented us
with a very large
framed group photo.
More importantly,
he gave a signed
and sealed letter
documenting the
fact that the ship
is ours and requesting
that any authority
seeing it give
us their cooperation.
This is very important
as we are sailing
as an unregistered
ship and do not
have the usual
documents. We had
a film crew on
board all day preparing
a documentary.
BP pumped 50,000
gal. of diesel
into the ship.
We are now flying
BP flags port and
starboard. Early
tomorrow we will
sail for Gibraltar.
We are still at
sea level, but
we're flyin' high.
November
17,2000
Capt. Jornlin
has announced that
the
ship is under way
back to the United
States. They left
at 10:00am. Athens,
Greece time. 11-17-2000.
The updates will
come from the ship
and will be relayed
through this web
page and Mr. Jackson
Carter's. They will
have a ship to shore
phone number which
will be given to
the families that
have men on board
at the request of
Captain Jornlin.
The men are very
excited and extremely
proud with the job
they have done. The
waters are calm in
the Mediterranean
Sea and they are
progressing at about
6 knots. They are
not taking any chances
and they have gotten
the necessary life
rafts and all safety
devices that are
needed. They picked
up 4 LCVP's almost
immediately from
the Greek Navy.
In
Athens, they were
welcomed by
many officials and
had pictures and
TV coverage of their
arrival. All the
people aboard were
officially greeted
by the people on
the pier. Ambassador
N. Burns was there
along with Mr. D.
O'Grady of the DOS.
Many Greek officials
and Greek Naval people
were there also.
They did their jobs
well. I am sure many
other people were
there but their names
are not available
at this time. Capt.
Jornlin has requested
any one that has
written and tried
to get help from
their Congress-people
to write and thank
them for any help
they may have done
on the return the
LST-325 back home.
The Greek Government
signed the agreement
on Tuesday in Crete
and it was approved
and they got under-way
on Wednesday morning
November 15,2000.
The
ship came from Crete
in 19 hrs.
with little or no
problems. On November
16,2000 they took
on fuel that was
donated by BP Oil
Company in the amount
of over 200,000 liters.
That figures out
to be about 52,000
gals of marine diesel
fuel. They have banners,
flags and anything
else they can think
of thanking BP Oil
for the fuel. All
you people out there
please buy your gas
from BP. We couldn't
have done it with
out them. Also to
all the people who
donated money to
the fund in the last
6 months. The donations
have bought motor
oil,food stuffs,life
rafts,GPS system
for navigation and
other items necessary
for the voyage home.
On
behalf of the crew
and the officers
of the M/V LST MEMORIAL
LST-325 WE WANT TO
THANK EVERYONE FOR
YOUR SUPPORT AND
WE HOPE TO BE HOME
BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
Please keep those
donations coming
in. The form is on
the web page of the
United States LST
Association. Again
thanks see you soon.
Captain Robert Jornlin
and the crew of LST-325.
"Let's
call them the Over
the
Hill Gang sails again"
Old
sailors never die
they just sail
on and on and on.
Mike Gunjak, President
United States LST
Association
More information
will be available
as it becomes available.
Linda
November 16,
2000
Information on
leaving for Athens
from Souda
Bay in Crete.
PROUD
VETS SAILING LST
325 HOME
By Paul Farley
Souda
Bay, Crete – With
thirty-two Sailor’s
onboard who’s
average age is 74
years old, LST 325,
now renamed M/V LST
SHIP MEMORIAL, cast
off her lines and
headed out to sea
for perhaps her proudest
voyage and manned
by certainly her
proudest crew. Her
epic journey from
Souda Bay, Crete
to Mobile, Alabama
is planned to take
approximately thirty
days during which
time the WWII amphib
will be manned solely
by spry LST veterans.
LST 325 and her crew
steamed out of Souda
Bay, under clear
blue skies and U.S.
flag, on 14 November
after completing
the final political
hurtle of transferring
ownership from the
Hellenic Navy to
the USS LST SHIP
Memorial Incorporated.
The Captain of M/V
LST SHIP MEMORIAL,
Mr. Robert D. Jornlin
of Earlville, Illinois
said "Our purpose
here is to bring
back to the United
States a fully operational
LST from WWII. This
project and our search
for a suitable LST,
one that we can turn
into a memorial museum,
started over 10 years
ago and has even
included a trip to
Taiwan to look for
a ship. It took us
a long time to find
the kind of ship
we were looking for
but our persistence
paid off and now
we’re on our
way. Each one of
the crew has put
a lot of hard work
and all of their
heart into this effort
to make this dream
a reality. I couldn’t
be prouder of them."
USS LST Ship Memorial
Incorporated is a
non-profit organization,
associated with the
9,200 member strong
United States LST
Association headquartered
in Toledo, Ohio. "We
all belong to the
LST Association but
we are a separate
organization formed
for the sole purpose
of bringing back
an LST for use as
a museum," says
Jornlin.
The crew
is made up of LST
veterans
predominantly from
WWII but also includes
men who served in
Korea, and VietNam
onboard the same
type of ship. Each
member of the crew
is known by the rank
that they possessed
during their naval
service.
The ship’s
cook is seventy-four
year old Joe Sadlier,
a native of Ketchikan,
Alaska. Sadlier along
with mess cook Ernest
Andrus, the oldest
crewmember at 77
years old, are responsible
for feeding the crew
twice a day. Sadlier,
known affectionately
by the crew as "Cookie",
said "The beautiful
thing about this
project is that all
of these men came
from the states and
most have never known
each other before.
Some may have met
at conventions but
we’ve all had
private lives during
the 50 odd years
since World War II.
These guys came together
here and immediately
became one cohesive
unit working toward
a common goal…this
was the teamwork
that we learned in
the military …you
never forget it…it
becomes a part of
you…you can
see it. A person’s
station in civilian
life doesn’t
mean anything because
we’re all equal
here. We have crewmembers
on here from all
walks of life…millionaires,
corporate executives,
and even politicians.."
Main Engine Room
Engineman Harold
Slemmons, the 74
year-old town Mayor
of Lone Oak, Texas,
population 500, has
been onboard since
August. Slemmons
stands extra quarterdeck
watches because of
knee problems that
prevent him getting
up and down the ladders
as fast as some of
his shipmates. Slemmons
said, "I got
involved in this
project really because
I’m a sentimental
and patriotic old
man and I’m
having a great time
here."
Three of the sailors
onboard knew each
other during WWII
and served on the
same ship in the
Pacific. In 1945
LST 574 brought together
Mayor Slemmons along
with Joe Milakovich
of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
and Albert White
of Roswell, New Mexico.
All three were Motor
Mechs and decommissioned
574 in Subic Bay,
RP in 1946. Now,
55 years later LST
325 made them shipmates
again. As White put
it, "We had
fun then and we’re
having fun now."
"Not all
LST veterans are
Sailors," pointed
out George White
of Coal Valley, Illinois
as he swabbed the
deck. "As a
Marine in ’44
and ’45, I
was onboard LST 884
in Okinawa when she
was hit by a kamikaze
attack…we had
25 men killed but
our ship didn’t
sink." Now a
retired landscaper
and father of seven,
White, who has been
onboard since July
is a Deck Seaman
and does whatever
needs to be done
in maintaining his
ship.
The veterans
are quick to acknowledge
that a lot of people
have assisted them
over the last three
months and they can’t
say enough about
the outstanding support
they have received
from the Hellenic
Navy at Souda Bay. "The
Greek Sailors here
at the shipyard," said
Jornlin, "have
been a tremendous
help to us with whatever
we needed. From the
pipe-fitters, machine
shop and the electricians
the support has been
just great."
Many active duty
Sailors from NSA
Souda Bay and visiting
ships have joined
the Veterans over
the last couple of
months to help breath
new life into their
aging vessel. Over
one hundred Navy
volunteers have worked
side-by-side with
the veterans thoroughly
going over the ships
equipment including
checking the ring
bearings in the shaft
alley, turning over
the engines by hand
to ensure the cylinders
were clear and moving
freely. During the
first days a lot
of manual labor and
heavy lifting was
needed to stow various
items including chains
weighing 300 pounds
each which the younger
Sailors were able
to do with relative
ease. Souda Bay and
fleet Sailors also
worked on refrigeration
units for the reefers
and conducted inspections
on the radar and
gyro. All of the
volunteers were richly
rewarded by the veterans
with countless "sea
stories" and
sharing first-hand
accounts of Naval
history.
While in
the Hellenic Navy
Fleet for over
thirty years, the
former U.S. Navy
ship was assigned
the hull number L114
and given the name
A/G SYROS. On the
day prior to their
departure most of
the crew eagerly
took turns painting
out the "L114" wherever
it appeared. The
Hellenic Navy requested
the numbers be painted
over in preparation
for the official
title transfer and
the vets were happy
to comply knowing
that they were one
step closer to their
goal. LST Executive
Officer Jack Carter,
from PalosVerdes,
California remarked "I’ve
never seen so many
volunteers for painting
before in all my
life, everyone wanted
a turn." Carter,
who also serves as
the Operations, Deck
and Radio Officer,
was assigned to LST
887 from 1952 through
1954.
The LST SHIP
MEMORIAL sails first
from
Souda Bay to Athens,
Greece where it will
be met by U.S. Ambassador
to Greece, The Honorable
R. Nicholas Burns.
Ambassador Burns
and his staff have
closely followed
the progress of the
LST project over
the last few months
and played a key
role in smoothing
the way through the
often tangled red
tape inherent to
dealings involving
foreign governments,
militaries and international
law. The Ambassador
visited the ship
at Souda Bay on 12
September and offered
his support and encouragement
to the crew for their
monumental endeavour.
While
in Athens the ship
will take
on 50,000 gallons
of diesel fuel that
is being donated
free-of-charge by
British Petroleum
for their journey
home. From Athens
it will sail to Rota,
Spain in approximately
nine days underway
time. This unique
voyage is planned
to culminate with
the crossing of the
Atlantic from Spain
to Florida in nineteen
days.
The 325 is an
American-built LST
Mk2, or LST(2),
328 feet in length
and 50 feet wide.
It could carry 2,100
tons. Built into
the bow are two doors
that open outward
to a width of 14
feet. During World
War II most Allied
vehicles could be
transported on, and
off-loaded from LST(2)s.
The lower deck was
the tank deck, where
20 Sherman tanks
could be loaded.
Lighter vehicles
were carried on the
upper deck. An elevator
was used to load
and off-load vehicles,
artillery, and other
equipment from the
upper deck; in later
models, a ramp replaced
the elevator. The
vessel was powered
by two diesel engines,
and it had a maximum
speed of 11.5 knots
and a cruising speed
of 8.75 knots. LSTs
were lightly armed
with a variety of
weapons. A typical
American LST was
armed with seven
40-millimetre and
12 20-millimetre
antiaircraft guns.
One thousand fifty-one
LST(2)s were produced
in American shipyards
during the war. Construction
time declined, so
that by 1945 it took
approximately two
months to construct
an LST--half the
time it took in 1943.
Through lend-lease
the British were
provided 113 LST(2)s.
LSTs were in great
demand in both the
Pacific and Europe.
They were used in
the invasions at
Sicily, Italy, Normandy,
and southern France.
At Normandy, the
Americans' employment
of LSTs enabled them
to meet their off-loading
requirements following
the destruction of
their Mulberry artificial
harbour in a storm.
In the Southwest
Pacific theatre,
General Douglas MacArthur
employed LSTs in
his "island
hopping campaigns" and
in the invasion of
the Philippines.
In the Central Pacific,
Admiral Chester Nimitz
used them at Iwo
Jima and Okinawa.
LST(2)s served as
troop ships, ammunition
ships, hospital ships,
repair ships, and
numerous other special
purposes. A number
of LST(2)s were even
fitted with flight
decks for small reconnaissance
aircraft. During
the war 26 LSTs were
lost in action, and
13 more were lost
in accidents and
rough seas.
Ernie
Pyle, the well-known
newspaper
correspondent of
World War II once
wrote "An LST
isn't such a glorious
ship to look at.
It is neither sleek
nor fast nor impressively
big - no bigger than
an ocean freighter
- and yet it is a
good ship and the
crews aboard LSTs
are proud of them." The
LST SHIP MEMORIAL
and its crew of tenacious
and enthusiastic
veterans fit Pyle’s
description perfectly
and set an example
to make any Sailor,
past or present,
proud.
For an up-to-date
status on the return
voyage of the LST
Ship Memorial as
well as a log of
their progress up
until now visit their
web site at www.palosverdes.com/lst887/lst325.html
and also www.uslst.com.
For additional information
on the vital role
that LSTs have played
in our military history
visit http://normandy.eb.com/normandy/week2/onormay219a4.html.
OCTOBER
31, 2000"LST
325 Thanks BP Oil"
We
have been in contact
with the
DOS and they are
sending a cable to
the persons involved
in this transfer.
It will be resolved.
They have come to
far to give it all
up. The company that
is donating the oil
is BP OIL COMPANY.
There is difference
between British Petroleum
and BP Oil Company
Linda Gunjak
In Memory
of Our Departed Shipmate
William Hart
One
of our spiritual
and loved crewman
passed away today,
just after concluding
his effort his
effort to sail
our Memorial ship
to it’s home
in the United States.
Bill Hart had to
leave the ship
because of severe
medical problems.
He was a diligent
worker aboard our
ship who was always
anxious to help
someone, particularly
in solving problems
while he worked
hard all-day and
stood night watches,
he still found
time to socialize
and joined us in
laughter. He felt
privileged to be
an active participant
in our ventures
and we were privileged
to have known him.
Of the many who
have returned home,
Bill was one of
just two who were
given the exclusive “Over
the Side” Ceremony
when he departed.
The entire crew
stood in two rows
as Bill passed
by us. Our Chief
Boatswain Mate
piped him to the
gangway for our
final salute.
The LST 325 Crew
2000
