WELCOME TO THE GATEWAY TO THE GATORS.
THIS SITE HONORS THE MEN, WOMEN, AND VESSELS OF THE TRIPHIBOUS NAVY, THE NAVY/MARINE CORPS TEAM, AND ALL OF THE FORCES THAT PROJECT POWER FROM SEA TO SHORE AND BEYOND. IT WILL CARRY INFORMATION ABOUT THE MODERN TRIPHIBOUS FORCES AND THE AMERICAN AMPHIBIOUS FORCE ASSOCIATION. EFFORTS TO PRESERVE AMPHIBIOUS VESSELS WILL BE SHOWCASED.
HONOR WILL BE PAID TO THE MEN AND SHIPS, PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE THAT HAVE AND WILL CONTINUE TO 'WAGE PEACE'.
Amphibious Squadron 10 in the Carribbean, 1963
Chicago Reunion
Another super Reunion with a visit to the Greal Lakes Naval Training Center among other good times. A new slate of officers was elected:
President ................. Ray Macar
Vice President .......... Frank Rey
Secretary ................. Pat McCormack
Treasurer ................. Dave Miller
Next Year we will be in Pensacola, FL
GATOR GATHERING at Alexandria, VA, 2009
Larry Adamik's pictures have been loaded. Here are videos of the trip to the Naval Heritage Center. The videos could take a couple of minutes to load.
Navy Band
Chorus
Here are pictures sent by Leo Bednarczyk, one of our esteemed WWII members. They show Petty Officers Andrew Boyles (Prescott AZ) and Phillip Evans (Charlotte NC) holding a photo of LST-325 on Normandy, June 12, 1944. They are on the USS New York.
Take a look at these pictures of heavy lift ships sent by former co-worker at MarAd. Note the pictures of the USS Cole. LSD sailors - how would you like to flood down as much as these ships. After you click on the link below, click on open Power Point and then click on slide show on the top menu bar.
Lifters
LST 1171 Class This site contains information about each of the ships in the class.
LST 1156 Class See this site for information about the Terrell County and other ships in this class.
LST 1179 Class This site contains pictures and information about the Newport Class of LSTs.
Information about the WW2 LSTs that served in Korea, the Cold War and Viet Nam will be provided. They received names on 1July 1955. Also LSTs 1153 and 1154 will be described.
LPD Classes This site contains information about these versatile vessels. See information and pictures of the Raleigh, San Antonio, and Austin classes.
LSD Classes This comprehansive site contains information and images of the Thomaston, Anchorage, Whidbey Island, Harpers Ferry, Ashland, and Lend-lease classes.
Amphibious Assault Ship (LHA, LHD) Site (under construction)
Here is a new page for Littoral Combat Ships. They are designed to go
in harms way close to shore. Thanks to Dan Karwoski and Nick Gardner.
Click on image.
Here's a good picture of the Waldo County (LST 1163). She was based at Little Creek.
Thanks to Chuck Abraham.
VFW Post # 10227
Cell 1-928-710-6320
Email: cabraham@commspeed.net
The following from Joe Grage:
USS New York
It was built with 24 tons of scrap steel from the World Trade Center.
It is the fifth in a new class of warship - designed for missions that include special operations against terrorists. It will carry a crew of 360 sailors and 700 combat-ready Marines to be delivered ashore by helicopters and assault craft.
Steel from the World Trade Center was melted down in a foundry in Amite, LA to cast the ship's bow section. When it was poured into the molds on Sept 9, 2003, 'those big rough steelworkers treated it with total reverence,' recalled Navy Capt. Kevin Wensing, who was there. 'It was a spiritual moment for everybody there.'
Junior Chavers, foundry operations manager, said that when the trade center steel first arrived, he touched it with his hand and the 'hair on my neck stood up.' 'It had a big meaning to it for all of us,' he said. 'They knocked us down. They can't keep us down. We're going to be back.'
The ship's motto? 'Never Forget'
THE FOLLOWING PICTURES AND INFO ARE FROM RHALL.
Construction of the USS New York was delayed because of damage by hurricane Katrina (August 23, 2003) that also displaced many shipyard workers.
Ships Motto: “Strength, Forged through Sacrifice. Never Forget.”
7 ½ tons of steel recovered from the World Trade Center were cast as the bow stem of this great warship (September 9, 2003).
The USS New York (LPD-21)
Start Fabrication March 15, 2004
Keel Laying September 10, 2004
Bow Stem Installed August 4, 2005
Launched December 19, 2007
Christened March 1, 2008
The ship is presently being fitted out to be commissioned in NY in 2009.
The LPD Class ship will carry:
Crew of 361 Sailors
Deliver a fully-equipped battalion of 700 Marines.
· Landing Craft Air Cushioned (LCAC)
· Expeditionary Fighting vehicles (EFV)
· MV-22 Osprey and/or helicopters
Click on the patch for more info about the 325.
See the LST325 DC Visit for more pictures of her visit to the Nation's Capitol.
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