 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| EAST COAST TOUR 2005
Here are a few photos of my trip from Mobile, AL to Alexandria, VA onboard the USS LST-325. We had great sea conditions all the way with the exception of a few days in the Gulf when we had a sea on the beam. We average around 8.5 knots over the transit with includes the trip up the Potomac River. We where very lucky on our last few days at sea while between Cape Lookout and Cape Hatteras a nor’easter started to kick up. The winds at that time were out of the south and when we came around Diamond shoal light (Cape Hatteras) we had a good running sea on our stern, and a 20 plus knot wind blowing. Less than 12 hours after anchoring in Chesapeake Bay (24 hours after Diamond shoal) a full blown nor’easter came blowing in with winds out of the northeast up to gale force. We would have faced all kinds of problems had we been behind schedule. My Uncle Oma Moore was an LTJG onboard the (CG) LST-18 during WWII, and my father was in the Battle of the North Atlantic onboard the CGC Algonquin WPG-75. I also served 22 years it the CG retiring in 1993 as a BMCS. Someone asked me why I was doing this without pay and my response was you speak English do you not, and they said what that has to do with not being paid. My reply was they already paid and some paid the ultimate sacrifice; this is the least I can do for these WWII Veterans. Oh!; the reason why I was on the cruise was the Coast Guard would not allow them to leave without a Merchant Marine license master, two mates, and a chief engineer (unlimited oceans). Captain Ronald G. Dudley U.S. Merchant Marine License Master: Any Gross Tons Near Coastal Waters 1600 Gross Tons Upon Oceans Second Mate: Any Gross Tons Upon Oceans E-Mail: captrd@earthlink.net 251-591-5109 |
| Here's a small summary with photos of the trip the LST 325 Memorial took in 2005. This was sent to me by the Merchant Marine Captain, Ronald G. Dudley, who guided the ship safely along with the other volunteers. |
| With views like this one ... blue skies, calm seas, the engines giving their familar hum, and fresh air whipping your bell bottoms, you screw your lid on a bit tighter, and soon forget that you spent your last buck in the port behind you ...... and the headache slowly drifts away with the breeze. ccb |