I just returned from my weekend in Portland, Oregon, a 3 hour drive (each way) from my home near Seattle. I spent Saturday with the volunteers of the Amphibious Forces Memorial Museum working on the ongoing restoration of LCI (L) 713. The crew is making steady progress as the 713 slowly comes back to life. Since my last visit a few months ago the AFMM acquired 20mm AA guns .The 713 has 5 20MMs (1 on the bow, 2 forward and 2 aft of the wheel house). Also two 12 cyl diesels where donated to the AFMM. They used to power a U.S. Navy torpedo recovery boat. It will be awhile before they can be installed as the 713 is in desparate need of a new hull. The AFMM is hoping to raise $300,000 so that can get done.It was a cold day to be working on the Columbia river. Temps were in the low 30s and it was snowing. We worked inside and it was hard moving around dressed in 3 to 4 layers of clothing. The LCI (L) which stands for Landing Craft Infantry-Large has 4 separate troop stations below decks. The ship is capable of transporting from 150 to 175 Soldiers or Marines to a landing. Troop 1 has been restored, Troop 2 is in process and my job on this trip was to begin working in Troop 3. With lighting supplied by two rough service bulbs and heat coming from a makeshift wood burning stove I spent several hours wire wheeling rust off of the deck plating and the bulkheads in preparation for grey primer. At the end of four hours I had to come up for air and to hit the head. I couldn't understand why everyone on board kept asking me If I was OK and I thought it was strange that they kept staring at me. It was even stranger when I went back to my hotel and several people hurried to get away from me and one kind woman handed me a dollar and told me to have faith. It wasn't until I got to my room and looked in the bathroom mirror that i started to laugh. Between the rust particles and soot from the woodburning stove, I was blackened from head to toe. I truly looked like I had been living on the streets for many years. Even though I had gone through several particle masks, after 4 hours I still felt as If I had just smoked a few packs of cigarettes. My chest was quite heavy and sore. So I stayed top side for a another hour working on sealing the new insulation in the main mess area. By 15:00 hours I was exhausted and chose to pack it in. Dirty and sore from head to toe I felt a real sense of pride helping to keep alive a little workhorse that so many of our fathers, grandfathers and uncles served aboard so proudly when all that was at risk was the free world. My dad was 18 years old when he reported for duty on the LCI (L) 606 in the South Pacific and for me to put in a few hours every couple of months on the 713 allows me, in some small way, to share a part of his life.The AFMM is currently trying to communicate with the New York City based CircleLine tour company. They have two converted LCIs left in their tour boat fleet that are soon destined for the scrap yard. Although these ships have been modified over the years there are still plenty of mechanical parts that can be salvaged for the 713. Sadly, CircleLine is being less than cooperative. If anyone out there has any connections, no matter how small, It would be a tremendous help if you could help in this effort. For anyone interested in learning more about the AFMM go to www.amphibiousforces.org . The LCI National association will be having it's 2009 reunion at the Red Lion Hotel on Hayden Island in Portland, Oregon in May. This is where the 713 is moored.That's all for now.As always Navy Vets, Thank you so much for your service and for the freedom that I enjoy every day because of your sacrifice. God Bless all of you.Rich LevineProud Son of Henry Levine MoMM3USS Sargent BayLCI (L) 606
Rich,
You are performing a great service not only to all Navy veterans but to all those in this country that will benefit from the preservation of the LCI. I am grateful that there are people like you that will voluteer your time on such a worthy project. Hope you make out for the good in someway with the CircleLine.
Kelley Boyd
Comments
You are performing a great service not only to all Navy veterans but to all those in this country that will benefit from the preservation of the LCI. I am grateful that there are people like you that will voluteer your time on such a worthy project. Hope you make out for the good in someway with the CircleLine.
Kelley Boyd