1171 Class Reunion
Held in Newport News, Va.
October, 2000
What a time!
(Graphic Intensive!
Please have patience)
This Gallery has a
few of the photos I took in Newport News at our 1171 Class Reunion.
As you will see, I've
included a couple of pictures of the Lorain County LST 1177 and
the Wood County LST
1178 as they were, Oct. 2000, deteriorating and anchored in the
James River Reserve
Fleet.
It was really great
going aboard these two vessels and walking on the decks that we worked
so many years ago.
We heard and saw the ghosts of our past. It was quite sad to see
the shape
that these "Large
Slow Targets" have been allowed to deteriorate to. Of course, no
one
is out there keeping
them clean and polished, and many parts have been stripped off.
Both ships have since
been scrapped as the effort to save the Lorain fell through.
We are saddened, and
can only hope that we will be able to save another T from
perhaps the 1156 class.
All 1171 class T's have now been destroyed.
On
a more cheerful note, here are pictures from the reunion.
This
is the group who stayed at the Omni Hotel
We
are all vets of the 1171 and 1173 - and one from the 1175
Starting
from the left, Gary McKnight, 1171; Mem lapse #1, 1173; Mem
lapse #2, 1173; Pete Reenstra, 1171;
Dave Miller,
1173; Don Nachle, 1171; Rich Tameris, 1175; Dave Kittle,
1171; Jerry Martin, 1171; Bob Williams, 1171;
Ron Broome,
1173; Conley Peters, 1171.
My apologies
for my memory lapses - somebody please let me know who these two gents
are - thanks.
Missing
from photo is Plank Owner Thomas Winnie of the 1171.
Old
and New Friends from the 1171
From the left, Jerry Martin,
Gunners Mate;
Gary McKnight, Boatswains
Mate;
Me - Pete Reenstra, Boatswains
Mate
We served together between
'58 and '64.
My question, how come a
southern boy like Jerry
became a Yankee fan?
|
Bob Williams, Hospital
Corpsman, and I share
a laugh on our way to
the Reserve Fleet.
Bob sailed with us from
'61 to '63.
See the next page for a
few shots of the
Reserve Fleet.
All that good steel goin'
to waste!
|
From the left, Dave Miller
of the 1173; me again;
Dave Kittle, Boatswains
Mate Chief; and
Conley Peters. Dave
K. and Conley sailed
together until decommissioning
in '72.
We're on the bridge of
the 1177, with the
boom and cargo hatch of
the 1178 behind us.
|
Here's Tom Winnie looking
up between the ships,
and Don Nachle checking
the aft section of the 1177.
These two vets are both
plank owners of the 1171.
Word is that the 1178 in
the background
has been scrapped.
The Army keepers of
the James River Reserve
Fleet told us it had
been scheduled.
|
Would this site be complete
without a pic
of one of our old favorite
watering holes?
It's the last one standing,
and not for long!
With the modernization
of Little Creek,
the bulldozer cometh!
|
Let's mosey to the Cozy!
|
What's
it like on the Lorain County at the Reserve Fleet?
Take
a look!
Inside the Bridge of the Lorain.
A few items are missing, as I recall!
Looking forward from the bridge of the Lorain
County, The Wood is on the left, and the next row
is in the background.
|
Looking aft from the top of the truck ramp
on the Lorain.
|
Dave Kittle and Gary McKnight, both of the 1171,
ponder swim call in the bow doors!
A bit chilly today, men!
|
Charlie Patton and company
hanging the Ohio War Memorial flags
on the gangplank.
|
Here's
a couple shots of other Gators on the tug going out.
The
formation of the 1171 Class Association.
We
began our group at the Best Western and crowded into
the
hall for this shot - taken by Jerry Martin's wife.
The
tour that was planned for Saturday on the Amphib Base in Little Creek,
and
the
tour of Norfolk Naval Base was canceled due to the USS Cole terrorist bombing.
Don
Nachle, Gary McKnight, and I (l to r) took in the Air Show at Langley AF
Base.
We
had a great day there, the acts were spectacular, the company fabulous!
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