Wednesday, August 27, 1999

This is to all the Sailor's that are interested in getting an LSD Museum. I first started thinking about this when I saw our own ship USS Tortuga LSD 26 being cut up for salvage and then the final scuttling of her. So why not a museum. Thinking back on it, I then think why should we. Most of us were just glad to get off that pig iron bucket of junk; we were young and ready to spread our wings. But now after all these years the damn thing has come back to haunt me. Those ships had a soul, and we were that soul.

The friends that I left behind I shall never forget. When I had first heard of the Navy taking our ship out for target practice and then the breaking of her Towline when she was being towed out to be deep sixed, it about broke my heart. I had the feeling that I had deserted her and that she was making that last bolt for freedom.

So here it is. At this stage we are just talking it up. Trying to contact other LSD sailors and trying to get as many as we can that would be interested in such a museum. Some-where along the way after everyone, all LSD sailors, know about it, then some sort of an association will have to be organized to handle this adventure. Then we should look for a port to put it in. and also look for an LSD. The port that we dock it at should take on a certain amount of responsibility of having it there as they stand to gain a lot from it being there. Such as tourist and reunions. It might be better in a smaller port.

This is just a general outline, as I know there will be problems to come along that only a committee can handle. I am also sure that as sailors join the program they will have their say on the set-up and the moving forward of this program. We haven't even talked yet about which coast it would be on. Most of the problems would have to be ironed out by the committee that would handle such problems. Maybe one person from each ship would be present on this committee. For as long as I can remember when one talked about the Navy you talk about Aircraft Carriers, Battlewagons and Destroyers. And yet we knew that the Navy up close was Amphib. I used to watch star shells go over our heads at night while we set a little ways off shore in Inchon Korea.

This is a large project and I wouldn't expect it to be done over night. We will have a long ways to go yet. But wouldn't it be nice to have an LSD to have our reunion on.

Frank D. Woodruff
USS Tortuga LSD 26
9366 Lawerence 2220
Monett, Mo. 65708

e-mail Frank   fdwdew@sofnet.com