RESOLUTION C-2014-1 INTRODUCED BY: BRINKERHOFF-RILEY
A RESOLUTION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL THE CITY OF EVANSVILLE, IN
WHEREAS, The Common Council of the City of Evansville, Indiana recognizes the historical significance of the USS LST-325, a decommissioned tank landing ship of the United Sates Navy, docked in Evansville, and the importance of its role in our local economy, as well as expresses gratitude to the USS LST Ship Memorial for its restoration and preservation efforts; and
WHEREAS, the USS LST-325 was first launched during World War II when it left the U.S. on October 27, 1942, and sailed north of Africa to assist in the invasions at Gela, Sicily and Salerno, Italy; and
WHEREAS, on June 6, 1944, the USS LST-325 was part of the largest armada in history by participating in the Normandy landings at Omaha Beach and carrying 59 vehicles, 31 officers and 408 enlisted men on its first trip. In returning to England, the ship and her crew carried 38 casualties. Over the next 9 months, the USS LST-325 made more than 40 trips across the English Channel, carrying the thousands of men and pieces of equipment needed to liberate Europe. The ship continued to run supply trips before returning to the United States in March of 1945. She was decommissioned in July of 1946, and put in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet; and
WHEREAS, the USS LST-325 was reactivated in 1951 and added to the Military Sea Transportation Service, where she was involved in constructing radar outposts along the coast of eastern Canada and Greenland, which was known as “Operation SUNAC†(Support of North Atlantic Construction in the Labrador Sea, David Strait and Baffin Bay). In 1961, the USS LST-325 was again taken out of service and became part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet; and
WHEREAS, the USS LST-325 was put into service a third time and given to the Greek Navy in 1964. The ship served under the name Syros until she was decommissioned again in December of 1999; and
WHEREAS, a nonprofit organization made up primarily of retired military personnel, the USS LST Ship Memorial, acquired the USS LST-325 in 2000. The group went to Greece, made numerous repairs to the ship and sailed her the 6,500 miles back to the United States in January of 2001. In 2003, the USS LST-325 toured the Mississippi and Ohio rivers and spent 10 days in the City of Evansville, where over 35,000 people toured the ship; and
WHEREAS, the City of Evansville has a deep connection to the USS LST-325, as the City’s riverfront during World War II was a 45-acre shipyard producing LSTs. At its peak, the Evansville Shipyard employed over 19,000 and was the largest inland producer of LSTs in the nation. 167 LSTs and 35 other vessels were built at the Evansville Shipyard; and
WHEREAS, the USS LST-325 is one of the last navigable LSTs in operation in the United States and was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on June 24, 2009. The ship has been ported in the City of Evansville since 2006 as a memorial museum to LSTs and the City’s war effort; and
WHEREAS, the USS LST-325 welcomes approximately 10,000 visitors every year to the City of Evansville and is an integral part of the community’s history and local economy; and
WHEREAS, the contract between the City of Evansville and USS LST Ship Memorial expires in 2015, and it is in the City’s best interest to secure a renewal of the agreement; and
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED:
The Common Council of the City of Evansville, Indiana hereby urges Mayor Lloyd Winnecke to make renewing the contract with USS LST Ship Memorial a top priority for the City of Evansville and resoundingly congratulates the USS LST Ship Memorial on being an outstanding member of our community and an integral part of generating tourism dollars in our local economy.
PASSED BY the Common Council of the City of Evansville, Indiana, on the 27th day of January, 2014, and signed by the President of the Common Council and attested by the City Clerk.
John E. Friend, President of the Common
Council, City of Evansville, Indiana
I’d rather have a nice park to eat lunch or walk my dog than a LST I went to once and might never go again.
This could well end up being more than a day late and more than a dollar short. Evansville has done nothing of note to promote that ship. Generally the only time its name pops up is when mutiny is threatened or when it leaves to go on tour (or as a vehicle to attack the Reickens).
Bandana Well,from afar,and as a Veteran,and the son of a decorated WWII Veteran, with others including Uncles, Aunts,and many others who we define as the greatest generation continue to fade out and physically expire off the planet Gosh,I can only hold the utmost respect for those who worked to present the ships history. Anywhere it is.
Evansville’s problem is the location and presentation factors provided.
First you moored it out in the Kentucky river bottoms,down where the prevailing wind from your waterworks and Bee slough attacks and invades one’s senses. The only though of liberation would to be how fast a body could haul itself to some assemellence of perceived,fresh air. Duh.
Second,finding some events “again” that allow for its true presentation of purpose,sailing and blending in with activities of similar historical significance would be clue. Your riverfront,and the Veterans memorial,or what’s left of your Freedom Festival,even labor day,D-day Europe,anything.
Why don’t you ask what Mr.Tom Hanks would suggest you do with the ole LST 325.
I think someone,once realized mankind had a desperate foreboding need,a horizon was visualized,the need became a vision,thousands of your local anybodies brought that vision to actuality,wasn’t very easy,and was costly in all human aspects. Geez, to have an working memorial to that set of objectives,goals and equated realities,is really a true historical treasure.
Balance with events blending people,thats all,and the right promotional atmosphere with a visually acceptable location that defines its historical human contact points, makes the mind set for blended visitation forward,thus built in sustainability*
Or,if not,let’em sail where someone will realize the real aspect of the preservation,and capitalize on it,as then maybe the thing can be supported and saved.
Looked at it the other day from the Greenway,close by. Ghostly looking out there in the winter’s cold gusting, frost ladened, northwest wind. The rivers cold whitecaps crashing ashore while awaiting the preventable homegrown,accidental,chemical attack from upstream.
Thought about the guys that sailed those things across the mean ole Atlantic,the Nazi submarines,the rough seas,The battles in the Marianas the heat,enemy aircraft carriers,enemy warships,Kamikazes suicide attacks, The sense of purpose that drove them, that kind of resolve,and then where they started out from,and where most of’em ended up…..
The scrap was likely sold, bought,shipped back overseas again, and now shipped back on container ships,ends up in a can-ban bin up on the way to Princeton,or someplace similar. And tomorrow morning some of ya are probably starting over, hopping in one those conveniences to make scrap outta its suspension.
All the while,falling into and,driving out of some of the massive chuck holes presented by someones lacking infrastructure, and on a planet thats real sick of the little jerks, who in their methods of economic prosperity,and one sided global trade,continue the vicious cycle.
The cycle that presents the huge however compounding indigestible stale carbon footprint right square in the very mouth of Mother Earth. The same Planet and ecosystem that Greatest Generation saved.
The only one you’ll ever get,including,Evansville In.
Priorities yeah…”riiIGHTtt.”
Information,is not knowledge. (Albert Einstein)
I have to say, in all honesty, I don’t believe the LST brings in that much tourism. Maybe it’s down to promotion. Or maybe it’s the fact that the generation that fought the War is passing away. A Picasso would have drawn more people, but, alas we don’t deserve a Picasso.
On the flip side, I know several children of WWII vets who have traveled to tour this LST. It was personally very meaningful to them. And they did stay overnight locally and eat meals locally also. I would hope that school tours take advantage of the LST although I don’t know that for sure.
You make good sense, Martha. I think it is time for Evansville to either give the LST a suitable, respectful display sight or let it go where it can have those things, though. The site at the Marina is just awful. I have to wonder if some of the people who have come here to see it haven’t gone away with a bad impression of Evansville because of the LST’s surroundings.
Stephanie, thank you VERY much for this resolution. I hate to put you on the spot but I’d like to ask you a few questions.
1. Don’t you think the LST should be placed in a much better location, particularly one away from the Henderson border, the sewer/water plants, and cheap cigs marina?
2. Would you agree that this would be a golden opportunity for the Port of Evansville? That moving it there would be the only place where it could be attached to a facility from WWII, with a canopy, and would allow us to begin the long awaited expansion of the Greenway to the westside via the Joan Marchand Bridge?
Yes, a company just purchased it for $5.8 million but surely this city can round up enough supporters to build a quality home for this ship. After all, if it weren’t for this ship, we’d all be speaking Japanese or German right now.
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