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Thu 19 Jun, 2003 08:44 am
Restored World War II Ship Resumes Trip
Thursday June 19, 2003 3:09 PM
LONDON (AP) - A restored World War II ship resumed its journey Thursday after developing a leak in rough seas north of Scotland, the coast guard said.
The Andholmen is one of the so-called Shetland Bus boats that operated between Norway and the Shetland Isles off Scotland's north coast to assist the Norwegian resistance movement from 1939-1945.
The boats, carrying ammunition, radios and refugees, crossed the North Sea at night with no lights to keep from being shot at by German forces.
The ship was sailing from Norway to Shetland for a ceremony commemorating those who died in the hazardous trips when it began taking in water off the island's east coast, said Jim Sinclair, a spokesman for the Shetland coast guard.
A coast guard helicopter airlifted five of the 10 people from the ship and delivered a pump, which the remaining crew members used to stop water from coming into the engine room, Sinclair said. There were no injuries.
Sinclair said the cause of the leak was unknown but pointed out that the Andholmen was sailing in heavy seas. He said the ship would be accompanied by an emergency towing vessel for the remainder of its journey.
Sadly I discovered a website for my old ship - commisioned in 1945, second to bear the name. The Uss McKean DD784 has been canibalized for parts. But the sites (there are more than one, all linked in one way or another) are very lively, having reunions each year, history pages, and an attempt to fill in a crew list for the whole of its service. The McKean had the best operating record on the west coast at the time I boarded her. It is the only destroyer to have sunk a Soviet sub and it was the first vessel to discover the mine fields around Korea during the war. We were the sole escort for the Enterprise coming back from Japan. I believe we parted ways in Seattle. I don't really miss service in the military, but there were some really great guys on board that ship.
Edgar
Edgar, I thought you might enjoy the following sites:
U.S.S Jeremiah O'Brien Liberty Ship
http://www.ssjeremiahobrien.org/links.html
Normandy; the Last Convoy
http://www.ssjeremiahobrien.org/links.html
---BumbleBeeBoogie
Thanks, BBB. I put that listing on my favorites to be checked over pretty thoroughly in the coming days. Right now I can do just short term things because I am ailing somewhat - Oh, no need to back away from the computer. It's nothing contageous. - That link reminds me to look up the Card, a Merchant Marine vessel I recall from Vietnam War days. While in either Manilla or Osaka I noted the Card tied up at the dock. I said to my friend, the ship's barber, "That's the service to get into." After leaving my ship I got a Merchant Marine document. I did not intend to find a berth right away, but to enjoy my freedom about six months. Before I could make a positive move, I got word the Card was blown up in Saigon Harbor. "Well," I backtracked, "those ships don't have any protection from that sort of thing." Needless to say, I did not ship out.
Edgar
Edgar, I hope you will be well soon.
Take care,
BumbleBeeBoogie
Thank you . I intend to be.
Ahh, I thought maybe the ship had been docked since 1945! "Those travel orders should be in soon men!".
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