elsie item issue 69 - USS Landing Craft Infantry

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2 “THE ELSIE ITEM” Number 69 • November 2009 Official Newsletter of the USS LCI National Association, a non-profit veteran’s organization. Membership in the USS LCI National Association is open to any U. S. Navy or U.S. Coast Guard veteran who served aboard a Landing Craft Infantry. Affiliate membership, without voting privileges, is offered to others. Published quarterly by the USS LCI National Association. John P. Cummer, Editor. Any material for possible publication should be sent to the Editor, preferably by email (cummerj@bellsouth.net) or by regular mail to 302 Pinewood Cottage Lane, Blythewood, SC, 29016 CHECK OUT THESE WEBSITES: www.usslci.com www.amphibiousforces.com Our own website For information on the 713 and Tiny’s Ships Stores On Our Cover: English Railroad Modelers have created an outstanding display of the docks at Southampton as preparations were being made for D-Day. Chris Mead, one of the modelers has contributed a finely detailed model of an LCI, featured in the exhibit. See story, page 4. HAVE YOU PAID YOUR DUES ? We need the support of every shipmate to keep our Association going! If you have not yet paid your dues for this year, please do so at once. It will be necessary to drop you from the Elsie Item mailing list if we do not receive your dues before the next issue comes out. We don’t want to do that! Your support in keeping our Association going will be greatly appreciated by all your shipmates and their families...and we’re sure you’ll want to keep on receiving Elsie Item. Annual dues are $25.00. Please note: Beginning this year we are asking Life Members also to pay annual dues. Please make your check out to “USS LCI National Association” and mail it to: USS LCI National Association c/o Nehemiah Communications, Inc. 101 Rice Bent Way, #6 Columbia, SC 29229
From the Editor/President Welcome to another issue of Elsie Item ! Recently one of our shipmates wrote me mildly complaining that there was too much coverage of the restoration work being done on the 1091 and the 713 and not enough about our actual WWII experiences. This issue should help correct that balance. In it I believe we have more sea stories, first hand accounts and information on operations in both the Pacific and the European theaters than we have ever carried before. One reason for that is the outpouring of sea stories from so many of you. We hope you keep them coming. I have a couple of requests or suggestions to pass along to you who are still thinking about the sea story you want to contribute. First, it is so much more easier on me if you send them as an attachment to an email. That saves a lot of re-copying. Of course, if you do not have access to a computer, we will be equally glad to receive your story. Another suggestion is that you might want to try to single out some specific incident – dramatic or funny – and tell us that story instead of recounting the experiences that were common to most of us – our training, ocean voyages, etc. Try to think of some experience that you had that may be completely different from those of other LCIers. However, please send whatever you want in whatever form you prefer, for we will be very pleased to receive every contribution. In this issue there should be something to satisfy almost everyone -. From our cover story of the amazingly detailed model of the docks of Southampton, England, as preparations were being made for the Normandy Invasion to the report of the finding of a paddle that belonged to LCI 93. From the Pacific theater we carry the sobering story of Nick Grosso and LCI 450 as they participated in the invasion of Iwo Jima. We also extend our thanks again to LCI Historian Dennis Blocker for supplying us with more great LCI photos uncovered in the National Archives. You’ll find them scattered them throughout this issue. Putting on my President’s hat, it’s good to report that plans for our joint reunion with the LSM/LSMR group are firming up. We think both groups will enjoy the fellowship. In that regard we note with pleasure the report of the California LCIers meeting together with LST veterans. Seems they all had a great time together and we hope the same thing will happen next August in Cincinnati. We continue to be encouraged about the increasing role affiliates are playing in our association. The enthusiasm they show bodes well for our future. We will be seeking legal advice concerning changes that need to be made in our by-laws to permit their full participation. Of chief concern will be the need for preserving our status as an organization to which tax-free contributions can be made. Fair winds and following seas, Shipmates! —John Cummer 3
Page 1: OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE USS LAND
Page 5 and 6: One never knows when “bread cast
Page 7 and 8: California LCIers to Host Pearl Har
Page 9 and 10: These posters inside a German bunke
Page 11 and 12: first-aid wound washing and brushin
Page 13 and 14: Feeding the Marines (recounted to B
Page 15 and 16: LCI 653 to be Scuttled in Alaska Ov
Page 17 and 18: The Chaplain’s Corner The Power o
Page 19 and 20: Elsie Item Newsletters Being Scanne
Page 21 and 22: An Iwo Jima Remembrance By Nick Gro
Page 23 and 24: have probably been gone. The Captai
Page 25 and 26: A Good LCI Sea Story— Told by a N
Page 27 and 28: “A Plug for a Distinguished Nervo
Page 29 and 30: Tiny Clarkson’s Ship’s Stores O
Page 31 and 32: USS LCI NATIONAL ASSOCIATION APPLIC

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