''The Elsie item'' - USS Landing Craft Infantry National Association

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"Words fail me when it comes to expressing the pride andconfidence I feel about the Navy personnel and the missionof today's Amphibians. I just wish there was someway that every citizen of the US could have the experiencewe had at Little Creek. Maybe,just maybe, we wouldall come to realize that our armed forces put it all on theline for every citizen, every day, all day, 365 days a year toprotect our comfortable, well-fed behinds here in the good01' USA".Vester Kelly, LCI(G) 441 Receives Purple Heart 56 years late Kelly's part in the chaos aboard the 441 were detailed in anewspaper article in the Tallahassee Democrat by ReporterGerald Ensley:"Kelly missed his date with death when the barrel burnedout on the [40mm] mounted gun he was shooting. Hejumped up from his seat to the deck just seconds before aJapanese shell landed square on the seat. The resultingexplosion sent him hurtling to the other side of the boat.He suffered an injured back that took many years and operationsto heal, plus shrapnel wounds that left permanentscars on his jaw and neck."Though bleeding profusely, Kelly worked through thechaos. He moved injured sailors out of the line of fire. Herelayed signals from the Captain on the bridge to a sailorin the engine room who was trying to steer the ship withone engine."When a call went out that the sleeping quarters were onfire, Kelly and another sailor waded into the darkness andsmoke, and put out the fire by using their helmets as buckets,scooping ankle-deep water and throwing it on a fireagainst one wall. On the other side of the wall was 500gallons of diesel fuel which would have blown up if ignited."A native of Crestview, Florida, Kelly returned there afterhis discharge from the Navy in 1945. In 1952 he embarkedon a career of law enforcement, joining the Tallalhassee,Florida, police department. In 1978, he retired after 23years of service there, 10 of which were spent as Chief ofDetectives.Kelly receives Medal at Veteran's Day Ceremony in Tallahassee, Florida It took a bit of time and doing, but Vester Kelley's medalsfinally caught up with him."I wouldn't take a million dollars for what I've seen in theservice to my country", said Kelly, "and I wouldn't give acent to go through it again!"Our congratulations to Shipmate Vester Kelleyl We areproud that he has finally been recognized for what he didon the 441.A Boatsswain's Mate aboard LCI(G) 441 which took a savagepummeling at Iwo Jima carrying out its mission ofprotecting the UDT swimmers, Kelley's records were lostin the melee and subsequent transfer of the dead andwounded to the USS Nevada. Consequently he never receivedmedals recognizing his heroism for many years. In1968, then Congressman Don Fuqua helped him securethe Bronze Star and now, finally in 2001, U. S. SenatorBob Graham has helped Vester receive the Purple Heart.22
The Picture GalleryA Collection of LCI Photos Designed to Stir your Interest and Memories!THE 713 LOOKING BETTER ALL THE TIME!We start out with a recent photo of the 713 furnished to us by Wes Davis of LCI 515. Wes had the opportunity tovisit the 713 on his way home from the Reno Reunion. She was all decorated up with pennants as part of "RoseWeekend", and annual celebration in Portland. Wes writes: "My stepson drove us to where the 713 was located onthe Willamette River and we were lucky enough to find Walt James there. He took us on a tour of the interior ofthe ship and asked many questions as to how it looked when I served on an LCI. Walt and his friend are veryenthusiastically restoring it to WWII condition and like to talk to those who served on LCIs for infonnation."VILLANOVA NROTC LEARNS WHAT AN LCI LOOKS LIKE John McCarthy (LCI 46) poses with the model presented by the USS LCI National Association to VillanovaUniversity for display in the Naval ROTC Building. John was one of many Villanova men who went directly fromtraining in the V-12 Unit there to service in LCIs.23
Page 1 and 2: ''The Elsie item''Official Newslett
Page 3: A Note from the EditorWhat a great
Page 6 and 7: will see that they aren't""We're no
Page 8 and 9: The LCI Association Exhibit feature
Page 10 and 11: Book ReviewThe Solomons Campaigns,
Page 12 and 13: Man Overboard! With a Rocket Launch
Page 14 and 15: Letters to the Editor One ofthe rea
Page 16 and 17: I remember talking to his mother sh
Page 18 and 19: Jim Talbert Pulls a Great Work Part
Page 20 and 21: A First-Hand Look at the Modern Amp
Page 24 and 25: Headed for the Big BlastRobert "Mik
Page 26 and 27: LCI 23 - One of the Early Gunboat C
Page 28 and 29: out for pot shots at night from one
Page 30 and 31: NEW E-MAIL ADDRESSES Here are the n
Page 32 and 33: Jim then presented John Cummer with
Page 34 and 35: USS Lei NATIONAL ASSN. REUNION APRI
Page 36 and 37: THE OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS OF THEUS
Page 38: USS LCI NATIONAL ASSOCIATION MEMBER

''The Elsie item'' - USS Landing Craft Infantry National Association

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